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plantvolcano 's review for:
Heavenly Tyrant
by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh my gosh. I cried physically twice when listening to this book, but many more times within my head. Beautiful read. Reading about systematic change occurring, even in a fictional world, is still inspiring. I loved reading a book that talked about dismantling laws, how it's messy and that progress can be made-while still also being wrong and harmful. There is a difference between less pain and actually healing, and this book demonstrates that. I loved that queer side characters were included, and the story briefly talked about queer peoples importance. Oh it was also cool to read about safe sex. I also loved that there was a breakdown of complex topics. I really loved reading this book!
The way that Wu Zetian is written is ah idk how to explain it. She is incredibly selfish and uneducated. However, she has a lot of character growth in learning how politics, economics, and laws have been created. She also finally recognizes that other women exist, even though I don't think she ever gets to the point where she doesn't believe she's not the center of the world. I think this is pretty accurate of the average person though. Most of us are so wrapped up in our own thoughts and experiences, we forget that we exist in communities with others.
I believe it's important to critically think, so I do have a couple critques. Despite Zhao's AMAZING writting exploring the dismantling of gender, class, and capitalistic systems (and slightly ablism)-there is no exploration of dismantling powers that support race. Throughout the book, there is about two or three mentions of people with different skin colors, but there isn't a discussion about it at all. Now, I do get that American racism is different from other parts of the world's racism/colorism, but I geninuely doubt that a fictional world that has capitalism and sexism remains without racism/colorism. If this aspect was included, this book would have been a 5 star for me. It's also important to recognize the violence throughout both books. I don't believe that true governmental changes can occur without some violence, but I do believe real change has more love and more community in it. I think this series should have been a duology though. I'll 100% still read the third book, but I'll agree with other reviews that this story should have ended here. Also the end lmao, wild.
I loved that there was a call to action at the end of this book. Zhao starts and ends their book very beautifully. It's warmth to read trigger warnings, clarifications about the origins that are tied but not directly reflective of history, and clarifications about systematic change.
"It is not human nature to accept subjugation."
The way that Wu Zetian is written is ah idk how to explain it. She is incredibly selfish and uneducated. However, she has a lot of character growth in learning how politics, economics, and laws have been created. She also finally recognizes that other women exist, even though I don't think she ever gets to the point where she doesn't believe she's not the center of the world. I think this is pretty accurate of the average person though. Most of us are so wrapped up in our own thoughts and experiences, we forget that we exist in communities with others.
I believe it's important to critically think, so I do have a couple critques. Despite Zhao's AMAZING writting exploring the dismantling of gender, class, and capitalistic systems (and slightly ablism)-there is no exploration of dismantling powers that support race. Throughout the book, there is about two or three mentions of people with different skin colors, but there isn't a discussion about it at all. Now, I do get that American racism is different from other parts of the world's racism/colorism, but I geninuely doubt that a fictional world that has capitalism and sexism remains without racism/colorism. If this aspect was included, this book would have been a 5 star for me. It's also important to recognize the violence throughout both books. I don't believe that true governmental changes can occur without some violence, but I do believe real change has more love and more community in it. I think this series should have been a duology though. I'll 100% still read the third book, but I'll agree with other reviews that this story should have ended here. Also the end lmao, wild.
I loved that there was a call to action at the end of this book. Zhao starts and ends their book very beautifully. It's warmth to read trigger warnings, clarifications about the origins that are tied but not directly reflective of history, and clarifications about systematic change.
"It is not human nature to accept subjugation."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Classism
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Classism