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A review by aforestofbooks
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
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
3.0
I finally decided to pick up this book to support the author, especially considering what Penguin RandomHouse is doing to them right now with the sequel.
Did I enjoy this? Sort of? But not as much as I wanted. I think sci-fi just isn't the genre for me. I always have trouble understanding how things work compared to plain old magic. And the combination of mechs/chrysalises and the different qi types and how they interact/work made me feel lost.
There were also quite a few moments in this book that took me out of the story. Like when Sima Yi asks Zetian if she's in a love triangle lol. And the bdsm photoshoot...I don't have much to say about that.
Yet, there were parts I related to. A lot of Zetian's experiences living in a patriarchal society and culture where women are used and abused for the benefit of men, and lied to about what they are capable of to keep them timid, obedient, and diminutive was very relatable. So this review is mostly going to consist of quotes from the book that stood out to me that I want to save here.
"He doesn't own me. Nobody does. They may think they do, but no matter how they scold or threaten or beat me, they can't really control what goes on in my head, and I think that frustrates them to no end." (nothing like a girl who has thoughts and feelings and ideas that don't conform to antiquated beliefs)
"Sometimes, my mother's so good at pretending nothing's wrong that it scares me into suspecting I'm the one with the head full of false memories." (ahh classic gaslighting)
"All I need is one sign that they're worth my mercy. One sign that they value my life as much as I'm expected to value theirs."
"It's like she didn't even hear what I said." :)
"But a mother who has failed me so thoroughly is no mother of mine."
"Some of us were born to be used and discarded. We can't afford to simply go along with the flow of life, because nothing in this world has been created, built, or set up in our favour. If we want something, we have to push back against everything around us and take it by force."
"But I have no faith in love. Love cannot save me. I choose vengeance." MOOD
"Being alive has been painful, exhausting, and disappointing." (honestly how I've been feeling lately)
"It's hilarious. Men want us so badly for our bodies, yet hate us so much for our minds."
"I swear, people cannot make up their minds about who is supposed to be the clueless infants who can't live without supervision: men or women."
"What I have learned through this madness is that you can absolutely solve your problems by throwing money at them. If you can't, you probably don't have enough money for that particular problem."
"Solving problems solves problems." (Me to my therapist)
"It was always the village aunties who'd sit around gossiping about which girl hadn't been married off yet, despite complaining nonstop about their own husbands. And then they'd congratulate new mothers for being 'blessed' to have a boy, despite being female themselves." (the brown/south asian community defined in two sentences)
"All my life, I've been told this is the worst and filthiest thing I could do. Do you know how many times my family threatened to shove me in a pig cage and drown me because they suspected me of getting close with a boy? And now you want me to spontaneously sleep with a guy I hate?"
"You cannot appease someone into loving or respecting you." (something I needed to hear)
"That's how they get you. Framing you as the selfish bad guy if you don't dish out this one thing, just one thing for them. It's bullshit. Listen up: just because you have the capacity to do something for someone, it doesn't mean you have the obligation to, especially when they won't even appreciate you for doing it." (another good one ðŸ˜)
"The entitled assholes of the world are sustained by girls who forgive too easily. And there's nothing I'd like to rid the world of more than entitled assholes."
"I don't know if it's more sad or harrowing that she's been crushed into dust by marriage, yet is ecstatic to see the same hammer swing toward me."
"I don't want to remember, to compare, to confirm that I have always, always, always been nothing but water meant to be hurled out the door to these people. These people, who are the only blood family I will ever have. Who I'm expected to love and defend no matter what."
"This world does not deserve my respect. It is not worthy of my kindness or compassion." (Me @ zionists and Israel and anyone who supports them)
The big reveal we got at the end, I sort of had an inkling about throughout the book, but is very interesting and relevant to current times. Occupiers/settlers are wrong. Doesn't matter if you believe it's your god-given right to live on a piece of land. If your beliefs involve displacing, ethnic cleansing, murdering people, your beliefs are wrong. Just plain and simple. If you associate a religion with some fascist, terrorist ideology called zionism, you are the problem. And your actions, your support, your refusal to see sense are all acts of anti-semitism. You are a disgrace to your faith and a disgrace to the God you apparently believe in. You can cry all the crocodile tears you want because the people you oppress are resisting and fighting back, like they have every right to do. I could care less. Zionists don't deserve rights, just like Nazis don't. Israel has no right to exist, just like any colonial entity has no right to exist.
Did I enjoy this? Sort of? But not as much as I wanted. I think sci-fi just isn't the genre for me. I always have trouble understanding how things work compared to plain old magic. And the combination of mechs/chrysalises and the different qi types and how they interact/work made me feel lost.
There were also quite a few moments in this book that took me out of the story. Like when Sima Yi asks Zetian if she's in a love triangle lol. And the bdsm photoshoot...I don't have much to say about that.
Yet, there were parts I related to. A lot of Zetian's experiences living in a patriarchal society and culture where women are used and abused for the benefit of men, and lied to about what they are capable of to keep them timid, obedient, and diminutive was very relatable. So this review is mostly going to consist of quotes from the book that stood out to me that I want to save here.
"He doesn't own me. Nobody does. They may think they do, but no matter how they scold or threaten or beat me, they can't really control what goes on in my head, and I think that frustrates them to no end." (nothing like a girl who has thoughts and feelings and ideas that don't conform to antiquated beliefs)
"Sometimes, my mother's so good at pretending nothing's wrong that it scares me into suspecting I'm the one with the head full of false memories." (ahh classic gaslighting)
"All I need is one sign that they're worth my mercy. One sign that they value my life as much as I'm expected to value theirs."
"It's like she didn't even hear what I said." :)
"But a mother who has failed me so thoroughly is no mother of mine."
"Some of us were born to be used and discarded. We can't afford to simply go along with the flow of life, because nothing in this world has been created, built, or set up in our favour. If we want something, we have to push back against everything around us and take it by force."
"But I have no faith in love. Love cannot save me. I choose vengeance." MOOD
"Being alive has been painful, exhausting, and disappointing." (honestly how I've been feeling lately)
"It's hilarious. Men want us so badly for our bodies, yet hate us so much for our minds."
"I swear, people cannot make up their minds about who is supposed to be the clueless infants who can't live without supervision: men or women."
"What I have learned through this madness is that you can absolutely solve your problems by throwing money at them. If you can't, you probably don't have enough money for that particular problem."
"Solving problems solves problems." (Me to my therapist)
"It was always the village aunties who'd sit around gossiping about which girl hadn't been married off yet, despite complaining nonstop about their own husbands. And then they'd congratulate new mothers for being 'blessed' to have a boy, despite being female themselves." (the brown/south asian community defined in two sentences)
"All my life, I've been told this is the worst and filthiest thing I could do. Do you know how many times my family threatened to shove me in a pig cage and drown me because they suspected me of getting close with a boy? And now you want me to spontaneously sleep with a guy I hate?"
"You cannot appease someone into loving or respecting you." (something I needed to hear)
"That's how they get you. Framing you as the selfish bad guy if you don't dish out this one thing, just one thing for them. It's bullshit. Listen up: just because you have the capacity to do something for someone, it doesn't mean you have the obligation to, especially when they won't even appreciate you for doing it." (another good one ðŸ˜)
"The entitled assholes of the world are sustained by girls who forgive too easily. And there's nothing I'd like to rid the world of more than entitled assholes."
"I don't know if it's more sad or harrowing that she's been crushed into dust by marriage, yet is ecstatic to see the same hammer swing toward me."
"I don't want to remember, to compare, to confirm that I have always, always, always been nothing but water meant to be hurled out the door to these people. These people, who are the only blood family I will ever have. Who I'm expected to love and defend no matter what."
"This world does not deserve my respect. It is not worthy of my kindness or compassion." (Me @ zionists and Israel and anyone who supports them)
The big reveal we got at the end, I sort of had an inkling about throughout the book, but is very interesting and relevant to current times. Occupiers/settlers are wrong. Doesn't matter if you believe it's your god-given right to live on a piece of land. If your beliefs involve displacing, ethnic cleansing, murdering people, your beliefs are wrong. Just plain and simple. If you associate a religion with some fascist, terrorist ideology called zionism, you are the problem. And your actions, your support, your refusal to see sense are all acts of anti-semitism. You are a disgrace to your faith and a disgrace to the God you apparently believe in. You can cry all the crocodile tears you want because the people you oppress are resisting and fighting back, like they have every right to do. I could care less. Zionists don't deserve rights, just like Nazis don't. Israel has no right to exist, just like any colonial entity has no right to exist.