A review by hello_lovely13
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

adventurous dark reflective tense fast-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

3.25

The content of this is adult, but the writing style is YA for a majority of the book. The premise was completed within 100 pages, and I was never clear on Zetian's end goal after that (it was either short-term or vague). The pacing was too fast for me, and I wished we could ahve lingered on specific topics and experiences (i.e.: exploring gender identity). Because it was so fast, I wasn't fully attached to the relationships. However, I was angry when
Li Shimin "died" (thankfully it was a fake out)
. The last quarter of the book was strong because I finally believed in the brutality of Zetian (I kept comparing it to She Who Became the Sun and was disappointed). I was not expecting the twist at the end, and am not sure if I like it or not (it was WILD). Next book will tell me.
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