A review by dododenise
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

adventurous inspiring medium-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 first heard about this book I couldn’t believe my ears. It sounded like everything I could want from a book. 
To summarise what arguments convinced me this will be the most amazing book:
  • badass female protagonist fighting the patriarchy!
  • Science-Fiction and fantasy!
  • Pilots!
  • Poly love triangle!
  • Based on the Chinese history and mythology!
Ever since hearing about it I couldn’t wait for it to come out and thanks to NetGalley I was able to read it a little earlier. Thank you!
I’m now thinking about buying a physical copy because this book blew me away, deserves all the support and I just want this gorgeous book to have a place on my bookshelf. 

The characters:
Oh my, the characters. I love them so much. 
Zetian is one of the most badass protagonists I’ve read about in a while. She’s ruthless, fierce and yet, through all her brutality, she has heart. The stark contrast of her love for her boys, and he rage against the system and ferocity of her will to fight it was stunning. 

Shimin just kept on giving. Layer after layer was revealed and through Zetian’s rather biased eyes it was so interesting to get to know him. He has my heart and honestly I just want to give him a hug and never let go. He’s so loveable and yet so strong. Calling him impressive doesn’t even start to say it all. 

And of course Yizhi. I want to call him a ruthless puppy. He feels so different to Shimin and Zetian, giving it a breath of fresh air and yet he fitted perfectly. His presence was so comfortable. He just radiates calmness which the fire of Zetian needed. And yet he’s everything but innocent or shy. That man got a power of his own and I love him for it. 

The three of them make a perfect and balanced team. They just feel right together and all their character moments were so beautiful, I didn’t want to let them go. 

The plot:
This story is so good! The world building is fantastic. It’s so rich and detailed! I have such a strong sense of how this world is put together and even though new revelations did change the world quite a bit, it never fell apart. It just painted an even more detailed picture that wrapped itself around a thrilling plot.
This didn’t let me go! A perfect balance of character moments, reflection, setting something up and pure action. I was rooting for Zetian all the way through, cheering her on to destroy the absolutely horrendous and disgusting sexist society she lives in. 

Conclusion:
This book lived up to all my expectations and created a beautiful world that I don’t want to leave. Without a doubt, 5 out of 5 stars.
And now I can’t wait for the second one!
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