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A review by looseleafellie
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
In a world where girls are selected as concubine-pilots to power up giant mechas — and often die in the process — Zetian is determined to murder the male pilot who killed her sister. But when she proves to be an exceptionally powerful pilot herself, she must use her new position to investigate why the pilot system destroys so many girls … before her many enemies catch up to her.
People have been telling me I’ll love this book for a while, and in practice, they were totally right! I loved the rollercoaster of a plot (the short chapters helped). I wished a few parts, like the training sequences, were a little more fleshed out, but overall I thought the structure was great.
Zetian is an unhinged powerhouse of a protagonist whose motivations are always spot-on, even if they lead to her doing terrible things. I loved how the romance between her, Shimin, and Yizhi bloomed. They brought out the best in each other, both in battle and in general!
Amid all the flashy robot battles, it’s no secret that this book is about sexism. It delves into what it means to participate in an oppressive system, how much agency people really have to change things, and who should really shoulder the blame. I especially loved how the book explored how women often contribute to misogynistic systems without blaming those women for their own oppression.
The ending of the book — especially the epilogue — absolutely shook me to my core and left me dying for the sequel. Good thing it’s coming this year!
CWs: Violence, blood, abuse, murder, suicide ideation, alcohol addiction, torture, racism, misogyny, and reference to sexual assault.
People have been telling me I’ll love this book for a while, and in practice, they were totally right! I loved the rollercoaster of a plot (the short chapters helped). I wished a few parts, like the training sequences, were a little more fleshed out, but overall I thought the structure was great.
Zetian is an unhinged powerhouse of a protagonist whose motivations are always spot-on, even if they lead to her doing terrible things. I loved how the romance between her, Shimin, and Yizhi bloomed. They brought out the best in each other, both in battle and in general!
Amid all the flashy robot battles, it’s no secret that this book is about sexism. It delves into what it means to participate in an oppressive system, how much agency people really have to change things, and who should really shoulder the blame. I especially loved how the book explored how women often contribute to misogynistic systems without blaming those women for their own oppression.
The ending of the book — especially the epilogue — absolutely shook me to my core and left me dying for the sequel. Good thing it’s coming this year!
CWs: Violence, blood, abuse, murder, suicide ideation, alcohol addiction, torture, racism, misogyny, and reference to sexual assault.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Torture, Blood, Violence, Murder, and Misogyny
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Sexual assault