A review by mattiedancer
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

adventurous dark emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Writing: 3.75⭐️/5 
The writing felt a bit rushed, forced, and unpolished at certain times. At other times, it shone brightly and fiercely. I would love to give it a bit of a higher grade because of how phenomenal I expect their next novels to be, but I saw more potential in the writing than execution. Still solidly written and easy to digest, but there was a lot of exposition when I wanted in-the-moment narration. Oh, also I loved the sheer rage of the writing. I want more in the next novel. 

Characters: 4.75⭐️/5
Wu Zetian, Li Shimin, and Gao Yizhi absolutely light my soul. Zetian’s absolute force-of-nature passion for her goals is addicting to read about. She felt vibrant and alive at all times – though maybe a bit misplaced in her society. I would have loved a bit of development into how she became such a literal force of nature, but part of me is okay to accept it as a part of her high Qi levels. I loved the development of the women around Zetian and how unexpected (yet, in many ways, completely expected) some of their characters developed. And every character that was flat and one-dimensional felt absolutely real and stubborn in their identity. Characters were given the opportunity to change and, when they didn’t, found themselves facing the consequences of their one-sided nature

Plot: 4.5⭐️/5 
I’m gonna start with the bad because there’s so much to like. Zhao does a lot of the Only-The-Author-Can-Save-Us-Now trope. Lots of rules of this world expand as the characters find themselves in life-threatening positions. However, even though certain moments felt more contrived in this fashion, I never really minded that much. Like, I’d have a quick smile to myself and continue reading. The plot is constantly moving forward and, while it relies on common tropes, they feel inverted or quirky enough that I didn’t really care that they were present. The overall twists and turns of the greater plot kept me absolutely glued to the page. And the ending was a work of art.

Post-Reading Rating:  5⭐️/5
Wait, WHAT?? Where’s the next book? I need it, as soon as possible. I’m addicted. 

Who Should Read This? 
  • Readers who want an unapologetically angry female protagonist
  • Readers who enjoy a morally gray character (or two, or three)
  • Readers looking for a polyamorous LGBTQIA+ story
  • Readers who love trope inversions
  • Fans of fantasy/sci-fi reads (it read like a mix of the two)
  • Readers looking for a fast-paced, emotion-filled novel
  • Fans of reimagined historical stories
  • Someone looking for a vibrant story that’s constantly moving and growing (and maybe likes a plot twist or five)
  • Fans who have dreamt of a blend of The Hunger Games and The Handmaid’s Tale 

Final Rating: 4.25⭐️/5

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