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A review by hannahhbic
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
5.0
Edit 2/9/22: I will sincerely never shut up about this book. It deserves everything.
Holy forking shirtballs. Iron Widow, [b:Raybearer|50158128|Raybearer (Raybearer, #1)|Jordan Ifueko|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1567330635l/50158128._SX50_SY75_.jpg|70180082], and [b:Lobizona|51179882|Lobizona (Wolves of No World, #1)|Romina Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1571242220l/51179882._SX50_SY75_.jpg|72729786] really came out here to revolutionize YA. You love to see it. This is legit one of the best YA books I've ever read. It's as immersive as a video game. It's as swift as a coursing river (sorry I couldn't help throwing in a Mulan reference but it's also true, the pacing is fast). Iron Widow demolishes the patriarchy, classism, and racism. The ending on this book? Staggering. There are a LOT of content warnings for this one. Readalikes include [b:She Who Became the Sun|48727813|She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor, #1)|Shelley Parker-Chan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1625048838l/48727813._SY75_.jpg|74086825], [b:Gearbreakers|54017833|Gearbreakers (Gearbreakers, #1)|Zoe Hana Mikuta|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600090651l/54017833._SY75_.jpg|73693444], [b:The First Sister|52378525|The First Sister (The First Sister Trilogy, #1)|Linden A. Lewis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1584211465l/52378525._SY75_.jpg|71431861].
Thank you to NetGalley for a preview copy in exchange for an honest review.
Content + Trigger Warnings include: murder, death, torture, violence, gore, human sacrifices, thoughts of suicide, a lot of abuse (including domestic abuse and parental abuse), talk of sexual assault, extreme alcohol addiction, lots of consumption of alcohol, lots of depictions of blood, lots of depictions of trauma, depictions of depression, anxiety depictions and panic attacks, many mentions of needles, forced body modifications including footbinding and stolen organs, humiliation, misogyny and sexism, talk of disease, themes of colonization, and war themes (from Goodreads User @Meltotheany)
Holy forking shirtballs. Iron Widow, [b:Raybearer|50158128|Raybearer (Raybearer, #1)|Jordan Ifueko|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1567330635l/50158128._SX50_SY75_.jpg|70180082], and [b:Lobizona|51179882|Lobizona (Wolves of No World, #1)|Romina Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1571242220l/51179882._SX50_SY75_.jpg|72729786] really came out here to revolutionize YA. You love to see it. This is legit one of the best YA books I've ever read. It's as immersive as a video game. It's as swift as a coursing river (sorry I couldn't help throwing in a Mulan reference but it's also true, the pacing is fast). Iron Widow demolishes the patriarchy, classism, and racism. The ending on this book? Staggering. There are a LOT of content warnings for this one. Readalikes include [b:She Who Became the Sun|48727813|She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor, #1)|Shelley Parker-Chan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1625048838l/48727813._SY75_.jpg|74086825], [b:Gearbreakers|54017833|Gearbreakers (Gearbreakers, #1)|Zoe Hana Mikuta|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1600090651l/54017833._SY75_.jpg|73693444], [b:The First Sister|52378525|The First Sister (The First Sister Trilogy, #1)|Linden A. Lewis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1584211465l/52378525._SY75_.jpg|71431861].
Thank you to NetGalley for a preview copy in exchange for an honest review.
Content + Trigger Warnings include: murder, death, torture, violence, gore, human sacrifices, thoughts of suicide, a lot of abuse (including domestic abuse and parental abuse), talk of sexual assault, extreme alcohol addiction, lots of consumption of alcohol, lots of depictions of blood, lots of depictions of trauma, depictions of depression, anxiety depictions and panic attacks, many mentions of needles, forced body modifications including footbinding and stolen organs, humiliation, misogyny and sexism, talk of disease, themes of colonization, and war themes (from Goodreads User @Meltotheany)