A review by lisacanteven
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

When I sat down to think of words to express how I feel about this book I couldn’t come with anything worthy. I’m not an author after all, but I can appreciate brilliant writing. Iron Widow has some of the most beautiful and raw words. This book is proof that the label “young adult” should never dissuade you because the writing is just as impactful as “adult” content.

I’ve heard the comparison of The Hunger Games meets Pacific Rim, and I guess that is an okay observation. But this book is so much more than those stories. The amount I learned about Chinese history and culture made it more alone.

But then when you get into the queerness of it all, you realize just how valuable this book is for young (and old) readers everywhere. The queer rep is sweet and lovely. It’s a rough, hard, sharp story with a very soft, sweet queer love story at its core. This juxtaposition exists within the characters too. 

This story felt like the most real story I have ever read. Zetian, the MC, thinks and acts in a way I have always craved to see in a character. I felt every word written about Zetian. I felt every emotion @xiranjayzhao created for Zetian. 

Zetian, Shimin, and Yizhi are the three characters I want to have dinner…and dessert with. I have never felt more connected to three characters. This is why representation of all kinds is so fucking important, and I will never stop fighting and expecting it.

tl;dr- This is a story about a badass woman and the two men backing her up as she takes down the patriarchy in a society yet to come. 
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