Cover Image: Iron Widow

Iron Widow

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Member Reviews

Thank you to Penguin Teen Canada for the ARC of this incredibly stunning book! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Wow this book is definitely a must read when it's out! This book pulls inspiration from Chinese mythology, creating a gorgeous sci-fi world with these inspirations. It's pitched as Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale, and that alone made me want to read it, knowing that it would be absolutely unique in comparison to anything else I've read. Within we have a revenge fuelled plot, with out leading lady dead set on ripping the patriarchy apart with her bare hands. To top that off we also get a love triangle, but unlike most other YA novels, this one ends in a healthy polyamorous relationship.

Quick synopsis:
The boys of Huaxia dream of teaming up with female concubines and piloting Chrysalises-giant transforming robots that are used to battle the mecha aliens lurking beyond the Great Wall. The fact that the females usually die isn't of much consequence.

All 18 year old Zetian wants is to avenge the death of her sister by killing her murderer. When she manages this in an unexpected way, she is labeled an Iron Widow, a dangerous female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.​ When she's paired with Li Shimin to tame her strength, she refuses to bend under the pressure and vows to figure out why the pilot system functions in such a misogynistic way, and put an end to the deaths of females.

Content Warnings: murder, torture, mentions + threats of rape, suicide ideation, abuse, alcohol addiction, gore, self sacrifice, sex

To start, Zetian is easily one of the most badass characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Her motivations make sense and are clear from the very start of the book, and the way she goes about accomplishing her goals is methodical and well done. Her character goes through a lot during the course of this novel, and a lot of it is really strenuous both physically and mentally, yet Zetian stays strong. Zetian is very angry at the world throughout a lot of this book, but I found that to be understandable with the way that the world works, but more on that below. At times I did find her character to be a little much, it felt a touch unrealistic that Zetian was the only female person who had issues with the system. But at the same time we're only getting her perspective, so it's really hard to judge that.

Yizhi is our first male character that we meet and love instantly. He's very much a cinnamon roll and I really enjoyed him. Each character in this book has many layers, including Yizhi, who at first glance is just a rich boy with an open heart, but over the course of the story his immense strength is shown.

Shimin is very much the opposite to Yizhi, he is a hardened criminal and murderer at first glance. An alcoholic with no remorse for the deaths he's caused. But underneath that we get to see his intelligence and his softer side, and I loved him.

These characters all work very well together, and their love triangle is glorious. Love triangles in YA are often actual more like the letter V, but this one is a full triangle, a fully functioning and healthy polyamorous relationship. Their relationship forms gradually and beautifully, and I loved every millisecond of it.

The world building in this book left a little to be desired at times. The world was really cool and interesting and there was a lot going on, but I was left wondering why on more than one occasion while reading. Why are we fighting? And why is this the only way we can fight? But everything did feel like it was answered in the end, which felt fine for me. Zhao's choices throughout this novel in relation to world building definitely did make sense in relation to the book being from Zetian's point of view, and I really respect their choices here. This book is inspired by Chinese history, and the author took a lot of liberties with that in creating her own world. I think it came together beautifully, the Chinese influences are clear and work well within the sci-fi world.

The plot of this book, like mentioned above, is very much fuelled by revenge. I don't want to give too much away here but I found the plot very interesting. Zetian sets out to get revenge for her big sisters death, and that she damn does. But from there her trajectory is really interesting. Watching her come into how powerful she is and what she can do when flying was really fun to read. Everything made sense and there's definitely a point of no return in this book where you just have to keep reading and see what happens because wow. And the ending of this? BONKERS.

The writing of this was good, this is a debut and I wasn't necessarily expecting the most incredibly perfect prose, but found this to be a great read overall. The characters were well written and formed, with clear motivations and follow through. The plot was interesting, with a wild ending that has me reeling and impatiently waiting for more. And overall I just really think that Xiran Jay Zhao knocked it out of the park here. My expectations for this weren't incredibly high, only because it's such a unique plot and a new author so I just didn't know what to expect, but damn. This book is GREAT.

I definitely recommend this book! If you love science fiction, strong female characters, and taking down the patriarchy, check this out!

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EXCERPT: “… Iron Widow gives ancient Chinese history a sci-fi twist with this retelling of Wu Zetian, who in this iteration is a teen who sacrifices boys to power up robots. The result is a searing, if a bit convoluted, feminist novel that embraces a rich sense of worldbuilding to establish its character.”

Full review published online at Asia Pacific Arts Magazine.

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What an incredible read!

This book has everything:
Smashing the patriarchy? Check!
Polyam representation? Check!
Pure chaos? Check!

DANG what I would've given to have read a book like this in high school.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read it early. I will be posting my full review on my Instagram once we get closer to the publication date!

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This is such a fascinating science fiction novel and I fear my review will not do it justice.
It takes Chinese history, time period and historic figures, and uses it to inspire a futuristic world at war. The author compares their book to the Handmaid's Tale and Pacific Rim, and I think its’ entirely accurate. The characters in this futuristic world, fighting against giant metal monsters are hopelessly backwards socially. Women are treated as second class citizens and in the war used as sacrifices. The main character Zetian, knows this and fights against this.

Zetian and her fight for herself, and all woman, was why I really loved this book. We often see “good” characters, fighting for things like positive social change, equality, etc. Generally, these “good” characters try to maintain the high moral ground. Rarely do we get truly morally grey characters who are willing to do whatever is necessary to create change. It was a refreshing to see characters make hard choices and not regret them or question them afterwards.

In addition to the main plot, there was a romantic subplot in the book. It was very well done. It’s there without taking over the story and took the love triangle trope and turned it on its head.

The book does end in a way that absolutely opens itself to a sequel (and wow what a universe the author created).
Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year and I hope I can look forward to reading a sequel in the future.

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4.5 Stars

What a stunning debut. And that epilogue. Whew. Half a star is just for that.

It's an epic story about what it can take to be a woman with power, and it's not afraid to depict misogyny in all its ugliness. This was a great fast-paced read. I loved so much about the small hints towards bigger world going ons and what exactly is happening with these dang aliens and then the epilogue pulls it all together and gets you so hyped for the next book.

By the way, first time I've read a true triangle style relationship in a book and I loved the way it was handled. My current favorite trio.

This was wonderful, but I'm even more excited about what's to come next.

You should read this if: You love tales of women who take power, you like giant robots or aliens, you're looking for something to get completely absorbed in, and you don't mind a little murder.

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This book and the way it critiqued gender roles and the made up differences between "girls"/"boys" in frankly a perfect metaphor ??? chef's kiss. FAVOURITE part.

The poly trio? also amazing, I've never read a poly relationship in trad pub before. Groundbreaking dare I say? I have to say Shimin was my favourite character in the triangle though, he's exactly my brand of tortured and anguished.

The world building and concept? SO unique, I can't say it was exactly my bag or that I really understood everything—it felt overwhelming for me—but I'm so glad it's in this book. I've never read anything quite like it before, so again, I think it's a great contribution to the YA canon.

Also: can I just say I love having a female main character in YA fantasy who's FUNNY??? these bitches always be so serious and morose and the voices start blending together after a while. Zetian on the other hand, is an ICON and she's hilarious. Much applause.

Overall, I think this book is definitely one to look out for if you're wanting something wholly unique. I'm not sure overall it's my taste, enough that I would read the next one, but it definitely Did Something here.

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“Damn. That was intense.” This was my very first thought right after I finished reading Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. Although, to be more accurate, that was my consistent thought throughout the entire story. Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the e-galley via NetGalley. Iron Widow was one of my most anticipated reads for 2021 and while I can’t say that it met my expectations exactly, it didn’t went beyond anything that I was able to imagine also.

From the synopsis and the author’s note at the start of Iron Widow, I was very intrigued by the inspiration behind the book. Xiran Jay Zhao took inspiration from Empress Wu, a woman who was able to defy the patriarchal rules of Chinese society and history to become the empress, the most powerful person in China. This vein of female power and fight against the patriarchy runs very deeply throughout the entire story as Zhetian, the main character, is constantly fighting against the system that tries to hold her down and control every aspect of her life. She is definitely not going to sit back and let all of that happen. She’s ruthless in the ways that she has to be in order to survive. Her relationships with Yizhi and Shimin are also unlike anything that I’ve read in YA and challenges those social rules. Though that shouldn’t be too surprising as Zhetian and the entire premise of her story is to defy and challenge all the rules that exist.

I am definitely going to be eagerly awaiting the sequel to this novel, especially after the cliffhanger at the end of Iron Widow.

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Friends, this is SO GOOD. Everything just fits together so damn well. It is a brilliant book in every way – I started telling everyone around me to read this because I was sure I was going to love it as soon as I was just a few chapters in. Zetian is such a badass bitch who doesn’t take no shit from anyone. And silly me was originally not even going to pick up Iron Widow because I thought, eww, mechas, not for me. But I would have missed out. I’m so glad that I had friends who were raving about it and made me want to read it.

Think of this as anime vibes in smart and compelling book format. And with the most gorgeous cover art. Iron Widow plays with so many YA tropes and just turns them upside down and it’s glorious. Zetian goes out, seeking revenge. Gets revenge, and instead of being punished, she proves herself invaluable. Oops. A love triangle starts blossoming. Oops, a poly triad forms instead. It is one of the best YA novels I have ever read. And it’s a DEBUT. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next and I can assure you that I will be getting myself a shiny hardcover or special edition the moment it is available.

Seriously, this is so good that I don’t even know how to coherently write about it. Just, get it for yourself. It’s brilliant and you need it.

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Absolutely phenomenal. Iron Widow was fast paced in all the best ways. You are immediately hooked onto the characters, the worldbuilding, the relationships, the fight scenes. I read this in one sitting. Iron Widow was addicting in all its female rage, unhinged cast, and spectacular sequences, not to mention Zhao's prose made this a pleasure to read. I loved it !!

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This book was pitched as Pacific Rim meets the Handmaiden's Tale and I was absolutely floored that for the high expectations that pitch alone gave me, Iron Widow did not at all disappoint.

If SFF books were movies, this novel would be a blockbuster. A retelling of one of China's greatest emperors - Empress Wu Zetian - set in a Sci-Fi world where aliens exist and the threat of invasion throws humanity to a crisis, Xiran Jay Zhao crafts a thrilling story around female empowerment. When I first picked this book up, I wasn't at all sure about whether or not I would like it. It had all the ingredients I was looking for - queer rep, BIPOC rep, a retelling of one of East Asia's greatest figures in history. But the social media machine has disappointed me before. People give value to things that aren't always executed well, but I was so happy to find that Iron Widow backed up every single one of its claims. I've never shouted as I read a book in my life. I've also never cried while laughing. With such a colorful experience, I can definitely say, with absolute certainty, that this book is unlike anything I've ever read before. And I daresay it has given me both hope and great insight on what the future of SFF can become.

I can't wait to read more of Xiran Jay Zhao's work!

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This is my first ever ARC from Netgalley, I am super grateful and happy for this thank you!

This book had so much potential and I lovedddd the concept behind it but the execution fell flat for me.

I will talk about the good then the bad of this novel and who I would recommend this book for.

Pros:
This book had such a unique setting and plot. Had conversations for Bisexual and Polyamorus relationships, also brought up the patriarchy in this society and covered things such as chronic pain and having a physical disability. Morally gray characters. The last maybe 10-20% of this book is where I believed had the best best execution, plot twist, and really shined.

Cons:
The plot and writing felt rushed. There was not enough background or depth to any of the characters, everything felt forced and told TO you rather then shown or unfolded naturally.
To me the writing mirrored a lot of early YA broadline wattpad fanfiction writing. Which isn't for me.
With the main character I loved her moral ambiguity but at times found that she lacked true depth and understanding.
I was also expecting a gripping well done poly romance and found that 1. it was under developed and 2. the poly relationship didn't really begin till 80% into the novel.
The overall atmosphere in the beginning did throw me off just because since this is a some what sci-fi futuristic novel I did not anticipate the dialogue between characters to be so similar to how someone would speak today in 2021, which is a gripe I personally have in books.

Overall this novel just wasn't for me I was really excited the concept is amazing, the writing was I believe the books weakest link along side underdeveloped plot point and characters.
Going forward I don't think I will continue with this series.

Recommend this to:
I would still loosely recommend this book to individuals who are just getting into YA/SCI-FY genre and want to slowly start. If you enjoy stories that are Chinese history inspired, LGBTQ+, morally grey female main character, and a some what fast-paced plot.

Thank you again Netgalley and Penguin Teen For my first ARC!!!

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While I was excited by the premise of Iron Widow, I wasn't able to get into this book. I'm sure it's actually extremely good, but I personally didn't fit well with the writing style, and I couldn't really understand what was going on.

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Iron Widow is wonderful fantasy with very real rage rage. It talks about misogyny, female empowerment, control over your body and your destiny, and embracing your power.

This book is set in a fantasy/sci-fi world that is inspired by Imperial China and Empress Wu Zetian (loosely).

Ive struggled with how to write about this book for over a week now. I love this book. It's not necessarily that the writing is the best, or that the world is incredibly unique, or that the characters are extremely relatable. I love this book because the anger is so relatable.

Iron Widow is set in a world where women should be quiet, still, and obedient. Their only value is having sons or sacrificing themselves for the glory of men and safety of the Empire.

Zetian, the MC, makes a lot of choices I don't agree with and she's probably not a good person. Her decisions and motivations come from this soul deep rage at the way women are treated and sacrificed for the sake of men. She is just so angry and willing to do anything to get back at the people who have wronged her and women in general.

Reading the first part of this book was physically painful because of how real and how raw the emotions were. And when she was like I'm going to rip this man's throat out, I was like YES, DO IT. It was so satisfying to see her get her revenge.

The actual story and world themselves are very good too. I would describe it as transformers meets Imperial China meets a Handmaid's Tale. There are definitely some sci-fi elements and a really good twist at the end. There is a polyamorous romance which isn't normally my cup of tea but I enjoyed it.

To sum it up, I would definitely recommend this book, it is SO satisfying and the humor is pretty dorky too. I can't stop talking about it to my book/writer friends! Iron Widow comes out in September.

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Iron Widow is an explosive Asian Fantasy novel filled with epic robot fights, empowered women and an odd romance that leaves a little to be desired. While there were some things I liked about this thing I think the things I didn't like were fairly equal.

I loved the overall story. I loved that Zetian rose from the ashes of her broken life and became the Iron Widow fierce and feared by Men and Women alike. I really loved the robots fighting monsters storyline. I wasn't a big Pacific Rim fan but something about this book just spoke to me as a reader and I loved the way their piloting was explained. The world building was great and I came to understand the characters motives quite well as we went though out the story. Also - the ending was explosive and I'm left at the edge of my seat wondering what's happening next.

What could have been better? The Romance to be honest. To me this romance felt like a pesky backseat driver that was begging for attention but didn't get enough of it. Her relationship with Yizhi felt like it was a little bit too forced and while I understand they had a relationship that started before the book I felt no love for either and could care less about their relationship or the way it developed. I was also quite upset about her relationship with Shimin just seemed to materialize out of thin air. For me I didn't feel or see the development of either of those relationship and being as invested in the story as I was that took a LOT away from it. While I know there were some warnings in this book I did feel a little off put by some of the scenes and how they took place. I would advise you to read at your discretion - there is nothing inherently wrong with those scenes they just made my skin crawl in the complete wrong way.

Overall Iron Widow had a great storyline but lacked the relationship building in characters that left me a little bit off put. I feel like if more time was spent developing their relationships this would be a solid 5 star book for me, at the time this will remain a 3/5. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good Asian inspired read because it's fantastic, however I just didn't end up meshing 100% with it by the time the last page was turned.

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Well crap, I really wanted to love this one. It has a polyamorous relationship and great representation but the plot and story flow just wasn’t there. Zero chemistry between characters, so much telling in the writing style, everything just felt forced. Even the main character’s feminism felt forced. So disappointed with this one 😕

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thank you netgalley for the arc bc i don’t think i could’ve waited a few more months for this!

iron widow focuses on an absolutely disgusting patriarchal society, and one girl who’s kicking their ass. but ten times more. seriously i owe zetian so much praise for her confidence to turn down sexist huanxia and face the discrimination head on! there were so many moments in the book where i felt where written so perfectly, like the author was taking words out of my head for me. i don’t even think this is a retelling or the handmaid’s tale anymore: the plot lines about the concubines, sexual assault, physical and emotional abuse, propaganda, and more all shed light on today’s world, and i thought the author encapsulated that in a really honest way. i’m also loving the historical references, such as the terra-cotta warriors! xiran really did a heck of a lot of planning B)

mild spoiler: that ending! i’m still emotionally intact, but i wish we could’ve gotten more closure about the documents yizhi found about that planet. sigh. next year i guess!

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Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao is a dark YA sci-fi novel that oozes female anger, includes a poly relationship and explores its themes through GIANT ROBOTS. I also need the sequel RIGHT NOW and this book isn't even technically out yet. Despite getting a digital copy of this novel for free through NetGalley I have already pre-ordered another copy out of a desire to support the author.

This was an absolutely jaw-dropping debut novel. As someone who has become very jaded with the majority of YA fantasy and sci-fi, Iron Widow was a shot in the arm that reminded me why I love the diversity and creativity of the YA genre.

The premise is fascinating, the world is interesting and Wu Zetian is a truly standout female anti-hero. Once I started reading it I simply couldn't stop until I finished it. Iron Widow takes the best aspects of mecha anime and Pacific Rim and uses it to tell a story about systemic gender oppression, sexuality and anger.

The story and setting are filled with texture from Chinese history and culture, and details of the real historical figure Empress Wu Zetian, and her rise from concubine to emperor are woven in with Chinese myth and a futuristic dystopia. Iron Widow explores a fictional version of futuristic Chinese society that discards the lives of young women and girls in service of a war that has been going on for hundreds of years. Like in the world of the Handmaid's Tale, the nation of Huaxia's systems of gender oppression are inspired by real histories and cultural strictures placed on women's lives. The robotic chrysalises are machines that make the bodies of young women disposable vessels to be used up by heroic male pilots. Unlike hundreds of girls before her Wu Zetian not only survives her time in a Chrysalis, but also kills her male pilot and emerges as an Iron Widow. Zetian is able to turn the tables on the system and take the power of Chrysalis's into her own hands, however, the system fights her rise to power every step of the way.

There is something electrifying about Wu Zetian as a female protagonist. You feel her rage against a system which has crippled, dehumanized and exploited her for her entire life and tried to force her into a box and cannot help but agree that her anger and desire for revenge is justified. You truly feel the terrible way that society has treated her and how that makes it difficult for her to see the good in other people. However, unlike many female protagonists bent on vengeance, her anger is never delegitimized or smoothed away. Even when she is able to rebel against the system, find love and succeed against the odds, the righteous anger remains. She is allowed to be angry in a way that few fictional women are. Zetian is someone willing to make terrible and ruthless decisions in order to dismantle an unjust system. Yet she is not reducible to just her anger, she is vulnerable in so many other ways and has to rely on her intelligence and anger to gain a foothold in a society that denies her personhood. She is politically intelligent, strong-willed, and willing to weaponize her sexuality. She does morally questionable things and wreaks vengeance on those who wrong her, yet is loyal to those who she loves. She is more than willing to be become a villain in order to reach her goals and that is what makes her such a compelling female anti-hero.

Iron Widow is full of depth and metaphor. It explores themes of consent, violation, and sexuality through the power dynamics of Chrysalis piloting, and Huaxia's differential treatment of male and female pilots. The exploitative dynamics of Chrysalis piloting becomes an analogy for gendered violence, sexual assault, and systemic oppression.

In another unconventional choice, Iron Widow rejects the tired love triangle trope in favour of a genuinely sweet polyamorous relationship that feels like genuine, unexploitative, queer representation. (Side note: Both Li Shimin and Yizhi MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS, I swear to god if anything happens to these two... especially with that freaking ending I will never trust this author with my heart ever again.)

Overall, Iron Widow is well worth your time and your money, I loved every second of reading it. It's action packed, angry, and like nothing else I've ever read. It might be the best book I've read so far this year. It takes it's awesome premise and knocks it out of the park. I cannot wait to see what is next for this series and for Xiran Jay Zhao.

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Wow! This book has quickly made the list of best books I have read this year! I loved the unique story. I thought the mix of Pacific Rim type machines with a Handmaids Tale society vibe was a weird combination, but it worked seamlessly. I understood the amount of rage that Zetian felt with society and how it treated women and admired her commitment to bringing down those in charge of her sister's death. I could not help but root for her at every turn. And that ending! I cannot wait for the next book. I have so many questions.

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https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4131521045

Excellent characters in a story that pulls you right in. The world feels expansive on a grand scale, full of mystery and imagination, but its scope never looses focus on the characters central to the action. I don't usually enjoy YA, but this let the characters act in a convincing way that never felt sanitized or particularly worried about snagging a movie deal-- which is a good thing. Looking forward to more in this series, and by this author in general.

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Thank you to Penguin Teen for an eARC of Iron Widow!

In Huaxia, boys become pilots, and girls have two choices-marry or become pilot Chrysalises, transforming robots that battle aliens and defend the land beyond the Great Wall.

Zetian chooses to become a concubine-pilot to assassinate the man responsible for her sister's death. When she kills him through the psychic link, she is labeled an Iron Wido, someone who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises.

This was weird? But in a good way. It was a strange blend of sci-fi and fantasy. I did have quite a bit of difficulty in the beginning understanding what the heck was happening in the battle scenes. I wish it had been a bit clear and that there had been more description earlier on.

I also wish there was a bit more sci-fi. Despite the aliens and the giant battling robots, there were only bits and pieces there, and I think I just needed more info about the surrounding environment.

This is definitely more focused on the action, but I liked the romance and the casual queerness. A really interesting debut! Might be easier to follow as an audiobook.

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