OH MY GOD FINALLY A STORY SO ORIGINAL I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!

Zeitan Wu is immediately intriguing as a protagonist, and every detail the first few chapters intertwines with her motivations just adds to her engagement as a POV character. I thought I had her figured out, but about 2/3 through the book, her arc completely takes off. Pacing especially was a strength of the book, which I've found is difficult for many YA authors who like to focus on description or side arcs a little too much. But not here!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me access to an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Chrysalises are transforming mechs usually piloted by a pair of boys and girls from Huaxia to fight the aliens beyond the wall. The girls usually die from the mental strain of it, but those in charge don't care. Zetian plans to assassinate the pilot that killed her sister but manages to kill him through the psychic link instead. This makes her an Iron Widow, a woman of formidable willpower that can sacrifice men to pilot the mech. She's ultimately paired with Li Shimin, the best and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia. Zetian has to survive the attempts on her life and discover the reason why girls are being sacrificed.

The pages of Iron Widow burn with the fierceness of Zetian's willpower. From the beginning, she chafed against the restrictions of her gender, the anguish and pain of foot binding, and contortions she had to do to make herself seem palatable to the men in her life. It's a sad reality that it isn't just a historical footnote, and her character zings from the start. The transformation from concubine to Iron Widow is fantastic in its immediacy and emotional energy; we're right with her when she sees the proof of her sister's death in the pilot's memories and pushes past the mental restrictions he places on her, intending to kill her, too. She fights triumphantly against the alien enemy, realizing for the first time how powerful she can be. I love the entire sequence, and how it closes out the first quarter of the novel as well as an early segment of her life.

The troubles don't end there, and there are moments where Zetian is meant to be shamed, belittled, and beaten down because she isn't who the men in charge want her to be. Pairing her off with a known killer is meant to break her further, but instead, they find a connection and camaraderie. Adding in her close friend as further support gives her the strength she needs to continue and the reason to keep going. It's not enough merely to survive, to reach the pinnacle of what women are expected to have, but to reshape the system into something equitable not just for women, but for the poor and unable to see past the propaganda that is given to the public.

This novel is amazing, tautly written, and emotionally intense. I was drawn into Zetian's story from the first pages, and the plot seized me by the throat and refused to let go. I was glad to be drawn along for the ride, and couldn't put the book down even when I had other plans. This novel is sure to be on the bestseller list, and it deserves to be.

It's not everyday you get to read an Eastern-based book with YA elements. Because of its rarity, I was afraid I had set the standard too high, but I was glad it met my expectations and beyond.

I read this book on my netgalley shelf for ages and I finally got around to it - let me just say, how mad I am that I waited so long! The author does such an excellent job in creating this wonderful world that includes a sci-fi element to it. The book features a strong protagonist and she is definitely one badass woman!

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to what the author brings forth in the next book.

ALSO, happy book birthday to this gorgeous book! This book released today and you all can get your hands on it. Order away!!

(Thank you to @netgalley, @penguinteen for this advance readers copy!)

Did not finish - stopped at 45%.

This novel started off fantastic. I thought the premise was unique and it hooked me immediately. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the first battle. However, after the conclusion of Part I, it started to fall apart for me. I felt like it was succumbing to the YA tropes I see too often. It already started focusing way too much on a relationship by part II instead of the grand story at hand. And the numerous attempted rapes were a bit much for me. I unfortunately just found it too cringy to keep going. I give it 3 stars because I don't think it's a terrible book. It's just not for me.

4.8 / 5 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2021/09/23/iron-widow-by-xiran-jay-zhao-review/

I did not pay for this book. I was very kindly granted an advance copy of it in exchange for an honest review. Hopefully the author will forgive me—especially after I post said review to Goodreads and/or Amazon with a rating;)
Right, the book. Iron Widow is a retelling of the Empress Wu Zhao who served as consort for the Tang dynasty and later seized control of the throne leading to the Zhou dynasty, during which she ruled unopposed. The book is the beginning of a retelling of her life.

Only with giant pilotable gundam-like chrysalises. And aliens.

Huaxia sits on the edge of extinction. The Hunduns—sentient mechanical aliens that have overrun the lands north of the Great Wall—have pushed humanity to the brink.

The remnants of the Han survive only through the grace of the great Chrysalises—huge husks made of spirit metal capable of transforming into fighting machines. When the two pilots—one a boy, one a girl—combine their qi within the Chrysalis they are able to force it into metamorphosis, resulting in a huge fighting robot. Though this grants the pilots the power to repel the Hunduns from their land, it usually results in the death of the girls. This is seen as a sacrifice worth taking, in order to assure the survival of the human race. Plus, they’re only girls.

Wu Zetian is born upon the frontier, near the Great Wall itself. Should the Chrysalises fail, her family would be one of the first to fall. And she was born (and ultimately kept) in order to die.

As her sister did before her.

And so Zetian follows her elder sister (jiejie 姐姐) into the army, joining the ranks of Yang Guang’s concubines—who wait on his every whim, offer themselves to him freely, and are taken into battle with him, most often to their deaths. Again, as Zetian’s jiejie did before her.

But unlike her sister, Zetian isn’t here to make some sacrifice, noble or otherwise. Instead she has her heart set on vengeance—for her murdered sister, for thousands of dead girls before her, and ultimately for herself. For even should she live long enough to kill Yang Guang—what then? She’ll still only exist in a world set against her, one where she’ll carve a place for herself—in blood.

This book is steeped in both sexism and racism. The misogyny of the classical world has been well documented of course, but here’s another crash course on China (zhongguo 中國), which take things a bit further. Being born a boy was a huge responsibility. You were the hope of your family, your bloodline. You were supposed to succeed in the exams, in life, marry into a good family and produce a (male) heir. You would then take care of your parents and manage their estates. If you were born a girl, you had to hope your parents didn’t kill you because they wanted a boy. If they let you live, you basically did whatever they wanted to ensure that you fetched a good dowry, which would be used to help your brother pay his way into a good family. Then you were someone else’s problem, but should never forget your parents/family should you somehow make it big. You were subservient to your father, then your brothers, then your husband, then your sons. At no point were you ever in charge of your own destiny. Maybe don’t google this.

Likewise, if you were Han, then you had a natural step up on the competition. If you were anything other than Han, you were a barbarian. Often even subhuman. If you were half-blooded or quarter-blooded non-ethnic Han you were often seen as inferior. Han nationalism is generally on par with white nationalism in terms of exclusionism. Of course, this is the only instance of racism ever in history, and therefore is quite notable. Seriously, DO NOT GOOGLE THIS—you won’t find anything remotely heartwarming.

The overwhelming sexism here takes center stage, while the racism is kinda glossed over. I hope that we get to it more later in the series, though. Xiran Zhao doesn’t exactly paint a pretty picture for female life back in the annuls of history, but it’s probably pretty realistic. There’s a reason there’s a huge gender imbalance even nowadays—as the number of men heavily outweighs the number of women.

In terms of a fantasy book, Iron Widow is a damn good one. I mean, it’s a whirlwind of blood, tears and chaos, but one hell of a ride all the same. Zetian quite the character. I legitimately believe she’d bathe in the blood of her enemies. She’s got a bit of a demon in her; willing to do anything in order to achieve her ends. She also has a warm, sensitive side (though it’s a little overshadowed by the whole “demon” bit)—which she shows in touching scenes with Yizhi and Li Shimin. I’m honestly not sure what kind of a romantic she is. All in all, Zetian is complicated. She’s entirely human, but also a vengeful goddess born of pure chaos. As I said, quite the character.

The romance is a thing—leaving me undecided whether I bought into it or not. Despite her assertions that “the triangle is the strongest form of geometry”, I’m still not sure what it was that Zetian really wanted. It seemed to me that both male leads were head-over-heels, willing to die for her, while she was more “well, I like them but… meh”. Again, I hope that this is something that gets cleared up in Book #2.

TL;DR

From gundams to aliens to emperors, there’s A LOT going on in this story. And while I didn’t love every minute of it, I loved way more than enough to recommend it. Wu Zetian is a monumental task of a retelling, but Xiran Zhao has a winner here. For while it’s not all accurate, it’s certainly a perspective with a twist; a story that finds the future Empress as a poor farm girl with a taste for vengeance, blood, love, and ambition. An amazing coming-of-age tale that devolves into pure chaos and is somehow better for it.

Wow. After finishing this book, I feel like I need to go run 10 miles or eat a bunch of chocolate and drink some wine. This was intense! I could not put it down. However, this is not a book for the faint of heart as there are many references to torture, rape, murder, and misogyny. This book had aspects of “The Handmaid’s Tale”, “The Hunger Games”, and Transformers, only way cooler.

This book takes place in a sci-fi world where the Hunduns (machine aliens) are killing the humans. Throw in a dash of Chinese history and culture, make the protagonist fight the patriarchy, add some transforming psychically controlled machines that a boy-girl pair has to pilot, a polyamorous love triangle, and voila! You have Iron Widow! Honestly, I can’t describe how incredible this book is and I don’t want to give anything away, but I will try to give an overview:

Our kick-ass protagonist, Wu Zetian, volunteers to be a concubine-pilot so that she can seduce and kill the pilot who murdered her sister. Concubine-pilots often don’t survive going into the cockpit with their male counterparts (the boys drain the girls by using their psychic connection…it’s complicated). Nevertheless, Zetian not only survives her first battle as a pilot, but she kills her male partner. She’s labeled an Iron Widow and thus begins an epic story about family, love, gender identity, and the roles we play in life. Zetian fights and thrashes against the murderous constraints of her society (girls are seen as worthless and are essential sacrificed as pilots. They also are held to ridiculous purity standards). She is determined to figure out a way to break the system so that girls are valued for who they truly are.

But that’s barely a scratch on the surface. If you can handle some dark and disturbing issues (mentioned above), read this book. The issues Zhao tackles in the book are set in a sci-fi ancient China/robot alien world, yet we deal with many of the same misogynist beliefs and traditions that are rooted deep in our modern day human society: purity culture, categorized roles for boys and girls, duties of a daughter compared to a son. This book points out that we have a long way to go before we’re free from societal restraints. Zhao did a beautiful job of portraying the world, society, battles, and characters. I was so swept up in her writing. She also included so many twists and turns—it was an incredible read. I cannot wait for book two!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing me with an ARC!

Iron Widow was likened to Pacific Rim meeting the Handmaidens Tale. I definitely see the comparisons. The book focuses on Zeitan Wu. She volunteers to join the nation’s army in order to enact revenge at her older sister’s death. Women are essentially forced to go to battle in this crystalline bots. Their Qi , which I interpreted as soul/spirit energy, is used to assist the men in piloting the weapons.

Unlike many other books the romance here is a triangle. Thought that was an interesting concept.

Overall though the novel exceeded my expectation. The surprising ending sets up a sequel. I really enjoyed reading this one. The reason I am not giving it a 5 is because there were times that I think the scenes could have been better described. I had trouble envisioning what was going on.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

I spent such a long time debating whether to rate this book either 3 stars or 4 stars. There were so many things I enjoyed about this book but there were an equal amount of things I disliked.

Let me start off by talking about the things I did enjoy.

The concept of this book is incredible. The plot is so creative and original and I applaud the author on creating such a complex and compelling world. Learning about this dystopian world of Huaxia and the horrific actions and rules imparted by the patriarchy was fascinating. I loved this world and Zeitan’s fierce desire to bring awareness to the utter wrongness of it. The Chrysalises and the yin/yang piloting system was so interesting. I loved the unapologetic feminism and social commentary. And I really loved Shimin.

The pacing of this book was also magnificent. Sometimes a fantasy novel can be slow at introducing you into the world but this throws you right in and doesn’t slow down. It had me glued to the book for the first 200 pages or so. Jumping headfirst into the world also wasn’t any cause any confusion and the world-building was conveyed in an easily understandable way, which is another major feat on the author’s part, especially considering the fact pacing of the book.

Now for some of my issues.

My main issue is with the middle section of the book. I really enjoyed the first third of this book but unfortunately it began to lose its momentum fairly quickly after that. The middle of the book just felt lackluster compared to the first and last sections. But once I slogged through the middle and was on the last third of the book, I was fully invested once again.

Another one of my main issues was that this book is told from Zeitan’s point of view. I feel like a lot of my issues could’ve been solved simply by the book being written in third person rather than first. A lot of Zeitan’s inner monologue felt young and immature and compared to her desires and actions as a character.

The novel is extremely fast paced, jumping right into the action, which is actually one of the things I loved about it, but the relationship developments suffers because of this. All three points of the poly triad feel rushed. In the case of Zeitan and Yizhi, it’s a bit more understandable, as they’ve known each other for a fair amount of time but even Zeitan herself questions how much she really knows Yizhi, as they’ve only met once a month for the past few years. The relationship between Shimin and Zeitan isn’t as easily excused though. Just pages before their first kiss, Zeitan was saying how much she hated him and I didn’t have reason to believe she regarded him with anything but suspicion and disdain. She certainly tolerated him better by this point and there was a moment or two of her being attracted to him, but this kiss came out of nowhere for me. I also found it highly unrealistic that Shimin was making romantic declarations at this point. It felt like they’d not spent a long enough time together to amount to that. Again, I think a change in point of view could have majorly helped here. If we’d had a third person P.O.V. from each character, it would’ve likely been a lot easier to understand how/why the characters fell for each other in such a fast manner. We get to see a couple of romantically tinged moments between Shimin and Yizhi through Zeitan’s eyes, but because we’re in her P.O.V., it still feels a bit out of left field when Shimin and Yizhi’s friendship progresses into something more.


I really wanted to love the relationships in this because I love seeing poly relationships in books and it was one of the main reasons I wanted to read this book in the first place. I’m so glad the author decided to write a poly romance into this story, I just wish it had been a little bit better paced so I could truly root for it. Of course I was rooting for them by the end but I wish the book had shown me more reasons as to why I should be.

Ultimately I’ve decided to go ahead with a 4 star rating because despite my qualms with it, reading this book was an enjoyable experience and I do want to know what happens both politically and personally in the next book . I also truly believe that majority of people will love this book. And I’m sure a lot of the issues I have with the writing will improve over time as the author grows. This was an incredibly high concept debut and the author did a remarkable job considering.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao is a powerhouse of a book. It’s feminist. It’s angry. It’s bold. And I loved every moment of 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."

Wu Zetian, based on China’s only female emperor, is the narrator for this novel. She was born and raised to be sacrificed as a concubine-pilot. She is viscous and not afraid to do what needs to be done. Throughout the entire novel, you find yourself feeling the exact same emotions as Zetian. Her rage at the system that slaughters girls yet holds men as heroes is truly understandable. And the fact that so many of the misogynistic things in this novel happened - and happens - in real life his horrifying.

"If I had my way, I’d exist like that butterfly, giving onlookers no easy way to bind me with a simple label."

This novel takes your expectations and turns them on their head. The fact that what easily could have been a standard love triangle became a poly ship is truly exceptional. I hope this novel opens the door for poly ships in future YA novels! It was powerful and brought me so much joy that the three of them were made stronger together. A triangle, the strongest shape.

"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."

From start to finish, Iron Widow is an incredible ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat. All I can say is that book 2 cannot come soon enough!

*Thank you to the publicist at Penguin Teen/Penguin Random House Canada for sending me an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

I am broken, confused, completely and utterly shocked. In a good way. I had pretty low expectations for this book since I don't read sci-fi too often anymore,(fantasy books have basically taken over my life) but I was so captivated! Iron Widow is set in a futuristic type world at war with alien creatures called the Hunduns. Their defense is made up of Chrysalis's, giant robotic war machines, piloted by both a male and female, where the male's mind has complete control of the Chrysalis. Though they won most of the battles, it was often at the cost of the female pilots life. When Zetian's sister is killed, she offers herself up as a concubine-pilot to the man responsible, so she can assassinate him before he hurts any more girls. But when plans go awry, she is forced into a Chrysalis with him before she has the chance to strike, and her chance of surviving the battle is nearly impossible, but... the impossible happens.

To start off, I just want to say that I absolutely love the characters! It's so rare to find a story where the MC's of the book feel more like villains! Well, not completely, but they definitely had their villainess/psychopathic qualities. For example, Zetian is depicted as this wild, almost maniacal character; we could tell from the beginning when she killed her sister's killer. It was both shocking and hilarious to read the thoughts running through her head. Despite all the hate, prejudice, and sexism that she—as a woman—receives, she is so strong and capable, which I loved as a quality to this book. I also realized about halfway through that there was a polyamory relationship in the story. Now, I am not against that at all, but I had never read anything like it before so it surprised me, but I thought it was super cute!

In the first chapter, I was a little bit skeptical in the sense that it felt like Zhao was pushing information at us in a way that seemed forced and it was just a very elementary way of writing. I also noticed she seemed to have skipped/skimmed the explanation of the Hunduns because I was honestly a little confused with the whole conflict. I felt like she just placed us directly midway through this century long war with very minimal information about the opposing side. Even so, it got so much better.

I don't know how I'm going to be able to wait at least a whole year before the second book comes out. I can't even completely process what happened! There was one character that died(not going to tell you who 'cause it's a major spoiler) and I felt like it completely came out of nowhere! I know, it defiantly hints that they will be revived in the next book, but their "death" still didn't sit right with me. There is just so much that Zhao dropped on us in that last chapter and so I need the next one!!! Anyway, do yourself a favor and read it!

I picked up Iron Widow because I was intrigued by the premise and the cover. What’s not to love about Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale? A whole lot it turns out.
Our main character Zetian is a poor girl in a lower-class family. Her lot in life is to be married off or sacrificed as fuel for the Chrysalises (the giant mechas) that boys pilot to fight other mechanical aliens. After her sister is killed while being used by a famous pilot, Zetian offers herself up as sacrificial fuel in order to kill the pilot in revenge. When Zetian succeeds, it reveals a talent for piloting the mechas that forces her into military bondage.
Again, the idea was interesting, and double so set against the possible backdrop of ancient Chinese politics, but the writing and pacing did not hold up. Zetian is an 18 year old girl, who while clever enough and strong enough to pull of an assassination, still speaks and thinks like a 6 year old. Some of the conversations between characters seemed frank to the part of artlessness as well as melodramatic. The side characters have no depth at all, and even Zetian seems to lack a personality, much of the time. YA writing does not have to be flat – just think of Graceling by Kristin Cashore, which is simple in grade-level terms but profound in depth. Iron Widow lacks both the clarity of narrative and the clarity of writing. Even the possible love triangle- which, again, had so much potential- was not enough to keep me invested in the story. It reads very much like a first draft, the ending was not believable, and it was difficult to get through. 1.5 stars, and unfortunately would not recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Where to start? Iron Widow is my favorite book of 2021. I started it one Monday afternoon when I got home and stopped at 70% around midnight. I had work early in the morning, and I still considered finishing it.
Reading Iron Widow was a thrill that made me way too happy, and finishing it was like waking up disoriented from a dream.
That was months ago. It took me forever to write this review because the book is so good that I simply don’t have the words. And I can’t just scream “I love it! You should buy it!” and be done with it. I must write something coherent, at least. There are better reviews out there, smarter and deeper, more eloquent and meaningful. But if you’re reading this one, I hope I can show you how good this book is and why it deserves your time.

But why is it so great? Let’s start with my girl, Wu Zetian. Her sister was killed by a pilot in a system in which girls are frequently sacrificed so boys can use mechas to fight aliens. Now Zetian is out for revenge, even if that means bringing the whole thing down. She burns with righteous anger against her family, against the guy who killed her sister, and against the system that tries to kill her. She’s the embodiment of feminine wrath. After an entire life of oppression and abuse, Zetian fights back.
Then there’s my boys: Li Shimin, the bad boy with a tragic past, and Yizhi, the soft boy who is also extremely wealthy. Who will Zetian choose? Well, both, because this love triangle is resolved in the only way a love triangle should: they all get together.
It’s Zetian’s thirst for revenge and her fight for survival that drive the plot. Those in power are not happy that a girl killed a pilot. They want her dead, but they also need her as a pilot to fight the Hundun constantly trying to invade. Zetian and Li Shimin must navigate both intrigue and assassination attempts in the military if they want to make it out alive.
This world is heavily inspired by Chinese history and culture, beautifully woven with futuristic elements like giant robots and alien invasions. Each detail is revealed subtly but meaningfully. We see the poor frontier families and the lavish capital parties; the national heroes and the girls who’d do anything to marry them; the weight of the past and the surprises of the future.
Most of all, Iron Widow is a raw, angry, and brilliant exploration of misogyny, gender and power. There’s more to fighting monsters than what it seems.

WHAT. A. DEBUT. I literally have to scream about that before I proceed with any sort of review. I just cannot wrap my head around this being a debut novel. Amazing.

Thank you to Netgalley, Xiran, and Penguin Teen for an advance copy of Iron Widow.

Set in a futuristic dystopia where society battles mechanical aliens by piloting giant robots, one young woman is about to challenge and change everything society thinks they know about females. You see, male pilots use female pilots as concubines to use their energy oftentimes ending in the death of the female pilot. It is seen as a great honor for the pilots to sacrifice for their land and in turn the families of the lost are very-well compensated.

Zeitan is an 18 year old girl who signs up to become a concubine…but not for the honor or money her family will receive. Instead, she wishes to seek vengeance for the death of her sister, assuming that she will die in the process. However, she successfully murders her sisters co-pilot and returns from the battle in one piece earning her the title of Iron Widow, something that may have been done in the past but is not common knowledge. Her energy is astronomical and she is paired with someone equally as vicious and powerful as she is.

The more Zeitan learns about the military, the more she begins to question everything. Are women really the weaker sex or are they just conditioned to believe that?


There is a lot of physical and mental abuse in this story, naturally due to its subject matter, but it’s also a really powerful story about one woman breaking out of the role that women in her society are brought up to follow – be quiet, obey, and serve.

One thing that I liked a lot about Zeitan was that she was never not confident in her plan. She knew it was dangerous and “crazy” and a suicide mission but she was determined to make her voice known and did not care about the consequences. And when her suicide mission turned out to be a success she just kept powering forward and pushing for answers. It’s rare to see any character start strong and stay strong, let alone a female character in a fantasy story.

There is also a love-triangle(ish) turned polyamory, which is a first for me to see in YA fantasy. We get to see an unconventional relationship outside of the ones we see regularly. Xiran managed to write a lot of emotion and romance without putting too much detail on the page and it worked really well.

It’s historically-inspired by the only female empress that China has seen, set in the future, and deals with topics (on an exaggerated scale) that women today face.

The only downfall is that there wasn’t as much world-building as I would’ve liked, however, knowing that it is book one, I would guess that we will see more of the world in the next installment. It sounds fascinating and I’d like to see it explored much more.

Marketed as Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale, Iron Widow lives up to every ounce of what is promised with those comps. It is rich in historical Chinese history with a healthy dose of sci-fi and fantasy elements, giving it a fresh twist. Sci-fi has always been a difficult genre for me, but Xiran has written a spectacle that is easy to read and a wild ride from start to finish.

At its core, Iron Widow is a badass, feminist story about vengeance, glory, and what it means to take charge of your own destiny. While some readers may not be able to personally relate to the cultures described, most will relate in at least a small way to the treatment women receive at the hands of society. Women of all cultures are subject to misogyny, objectification, and treated like they are “less” than men - which simply not true. This book is a love letter to anyone who has been oppressed by their society and culture.

Zetian is a calculating and lethal character focused on achieving her goals, even if it means her death. For readers who love anti-heroes and morally grey main characters who do not shy away from conflict, she is everything you could ask for. With every move and every thought Zetian has, she is unflinchingly scheming a way she can bring society to its knees.

Li Shimin is, on the surface, very similar to Zetian, forced to serve in a system he abhors. Their partnership and common goals feel very natural given their similar pasts, and providing Zetian with a strong ally of the opposite sex worked well to balance her understandable hatred for men in power.

On the opposite end, we have Zetian's childhood friend, Gao Yizhi. His character is quite the opposite of both Zetian and Shimin and can be described as loyal, trusting, intelligent, and somewhat soft (in a good way).

One of the things that stands out in this book is the polyamorous couple it features. Personally, this is the first YA book I’ve ever read with polyamorous representation and it was so beautiful to see it! Since Iron Widow breaks many molds, it seems like a natural inclusion to also stretch boundaries and social norms with the main romance as well.

Overall, this was a stunning debut that left me reeling from the incredible world building, the god-complex anti-heroes, and the burning of the patriarchy from the ground up. Xiran Jay Zhao will undoubtedly leave their mark with this book, and I cannot wait for the sequel to arrive!

I really had no idea what to expect going into this “mecha science fiction” book, but I am so glad I read Iron Widow because it blew me away!

The author describes this book as “Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale reimagining of the rise of the only female emperor in Chinese history” but I am not familiar with any of that (although I am definitely going to do some research on China’s only female emperor).

The best way I can describe Iron Widow is The Hunger Games meets Transformers set in a futuristic world with elements of Chinese culture, history, and mythology.

Huaxia is at war with the Hunduns, the mecha aliens that are trying to invade Huaxia’s side of the Great Wall. The girls of Huaxia are sent to serve in the war as concubine-pilots. The male pilots operate giant transforming robots, called Chrysalises, in their battles with the Hunduns, but the Chrysalises require the qi (life force) of a male and a female. Everyone knows that the girls are really sacrifices because they often die when the male pilot, heralded as a hero, sucks up all of his concubine’s qi during battle. Enter Zeitan, who is out for vengeance and becomes a female force to be reckoned with.

The phenomenal and intricate world building, epic battle scenes, and exhilarating plot line made this book unputdownable! I found the entire concept of giant transforming robots battling mecha aliens absolutely fascinating, and the historical, cultural, and mythological Chinese elements were seamlessly woven into this futuristic story. Through the amazing characters, the author examines the way society views gender roles, appearances, relationships, and good vs. evil. What is right and what is wrong? Who is really the monster?

I really loved the three main characters - Wu Zeitan, Gao Yizhi, Li Shimin - and the relationship that develops between them. Zeitan is a poor peasant girl, Yizhi is a well-educated rich boy, and Shimin is a convicted murderer turned top pilot. They are all strong and stand up for what they believe in, and they work together toward their shared goal of smashing the patriarchy. Zeitan is my favorite though, and I love everything she represents!

Zeitan is fierce, strong, clever, and courageous, and she will stop at nothing until she avenges her big sister’s death and the senseless deaths of all the concubine pilots who came before her. Like all females in this society, her feet were bound at a young age to make her more attractive to men, and she is constantly in pain due to her mutilated feet. But, she will not let the pain stand in her way. She will not bow down to the oppressive men, will not conform to misogynistic societal expectations and gender norms, and will not be shamed into submission. They will try to break her spirit, but her qi is too strong for them. She is truly heroic and inspiring!

“Wu Zeitan, you inspire me. Whenever I lose hope that the world can change, I remember you. I remember how you fight for what you want, no matter what anyone says, no matter what stands in your way.” - Yizhi

I highly recommend this book, especially if you’re a fan of sci-fi, fantasy, or YA books, or if you’re just looking for something different! I’m already anxiously awaiting the sequel!

Thank you very much Penguin Random House Canada and Penguin Teen for gifting me with an eARC through NetGalley!

There was so much to love about this story. This debut novel by Xiran Jay Zhau blew away all my expectations. I fell in love with the premise of this book the moment I read the synopsis for it. Zetian is wanting revenge for her sisters death in a world where men and women pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. The only down fall is the girls often die from the mental strain.

The world building of this story was wonderfully done. I felt as though the fantasy world was painted with such amazing detail with the imagery that was used. The world in which this story is set felt whole, and very captivating.

The characters are relatable, and easy to root for. They are all incredibly strong people that have a soft part of themselves that only certain people get to see. I couldn't get enough of them. I loved how the romance within this story started as what felt like a love triangle to being a polyamorous relationship. It's become a romance trope that I have come to love ever since one of my favorite urban fantasy novels did the same thing with three characters in a love triangle.

Thank you NetGalley and PenguinTeenCanda for the arc of this novel.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Iron Widow by Xian Jay Zhao in exchange for an honest review. This was a beautifully written book. A whole new alternative world was created with ideas based on advanced mechanical technology. I felt like it was a cross between Pacific Rim and The Hunger Games, if only women were sacrificed. An 18 year old girl turns their whole system on its head when instead of being sacrificed to power the machine with her qi, she kills the male pilot instead. I loved the storyline and the characters in this book, very relevant to our time.

Full review: https://fictionfixerreads.wordpress.com/2021/09/21/iron-widow-arc-review/

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao is a feminist wildfire of a book that rages against the toxicity of patriarchal oppression. It shows how difficult it is to navigate the world as a woman–not just physically but emotionally and mentally too. It shows how patriarchal oppression is systemic and how men (and women) can unwillingly (or willingly) play a part in perpetuating patriarchal views, and how we can challenge said views.

It demands attention with its remarkable, daring characters, and shows a relationship that is complex, nuanced, balanced, and shows why these characters are compelling.

It dares its readers to think bigger with its fantastical, mecha-inspired world, and immerses them in prose so vivid that I could paint a clear picture of each mecha described.

Overall, Iron Widow is fascinating, fiery debut full of feminist fury that left a twist ending so mind-boggling that I’m already scrambling to get ready for book 2.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book.

Iron Widow is the first book in a new YA sci-fi series by Xiran Jay Zhao- great for fans of Mecha!

All she wanted was to avenge her sister’s death, but she got so much more. Zetian is a female Chrysalis pilot, who recently learned she’s stronger than she believes (and stronger than men are comfortable). When she is paired with Li Shimin, a male pilot meant to tame her unnerving mental strength, she uses the opportunity to uncover the truth behind the misogynistic pilot system.

Iron Widow is fast-paced from the first page; Zetian’s determination and command in the face of discrimination is exhilarating and inspiring. You can’t help but feel a sense of pride in how she stands up for herself. She is quick-witted and strong: an excellent role model for YA readers. Zhao expertly depicts the importance of Zetian’s courage and bravery in uncovering an unjust system without romanticizing her hardship.

Additionally, this book contains some of the most authentic and empathetic representations of gender and sexuality I’ve ever encountered in the sci-fi genre. Not only is there a polyamorous relationship, but there are multiple discussions highlighting the fluidity of gender and sexuality.

My only critique is that the romance of novel overpowers the story in a few spots. I appreciate that I’m learning about the complexity of the characters’ relationships, but I was occasionally left feeling “lost in the sauce.” This is mainly a matter of personal preference, as I prefer less romance in books. But, if you prefer a romance subplot in your books, you’ll love this part!

Overall, Iron Widow is a wonderful debut by Xiran Jay Zhao, and I’ll definitely read Book Two next year!

Content warnings: suicide ideation, mention of sexual assault, alcohol addiction

4.0/5.0