Iron Widow was fun, if that is something that you are looking for. Entertaining and funny at times, with humor that does not always match the setting but has made it an enjoyable read regardless. My problem with Iron Widow is how it lacked subtlety, subtlety that is needed, at least for me, when you're discussing serious themes because while being told something is good and everything, being made to THINK for you own is key to any intellectual stimuli. The book felt too preach-y at times, and a lot of the times the opportunity presented itself to stop giving speeches about misogyny, misogyny bad, misogyny kills yes yes, but the author still chose to preach and over explain every obvious fact to give us a speech to convince us of the obvious, leaving no room to provoke thought from the reader to reach that conclusion themself, which to me is the best thing about reading and what makes it life changing. I do appreciate that this flaw brought on an I'm-your-face quality that did help and might be for other people but just not me.

This book was a compelling story about engaging characters. There are many things I appreciate like how instead of a love triangle this books shows a brief glimpse at what a polygamous relationship might look like. However, there was a bit of instalove happening between two characters that made it a little bit cringe.

I also found the plot pretty predictable. I I could recognize several points that were supposed to be twists but nothing surprised me. The big final
Plot twist was very generic, I called it only a few chapters into the book. Despite the predictable nature of the story I really enjoyed this book. The main character is exciting and relatable. And the supporting characters are interesting.

There are a few laugh out loud moments to bring some levity.

I would recommend to anyone looking for polyamory rep/ mecha sci-fi wrapped up in a YA story to pick up this book.

But I have no faith in love. Love cannot save me. I choose vengeance.

I've been having a tough time cranking out books right now. So, I was a little late on this NetGalley review. And I'd like to kick my own ass for this faux pas. Because Iron Widow was fan-fucking-tastic.

Wu Zetian was a well-received empress in China's history. And the use of this historical figure in this novel was so satisfying. Xiran Jay Zhao wrote Pilot Wu as the ultimate feminist, world-shattering, badass. Like I am completely obsessed with her as a protaganist. She really stands out in a sea of YA Fantasy female protaganist, which is pretty damn difficult at this point.

The thruple. My very first experience with a YA novel featuring such a relationship. I think the representation in this book was thrilling. I had such a great time experiencing this new situation. Such a fun element and once again made this novel stand out in a genre with so much repetition. But I will note, Zhao does the thruple in a very tasteful manner. I found everything gentle and the word throbbing wasn't used once (take that SJM)!

I really loved learning about Chinese mythology and creatures. I love the feminism and queer representation. I love that I experienced such a variety of new things. I love how Wu Zetian literally gives zero fucks about being "good". I love that this book made me excited for YA Fantasy again. I love the harsh realities faced. And I love that ending. Bring on Book 2!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canda.

This book was absolutely spectacular. It was full of twists and turns, each one more shocking than the last. I loved it so much and will be counting down the days until I can read the next one.

*Iron Widow* was one of my most anticipated releases for 2021 and oh my fucking god did it not disappoint. I've been excited since I first saw the announcement, but I think I underestimated how much I would love this book. It was so much *fun*, with characters that jump off the page and the most insane plot I've ever read in a YA science fiction novel. If you've been trying to get into young adult sci fi I genuinely recommend starting with *Iron Widow*.

I went into *Iron Widow* not really knowing a lot about the specifics, and I truly think that's the best way to go about it. Every plot point felt like the drop on a roller coaster. It was fast paced without being too confusing. I never felt completely lost, but I was always in suspense of what was going to happen in the best way possible. I am a huge fan of sci fi that is consistently batshit insane and this fits that bill to a tee.

A major reason this book is so crazy is it's protagonist. Zetian is pretty much everything I love in a character stuffed into one. Driven by a deep seated anger and desire for a well deserved piece of revenge, everything she does is spectacular. She kind of fumbles her way through her plan, barely formed as it is, and yet she still manages to succeed.

I absolutely have to dedicate another whole paragraph to Shimin and Yizhi, Zetian's love interests. They're both so wonderful. Yizhi is introduced first, but I feel like you don't truly get to know him until much later. I actually really enjoyed getting to a point where I understand him, and I think he's such an interesting counterpart to Zetian and Shimin. Speaking of Shimin, he has quickly become one of my favourite YA love inteterests. Zhao really built him up to be a dark and brooding stereotype and then completely swung him in a different direction and it was SO unique. He's the kind of character that teen-me would have had a major crush on. And the way he plays off both Zetian and Yizhi makes him such an integral part of the story in a way a lot of love interests are not.

Look, we *need* more polyamorous representation in young adult, especially in YA SFF, and Zhao has absolutely delivered. The Zetian/Yizhi/Shimin dynamic is so fresh and well written. Seeing all thei individual interactions come together for them to form a solid unit was absolutely one of the best parts of the book. This may be a slightly controversial opinion, but I did also enjoy the fact that the book did acknowledge the existence of potential homophobia in response to Shimin/Yizhi, but Zetian dismissing it completely outright as invalid.

Now, I'm not Chinese, so I really don't feel like I have any right to comment on the pieces of world building based on Chinese culture, which is approximately 98% of the world building in this book. I will say that I greatly enjoyed it, and that I think it's an intruiging and complex world with even more layers than you first think. I'm still trying to wrap my head around one of the reveals at the end of the book and I think Zhao is going to have a field day playing with my brain like putty in book 2.

Another one of my favourite things about this book, and something I also think we need to see more of in YA, is the theme running throughout of not having to forgive someone simply because they are family. I loved watching Zetian struggle with this concept, that she can still care about and for these people without outright forgiving them. So often in YA we see the exact opposite, characters being pushed to get over how they've been wronged because the other person is related to them, and I think it's an incredibly dangerous narrative, so it was incredibly refreshing.

All in all, *Iron Widowi* is a stunner of a debut. Action-packed and filled to the brim with characters you're either rooting for or paitently waiting for the death of, every twist and turn made my heart race. There is truly no equal currently in YA science fiction.

I had no idea what to expect from Iron Widow going in and I must say that's the BEST way to start this book. An amazing journey with unforgettable characters. A must read for YA fans! Will be purchasing for the library.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for providing me this arc via Netgalley!
3.5 stars. This was such a refreshingly feminist read. I loved the characters, the plot, the Chinese influencie in the world building and how she pushed the bounds of the traditional and the socially accepted. Even though this was a fantasy book, it touched topics that are really relevant still today, in the real world. I just wish the world building was a bit better, especially at the begging, since it was confusing. Because of that, it took me a while to really get into the book. After that, though, I couldn't put it down and can't wait for the next book!

This is sooo freaking good!!!
I am kicking myself for letting this sit in my kindle for months before I opened it.
Amazing dystopian sci-fi with intense relationships and even more intense fight scenes.
This is like mixing Hunger Games with Tron and then adding entirely new bits to both.
GO READ THIS BOOK!!!
Much love to NetGalley & Penguin Random House Canada for my DRC.

I finished reading Iron Widow a few days ago and I am still not over it. Probably I’ll never be over it. This lose reimagining of the life of Empress Wu is a freaking rollercoaster from the beginning to the end, and I think I’ve never read anything like it. The characters were probably my favorite part, to no one’s surprise. Wu Zetian is my new favorite MC because she’s amazing and angry and determined on her vengeance, and I support all of this. She, Gao Yizhi, and Li Shimin balanced each other amazingly, and I loved seeing their interactions with each other. The concept of the Chrysalis, the pilots, and the Hunduns was so interesting and had me HOOKED from the beginning, especially after seeing the cool things you could do with a Chrysalis. Another thing that I really loved about Iron Widow is how unapologetically feminist it is. The whole story happens because a misogynistic government saw women as disposable items for pilots to use, and one girl had enough when her sister was murdered. The way Zetian takes all of these misogynistic standards and twists them until they turn into the blade she plunges into the gut of this society was truly breathtaking. And what review of Iron Widow would be complete without mentioning the absolute bonkers ending. The 180-degree twist to this story was one I briefly suspected but quickly dismissed cause I just thought it was the Hunduns being bitches, but BROOOOOO was I so, so wrong. I audibly gasped because it was so OUT OF NOWHERE. I keep thinking back to that epilogue and the only words I can think of are “holy SHIT”. It was a five-star read for me, and I kinda want to reread it already. So yes, read Iron Widow and join the Wu Zetian stan club.

3.5

This book was pitched as "Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale in a polyamorous reimagining of China’s only female emperor” and has been all over the bookish internet since it was announced. So when I was able to get an early copy of it, I was incredibly hyped. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me.

Let's start with the things I loved. For one, I loved the action packed nature of the book. I literally could not put it down after I picked it up. I also loved how unapologetically queer and feminist it was - I would read the sequel just for the throuple and there were so many powerful feminist moments that I highlighted. Unfortunately while I agree with the sentiment in a lot of those moments, I did struggle with suspending my disbelief that Zetian could go from peasant to icon with speeches about taking down the patriarchy basically overnight. Part of that might have been the prose as a whole. It is written in a very punchy, modern tone, which makes it really bingeable but also I think prevented more nuance.

The other thing that didn't really work for me was the lack of world building. A lot of the focus of the book was on the action and monologues about the patriarchy and I would have liked to see more of the lore and the logic behind the battles, etc. because for me at least, I have a hard time visualizing what I read so the mecha battles were kind of boring.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book and I think it's more a case of I am no longer the target audience for YA books. Because while I enjoyed the reading experience and immediately after finishing it might have given it 4-4.5 stars, it is definitely one of those where after taking a minute the flaws start to show.

I don’t think I have the mental capacity to explain how amazing this book is. I’ve been on a contemporary romance/YA romcom kick for literal months but I couldn’t not read this book when I saw queer polyamory. This book had me in a chokehold the entire reading experience and I loved every single second of it.

Aside from the fact that this is a debut novel, this is all-around phenomenal writing. I felt like I was right there in the book going through everything that Zetian was. Her story took me through the wringer of every emotion that someone could feel. I was enraged for her, delighted, and mourning.

The last chapter and epilogue had me internally screaming (I was on break at subbing when I finished so I quite literally could not express all of the feelings I was going through). I was so engrossed by this book (and read it so late in the game) that I was able to go out and buy my physical copy of the book the day before I finished my ARC.

THE POLYAMORY GAVE ME EVERYTHING I WANTED AND MORE! I’ve been hardcore jonesing for a love triangle turned polyamorous couple for so long it’s insane and this book DELIVERED! I feel like this trio compliments and balances each other so well. Each person relates to another in such deep ways and I was just swooning in the midst of fearing for their lives.

I’m so excited to see where Xiran takes this series in the next book because I am hooked.

[3 Stars]

What worked for me:
1. I loved that the main female heroine was morally gray and went after what she wanted, consequences be damned.
2. the representation (polyamory!!) was perfect. I loved the discussions around love and how all relationships don't have to look the same

What didn't work for me:
1. the worldbuilding was messy and I wanted more things to be fleshed out. While some of the things I was confused about were wrapped up by the epilogue, I was still let down by this overall
2. even though I really liked the polyam couple, the pacing of their romantic development threw me off. Maybe that's just a YA specific thing I'm not used to
3. the writing style was dramatic and heavy-handed on monologues. Perhaps no one else would care, but once I noticed it I couldn't stop noticing it and it pulled me out of the story

Overall, if you like YA and badass characters, I'd recommend this. It's a quick read with some really important messages that I'm glad are being written about.

THIS BOOK IS LITERALLY EEEEVERRYYYTTHHIIINNNGGG

AND I CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY BECAUSE EVERYTHING I LOVE IS A SPOILER IN SOME WAY

OH GEEZ PLEASE JUST READ IT

This is the absolute wildest YA book I have ever read and I'm over the moon with the recognition it is getting from the NYT and Indies bestseller list.

The cover id so beautiful. I think it corresponds well with the author's description of the main character, Zetian. The cover truly conveys power, strength, determination, and a certain type of feminist might.

Inspired by Chinese history and mythology, Iron Widow by Xian Jay Zhao is all about determination, abolishing the patriarchy, and overcoming barriers. Her emotions are conveyed so well in this story, especially her anger and frustration with the conditions of their society.

The writing style was decent and the pacing was okay though there were some moments where the pacing seemed to lag a little bit. Overall, I liked this book.

How about that cover, eh? Fabulous.

The premise and hype for this was immense. I am not familiar with Wu Zetian so I can't really say if her portrayal and use in this story is well done or not.

I can comment on the story so I'll just do it in a small easier to read review that's quick.

- Zetian

I totally like that when she says she's going to go out and do something she does it. Zetian is a very active protagonist always looking to question or challenge things. She just did not give a crap about what anyone says and has no qualms setting her mind on killing people who she believes has wronged her/others.

- Mecha

This stuff was cool. Fighting scenes are neat and fast paced, definitely has the Pacific Rim vibe. I also liked the different classes and types.

- Writing

Unfortunately, this is where most of the weakness comes from the book. I'm more of a fan of the more lyrical type of prose. The author's writing style can only be called efficient I suppose. It gets things done and does what it wants to do. If you've ever watched their videos where they explain and elaborate on certain topics then this is exactly how they write.

- Polyamorous relationships

I wish there had been more attention paid to this because it feels very one sided (Zetian x Yizhi). There wasn't even really a discussion between all of the three characters about how they feel about it, what their boundaries are, what they do and don't want out of this relationship set up. I also wish more of the queer aspects had been included. You know, the building attraction between them but there was more of an emphasis on the male x female relationship.

- Other things

I wish there had been more positive female relationships in this book. There's a lot of anger and negativity by Zetian, which is normal I suppose considering the environment she was raised in, but it would help balance out the story methinks.

Yeah, I guess that's it.

eArc provided by Net Galley.

AHHH!!!! I love this! This was the science fiction, space opera that I wanted Skyward to be. I loved the queer rep, I loved the badass characters who weren't afraid to do the difficult things, even though they weren't the easy things to do. This was one of the strongest debuts that I have read in a long time.

This. Book.

Iron Widow absolutely blew my expectations out of the water and launched its way onto not only my list of sci-fi favorites, but my list of all-time favorites. Phenomenal.

Iron Widow follows Zetian while she enlists in a mecha war, her goal being to kill the pilot responsible for her sister’s death. But when she kills him through their mind link, she is hailed as a feared Iron Widow (title plug lol). She’s then paired with the infamous and feared Li Shimin, the strongest pilot who might not be all that he seems. Zetian sets off on a journey to take back her agency, fight this sci-fi war, and most importantly, stop more girls like her and her sister from being sacrificed.

The plot of this book gripped me from the very beginning. It has so much action and twists and turns, but the quieter moments also drew me in. There’s this whole mecha war going on, with the main characters operating robots taller than skyscrapers and manipulating supernatural forces. But I also really enjoyed the moments just between the characters, seeing their development, seeing their love for each other blossom.

I need a whole section to talk about the characters. Zetian is an absolute bad bitch, morally grey excellence. There’s no one else in this series that I’d rather follow — seeing her go from her life in her village to wreaking havoc from a giant transformer was something else. I loved the grip she had on herself and the way she let no one stand in the way of what she wanted. Watching her develop & taking command while also letting some of her walls down was 10/10 I love. Shimin and Yizhi, the other two primary characters, balance each other out so well. They seem to be on opposites of the spectrum, but they’re so drawn to each other and fit with Zetian in different ways. Shimin, while appearing ruthless and intimidating, has a more vulnerable side. Yizhi, while being sweet and charming, can be cutthroat if he wants to. The three of them together channel such power — just seeing them all come together was my favorite thing.

AND HELLO ROMANCE LIKE— I thought this was going to be a love triangle and Yizhi would fill the classic childhood best-friend role, but no. It’s even better than that. This is the first book I’ve read with polyam rep, and it was amazing to see such a healthy polyamorous relationship develop. THE THREE OF THEM JUST REALLY GET ME LIKE UGH IM SO ATTACHED PLEASE I NEED THEM ALL TO BE HAPPY. LIKE PLEASE IM DESPERATE. Pls see the following quote to convince you: “every time you choose to look at me, I know for certain that there’s a place for me in your heart” ok goodbye i hope you’re convinced

The writing of Iron Widow was one of my favorite parts: it balanced so many emotions at once, crafting heart-wrenching moments on one side and making me laugh out loud on the other. Zetian has such a distinctive voice as a narrator that I didn’t expect: there’s a quirky or eccentric quality to it that really struck me in the beginning. There were so many one-liners that had me laughing to myself (all the characters are so funny and for what???), but I also wanted to tear out my hair and sob when learning about the hardships the main characters have had to go through. It’s a damn funny book, but also a heart-turning one.

I really appreciated the societal commentaries that this book made: on gender roles, on power, on money/socioeconomic status, on family roles. While the plot was action-packed and engaging, the overarching themes tied the whole thing together.

There’s a special part of my heart that gets extra happy seeing Zetian kicking ass — it’s books like these that solidify to me that main characters can look like me.

The ending has me unhinged. Sequel right now. Please.

CW: violence, abuse, suicide ideation, discussion/references to SA, alcohol addiction, torture

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC!

Wow. This is probably the best ARC I’ve gotten.

To be honest, I didn’t really know what I was getting into with this ARC. The synopsis sounded very futuristic/postapocalyptic sci-fi, but as is my custom, I forgot the entire synopsis when I started the book and went in thinking that it was an ancient-Chinese based fantasy.

In reality, “Iron Widow” is somewhat a combination of both those genres, and it’s amazing.

The plot: Wu Zetian lives in a misogynistic society at war. The boys of Huaxia are enlisted to pilot Chrysalises, using their reserves of qi (spirit power) to defeat the Hunduns, which are something like metal aliens. These pilots have concubines, girls who offer their bodies and qi. Only the male pilot returns from battle.

Zetian offers herself up as a concubine, too - but not because she wants to help the war effort. She enlists to find and kill Yang Guang, the pilot responsible for the death of her older sister.

But when she goes into battle with him, the other pilots find her alive and victorious in the cockpit. Next to Yang Guang’s corpse.

The authorities name her an Iron Widow, a concubine-pilot with the strength to kill her male counterpart and offer him as a qi sacrifice instead. She is placed with Li Shimin, the strongest male pilot. He’s also a convicted murderer.

Guys. This storyline was addicting. I was so damn invested in what Zetian did and how it turned out for her. It might have taken me a bit to get really into what was going on, but I got so swept up in all the plot twists and the actions of the characters.

And yes. The plot was so damn fast and unpredictable that it was all I could do to keep up with whatever the fuck was going on.

Iron Widow. Even if that’s not what I really am, even if this is just a fluke, the mere possibility of girls like that sends my heart racing and my head spinning.
But what happened to them? Would the army really rather kill them than use their power?
Do they honestly fear girls more than Hunduns?

The world-building was so intricate and well-done that I just couldn’t believe how realistic it was (wow look at that paradox). I’ve seen some of Xiran Jay Zhao’s YouTube videos, and they do so much amazing research that I can’t say I was surprised at how precise and complex Huaxia was. I lowkey regret failing Mandarin lessons for so many years because I wanted so badly to know everything about this world.

As we all know and expect, it took me a long time to really understand the world of Huaxia, but damn it was worth the effort.

The misogyny of this society was just on point. It was accurate and realistic and based on real events, which was enraging to say the least. I’m so obsessed with how much emotion this book made me feel just with the implied societal workings within the text.

Female. That label has never done anything for me except dictate what I can or cannot do. No going anywhere without permission. No showing too much skin. No speaking too loudly or unkindly, or at all, if the men are talking. No living my life without being constantly aware of how pleasing I am to the eye. No future except pushing out son after son for a husband, or dying in a Chrysalis to give some boy the power to reach for glory.

Xiran Jay Zhao did an incredible job creating a culture that just embodied the misogyny and the circumstances of the whole world. I’m aware that they didn’t create it from scratch and that it was primarily based on Ancient China, but they did such a fantastic job of it.

I loved how infused the culture was with everything. The names, the places, the characters and the expressions just reflected the entire society in the most perfect way.

My village elders say girls shouldn’t touch these heavenly devices, because we would desecrate them with, I don’t know, our wicked femaleness or something.

Add to that the general atmosphere that Zetian’s perspective created and I just couldn’t help loving and hating Huaxia at once. I love it because of how accurate and strangely beautiful it was, but I hated it because of how accurate and repulsive it was.

It’s hilarious. Men want us so badly for our bodies, yet hate us so much for our minds.

I don’t think I’m supposed to call it a magic system, since this book is actually sci-fi and dystopian, but I think the system of Qi and Spirit Metal worked almost like a fantasy book. The way it was written drew so well on Chinese mythology and history, and I really loved the mix between lore, tradition and engineering concepts.

Xiran Jay Zhao’s writing style was so engaging and they brought out Zetian’s perspective so damn well. I loved reading Zetian’s narrative. The metaphors and descriptions were crafted so beautifully, but the edge and aggression and underlying emotions behind the characters came out just as hard.

I don’t think the writing was particularly unique, but the way it matched perfectly with the story just brought it to another level. There was something about how it sometimes felt “historical” and then threw in modern slang.

Add to this the characters and how absolutely vivid their personalities were.

But I don’t care how indebted I am to the elders or the gods. If they don’t respect me just because I’m from the “wrong” half of the population, I’m not respecting them back.

Wu Zetian. Oh my God. This bitch was named after the only female empress of China and let me tell you, she fucking deserved it. She was such a fiery, dynamic and intense heroine. She’s an absolute feminist icon and I was living for her sass and badassery and internal conflict. I loved that her focus nearly never strayed from her goals, and I was so obsessed with her character arc and how she learned to differentiate what she’d been taught and what she believed.

I hate this armor. Every time it appears, it takes a girl’s life. Mine is next.
Unless I win.
Unless I kill that boy first.
...I’m becoming no less than a monster, but that’s okay.
It takes a monster to slay a monster.

Her perspective was so powerful. I fell in love with her sarcasm and defiance from the first few chapters. This bitch was intimidating and cunning, yet oblivious in some very deep, flawed ways. Her character was by no means perfect, but she was so relatable and so realistic.

“There’s no such thing as karma,” I say, enunciating every syllable like I want to crush them with my teeth. “Or, if it does exist, it sure doesn’t give a shit about people like me. 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 favor. If we want something, we have to push back against everything around us and take it by force.”

She wasn’t a typical knife-wielding assassin with a perfect body. She was empowered, despite having a handicap. She was stubborn and remorseless and emotionally oblivious and easily enraged.

I hate the way I’ve contorted myself into what people think a girl should be, ready to please, ready to serve.
But I love the power it’s given me, a power that lies in being underestimated, in wearing assumptions as a disguise.

I love that Zetian wasn’t the kind of character to shy away from bloodthirst and moral compromise. She was power-hungry and ruthless and rarely felt moral guilt for it.

Li Shimin adjusts his glasses, a jarring move in this animalistic madness. The bloodlust in his eyes rouses something primal and deep-rooted in me, something that finds it so…
Utterly relatable.

Li Shimin was such an amazing character and I was stunned at how slowly his personality was revealed over the course of the story. He went from an emotionless, suspicious murderer who everyone thought would kill Zetian, no questions asked, to this flawed and layered cinnamon roll who I wish I could give books to.

This scarred, quiet boy was just so deep and flawed and traumatized. He’s a precious killer with terrible eyesight and I just love how he was created into this misunderstood, conflicted, war-torn person.

“How do you misuse glasses?” I scoff.
“Well, supposedly, you smash the lenses, sharpen the biggest fragment on the floor of your bunker, hide it in your collar, and try to slit a soldier’s throat with it.” Sima Yi shakes his head at Li Shimin, who turns back to the window with a much duller gaze than before. “Seriously, I will not be able to get them back for you a second ti -” Sima Yi does a double take on me. “Don’t look impressed!”
“Wh - I’m not impressed!”

Yizhi was so sweet and yet full of so many conflicting emotions and I love that his character got so much development and pagetime. I thought he would be a minor pick-me boy character who pined after Zetian, but he turned out to be this cunning, understanding person with much-needed personal insight.

“Yizhi, do you believe girls are naturally predisposed to sacrificing themselves?” I mutter.
“Well, that can’t possibly be true, because you’re a girl and there’s no way you would ever do that.”

He was wise and yet a bit of an immature teenage boy, strong mentally but not physically, selfless and yet oblivious. He was sweet and clever and philosophical, but also cunning. I loved that he was brought out so well and I loved the role he played.

“Where does jealousy come from, if not an insecurity that I’ll lose you because of him? But that’s not how it works, no matter how many people believe it so. You’re not something to be kept or taken, and love isn’t some scarce resource to battle over. Love can be infinite, as much as your heart can open. I mean, when you think about it, love is fueled mostly by compatibility. Whether two people make each other happy by being close. So it’d be pointless of me to resent Shimin. However compatible you are with him, it doesn’t have anything to do with how compatible you are with me.”

Sima Yi was lowkey annoying but I guess it was in a good way? He struck me as very pompous and stuck-up and nagging and basically a lot like my mom combined with a misogynistic teacher. He gradually improved into someone much stronger and more engaging, but I don’t really know what to think about him.

He’s trying to worm into my mind and shackle me down with morals, so he can feel more comfortable with my existence.
Too bad. I am exactly the kind of ice-blooded, rotten-hearted girl he fears I am. And I am fine with that.
May he stay unsettled.

The romance was also swoon-worthy, and I don’t think I’ve ever used that phrase before. It started out as something that I was terrified would be a love triangle. It had the classic setup: Yizhi, the hometown boy who could have swept Zetian off her feet if he had gotten the chance, and Li Shimin, the brooding boy who Zetian hates right off the bat and yet is stuck partnered with.

Stereotypes who?

“Choose? Why do I have to choose only one of you?”
“You can’t...cheat...on him [Yizhi].”
“Cheating is deception. He and I have talked about this. He’s secure enough to know it’s not a competition. That any feelings I have for you don't cancel out the ones I have for him. He’s okay with however close you and I get.”
“He’s just saying that.”
“No. There's something he told me: love can be infinite, as much as your heart can open. And my heart is open to you, Shimin.”

I’m sorry, let me just scream for a second.

POLY RELATIONSHIP POLY RELATIONSHIP POLY RELATIONSHIP. THERE ARE THREE SHIPS IN ONE BOOK AND THEY’RE ALL PERFECT. THERE ARE THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF ROMANCE QUOTES THAT WE’RE SUPPOSED TO GET OH MY GOD.

This relationship is so perfect. Yizhi was right when he said that jealousy is a product of insecurity, and the fact that there was no reason for any of them to feel that jealousy???

“I don’t pity you, you dork,” I say with a small laugh. “I cherish you.” I skim my hands to his collarbones, feeling his rapid heartbeat at the bottom of my palms. “I cherish who you've managed to be, despite the world telling you over and over that you’re wrong. You may have some undeniable monstrous parts inside you, but that’s okay. I have them too. No matter what anyone says, I’m proud to call you my co-pilot, Iron Demon.”

Let me tell you, I was fully prepared to take Shimin’s side here and go down with it (he just won my heart I’m sorry) and then I realized that there were no sides here and -

I flipped my shit.

The relationships in this book were just so perfectly written and I could not be happier with the character dynamics. Even the awful ones, like Zetian’s family. The way the abuse was shown was done so horrifyingly well.

In hindsight, I was such a fool to have assumed that Qieluo would stand by me just because she’s also female.
It was my grandmother who crushed my feet in half.
It was my mother who encouraged me and Big Sister to offer ourselves up as concubines so our brother could afford a future bride.


The toxicity and toxic masculinity were portrayed in the realest, most accurate way possible and I’m kind of amazed at how well-done it was.

“Appeasing them would only make it worse.” I crush the blessing doll. Its stitched smile bloats up. “It has only ever made things worse. My mother and grandmother have been appeasing my father and grandfather for a lifetime. They haven’t changed one bit. You cannot appease someone into loving or respecting you.”

The representation of this book covers so damn much: victims of abuse, victims of society, handicapped characters, and Asian culture. And it’s all written out in such amazing detail. It’s so realistic and so incredible and I will die obsessing over how this book shows so many people so well.

“You know, there’s a kind of predator that disguises itself as prey. That’s the most dangerous kind to people like us.”
I pause. I swear my towel grows colder against my neck.
“People like us?”
“People who refuse to break under any number of harsh strikes and any amount of loud words, but crumple as soon as someone touches us gently or speaks to us softly.”

Qieluo dropped some truth there and I don’t know how to accept it -

One of the most important aspects of this book was the fact that Zetian had her feet bound. That old Chinese tradition is seriously terrifying and grotesque. Zetian was written with chronic pain and mobility issues, and she was so empowering despite being constantly affected by it. Xiran Jay Zhao really said “fuck all social norms” and made Zetian a bad bitch and I am here for it.

So many emotions spill free inside me that I have no idea how to handle it, to control it, to keep it from overflowing from my eyes as windblown tears. Sobs wrack my weightless body so hard that I whirl off balance, one wing higher than the other. Li Shimin pulses up after me and catches me by the waist.
…“Even walking was a luxury for me,” I croak, hammering my fist on his feathery breastplate. Then I outright lean against it. The heat of his qi warms my cheek.
He says nothing. Just holds me, bobbing in midair, in the unthinkable distance between heaven and earth that humans are not supposed to reach.

Other than Six of Crows, I think this is the only other book I’ve read where a character has a relevant physical disability, and I love it.

How do you take the fight out of half the population and render them willing slaves? You tell them they’re meant to do nothing but serve from the minute they’re born. You tell them they’re weak. You tell them they’re prey.
You tell them over and over, until it’s the only truth they’re capable of living.

This book was so important and so good. The characters and the plot were crafted almost perfectly, the plot twists were confusing as fuck, and the world-building? Don’t even get me started. I can’t believe how relevant this book was to our current society while still being a whole YA novel.

Generally, books that are targeted as societal messages revolve around those messages, and while Iron Widow really did that, it had such an incredibly engaging storyline that it didn’t feel contrived.

Since the day I was born, the world has told me I must accept whatever worth men assign me. And maybe, despite my nonstop rebellion, I did. They told me to choose between accepting their doctrine or dying, and I did. I chose death. It was the surrender that made me fearless.

Overall, this book was so, so good. I gave it a 4.5 stars, because while it was amazing (as I’ve said over and over), it wasn’t quite favorite-level.

When I finished it, I NEEDED the next book. But I finished this book last month and it came out like a week ago so the second book is definitely not close -
BUT I FUCKING WISH IT WAS.
I was blown away by the ending and there is no way I’m going to rest until I see the next cover.

This is wrong. All wrong. He and I are the two most powerful pilots in all of Huaxia, by a gigantic margin.
He should be the Iron King, and I should be the Iron Queen.
Yet Iron Demon and Iron Widow is all they’ll let us be.
This will not do. I will not let this power go.

Pardon my French, but this book f*cking rocks!!

Iron Widow tells the story of Wu Zetian, an 18 yr old girl who is angry after the death of her older sister by the hands of the mecha-suit pilot she was sold to as a concubine. To get her revenge, Zetian is herself sold to this pilot, and she ultimately kills him, earning the title of Iron Widow. During her time as the Iron Widow, she learns that the culture of abuse and misogyny in Huaxia is worse than she ever could have thought, and she plans to tear it down.

Comps for this book from the publisher include Pacific Rim and Handmaid's Tale, both of which are apt. I'd also add the energy of Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron (but in a sci-fi setting rather than a fantasy/fairytale one).

I adored the characters in this book. Zetian is *messy*. She's angry and not afraid to get her hands dirty and that anger really propels the story. She doesn't make the right choice every time, and I found her to be incredibly believable; I was immediately endeared to her. The other main characters in this book are wonderful as well, Geo Yizhi and Li Shimin. Their polyamorous relationship is really lovely and one of my only real criticisms of this novel is that I wish it had been a larger part of this story, especially between Yizhi and Shimin. Their love is so open and kind and giving and I really appreciated the conversations around it and wanted to see more from it. The relationship between the three of them was just really refreshing, especially considering so much of YA fantasy is the same annoying love triangle. Both Yizhi and Shimin are complex characters who I loved learning about and getting to know through Zetian's eyes.

All in all, I found this book to be a real thrill ride. The twist at the end???!!! I lived for it. I read this and truly imagine it as the Next Big Thing in YA lit. I see sequels, cosplays, and some sort of screen adaptation. It's epic in scale, timely, channels a lot of the anger and frustration I know that I have felt over the past few years. Zetian is a girl you side with and root for and want to see conquer the world.

CW: misogyny, sexual assault, suicidal ideation, alcoholism (please see other reviews for other content warnings that I miss here!)