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A review by bookishfaye
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
A very devastating dnf 12% in:
- First of all; I adored Iron Widow (structural issues aside) & think this world is so fricken cool & love Wu Zetian and her rage, as well as the polyamory & disability rep
- this book this feels so unbelievably messy, I’m quite surprised it was even greenlit yet…? (Maybe this is harsh of me, I love Xiran so I feel quite bad and homie if you’re seeing this I’m genuinely so sorry)
- the dialogue is just so cringe, & the world feels all over the place & the inclusion of this new emperor feels so random and jarring and forced (though he’s definitely giving Zuko & I was kinda vibing)
- maybe this isn’t a fair judgement as I didn’t finish the book, and spoilers for the first few chapters, but Zetian’s disability felt like such a huge part of her character and the commentary, and to have her disability cured in the first few chapters had me very :/
- I just can’t force myself to read this & I’m quite sad because Iron Widow was one of my favourite reads of 2022 & this feels incredibly disappointing
- First of all; I adored Iron Widow (structural issues aside) & think this world is so fricken cool & love Wu Zetian and her rage, as well as the polyamory & disability rep
- this book this feels so unbelievably messy, I’m quite surprised it was even greenlit yet…? (Maybe this is harsh of me, I love Xiran so I feel quite bad and homie if you’re seeing this I’m genuinely so sorry)
- the dialogue is just so cringe, & the world feels all over the place & the inclusion of this new emperor feels so random and jarring and forced (though he’s definitely giving Zuko & I was kinda vibing)
- maybe this isn’t a fair judgement as I didn’t finish the book, and spoilers for the first few chapters, but Zetian’s disability felt like such a huge part of her character and the commentary, and to have her disability cured in the first few chapters had me very :/
- I just can’t force myself to read this & I’m quite sad because Iron Widow was one of my favourite reads of 2022 & this feels incredibly disappointing