I would say 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I’m still reeling from all the twists and turns! In the first place, this book is horrific in the treatment of women and that horror really powers the MC, Zetian. It was hard to read at some points and I had to put it down more than once—NOT BECAUSE IT WAS BAD! I just couldn’t handle it. There was just so much awful stuff happening!
That being said this book as a whole was riveting and fantastic. It was a bit like esports shows where you get these cool fight scenes with upgrades and status bars. Other parts where more political and, because of the MC’s lack of information, we end up learning a ton about this world and their mixed magic-tech that really drew in my interest. I feel like I’ve really gone through something from reading this. Emotionally, the story put me through the ringer.
I honestly don’t know how I’m going to survive a second book. That ending was both expected and unexpected. Expected because during the battle with the hunduns, I kept thinking about Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and had to consider whether this corrupt and (occasionally) downright evil government was actually doing something good by attacking these creatures. But it was unexpected because I honestly wasn’t sure where it was going to go—especially with a hovercraft from “the gods” was involved. It was suspicious, but I was still too emotionally compromised to really figure out where this was heading.

Things I really liked:
-the relationships between Zetian and her triangle/the throuple (it worked both privately as an intimate relationship and publicly as a political and social power)

-how much of a badass Zetian is. Her growth and discovery of her power is amazing

-shimin’s recovery because he was abused so badly and worked so hard (I could cry)

-the exploration and creativity of the qi and spirit power, the creation of an interesting magical and mechanical force that plays with Chinese beliefs and history

-the author. I just love their whole vibe



Things I struggled with:

-the massive and wide scale abuse of women (just hard to read)

-some of the fight scenes where I’d think I understood what was happening and then something would happen an did have no idea what was going on. It only happened a few times but it happened.

THIS BOOK!!!!!

Perseverance in the face of adversity. Zetian is truly an amazingly ruthless character that is strong and it was something that I honestly haven't really seen such a refreshing take on in a long time. I loved reading about the Chinese history perspective being a huge history/sci fi nerd myself it is something that was lacking in the industry for a long time so it is refreshing to see a book about it succeed.

The polyam take was certainly interesting as well because I would not have expected it in YA (we love genre defiance and trying new things)!! and I did appreciate the diversity within the book. The plot had me gripped and honestly it did not take that long for me to get into.

I’m so glad this book did so well! It deserved it so much! The characters, the worldbuilding, everything- amazing!
No words.
I do not know how I was approved for an ARC of this ART.
I am trying to come close to the port Xiran was. Full review on socials!

Iron Widow is a fast-paced, action-packed dystopian science fiction novel. The characters are engaging and compelling. The world building is detailed and beautiful. Zhao is an author to watch out for. Highly recommended!

Iron Widow is something else, literally something else. The reading experience I had with this book was amazing. The world building, the characters had me hooked for the start and the way that Zhao blended Chinese history and mythology with so many futuristic elements is insane!

There is no doubt that Iron widow is very much an action packed feminist sci-fi dystopian where Zhao points out many of the horrors about the world and how it changes the people who live in it. Zhao pushes the fact that ‘heroes’ aren’t all perfect, or pure and noble. They are also fighting for justice and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, they want the best for their lives and those around them as much as any "clean" hero would, they want justice, vengeance and nothing will stop them.

I really did enjoy this book a lot, it has so much potential and I can not wait for the sequel so we can see where things go.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the e-arc

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an e-ARC of the book in exchange for a review.

I'm sorry but I simply cannot finish this book at this time. Its just one that I could not get into.

I apologize but I simply cannot finish this book at this time. It is due to the news of the day and having a lot more on my plate than I originally thought. I will happily read whatever else the author publishes.

I absolutely enjoyed reading Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao! This book is about our strong female lead, Zetian, as she commits to a journey of revenge against the patriarchal society that killed her sister. This is a novel that contains a female lead that will do anything to further her own power and will not stand behind anyone, especially a man. Her journey from start to end is one to be reckoned with and there is a lot of self realization and self growth and power throughout the novel. I really enjoyed reading through the perspective of the strong female lead.
The polyamorous relationship was masterfully intertwined with the plot and the story. Although it did take a little bit of a backseat to the main plot, I think that the relationship was really well done for a young adult novel. I was interested to learn more about polyamory through this novel.
Although I enjoyed reading this book, I think that the ending was a little bit rushed and there was a little information that readers learn at the end that could have been excluded from the book because I think that it did not contribute to much for the plot or the character development. It could have been a second book reveal.
All in all, it was a great book

September 21st 2021
Thank you Penguin Random House Canada, Penguin Teen Canada & Netgalley for the eARC to read and review!

Smashing the patriarchy? Sign me up.

This isn't a book I would typically pick-up on my own. But a close friend told me I had to read it and I am so glad she did!

Zeitan is a fierce female lead who doesn't shy away fighting for what she believes in. It's a great message to send to younger readers. The book also prioritizes representation, showing love and gender as a spectrum and non-binary and creating a space where different types of romance are demonstrated.

I haven't been a regular fantasy reader recently, so I did struggle to keep track of everything going on at points. and definitely want more info on the war and aliens.

I was not able to get in to the storyline of this one. If in the future I attempt to read this again I will update my feedback!

This book is so over the top extra and I freaking loved it. The action was like watching a movie, the characters each had a fleshed-out backstory and arc, and there was a romance that I actually enjoyed (poly relationships are the only love triangle I will accept). I’ll definitely be continuing this series.

'Iron Widow' is a fun, fast-paced read. I loved every aspect of it and couldn't recommend it more. Zetian is a badass, strong lead, and a well-written character. The world and the setting are also rich and fun to read. I am so ready for the next book.

Iron Widow is one of the better books I've read this year. A little bit lackluster but I still loved it, the relationship is everything, and the plot was excellent. highly recommended if you like sci-fi fantasy

I NEED A SEQUEL STAT!!! Y’all!!! That ending!!! 🤯🤯🤯 I am shooketh. This book is so badass. Zetian is so damn badass. This is the feminist sci-fi dystopia I wanted and so much more. I was worried this book might be a little too sci-fi for me - mechas and aliens are not my usual cup of tea. But holy crap. I think Iron Widow is going to be my favorite read this year. Zeitan, Shimin, and Yizhi are all such amazing characters. The world building was amazing, fantastical yet uncomfortably realistic at the same time. And it’s just dark enough - Zhao pulls few punches about the horrors of the world and how it changes the people who live in it. Maybe my favorite thing about this book is that the ‘heroes’ aren’t clean, pure and noble. They are fighters and they aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. They want justice and they want vengeance and they’ll do whatever it takes to get it. I think after this one book I’ll read anything and everything that Xiran Jay Zhao writes.

The world-building in Iron Widow had me hooked from page one. The way Xiran Jay Zhao manages to weave together Chinese history and mythology with futuristic elements is incredible! Huaxia is brimming with life and I immediately had a billion questions. It is also a deeply disturbing world in many ways. The society is patriarchal and incredibly misogynistic, and there are strong themes of settler colonialism as well. Zetian sees and despises all those aspects of her world. But as a reader, it was incredibly hard not to get caught up in the shiny futuristic fun of it all.

I constantly had to check my perception to not be fooled by the exciting veneer of pilots and mechas that hides a much darker truth. This dichotomy of intriguing world-building hiding a more complex and disturbing truth is one of the biggest strengths of Iron Widow.

I adore Zetian. She’s fierce and ruthless and funny. In her world, she truly is not like other girls. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t play with that trope as much as I hoped. The other concubines we meet are reduced to girly-girl stereotypes and Zetian has no patience for any of them. I feel like those interactions and characterizations had a lot of potential for a more feminist narrative than we ultimately ended up getting. Even though Zetian is very much a lone wolf kind of character, I feel like her uniqueness could’ve been shown without needing to put traditional feminity down as much. This led to me honestly just getting a little tired of Zetian as a character by the end of the book.

While the first half of Iron Widow had me hooked and eager to continue, the book lost me somewhere along the way. Unfortunately, I found myself struggling to follow the plot and at times I had zero emotional investment in what was happening. Part of that is because it felt that Iron Widow (and Zetian, for that matter) was trying to do a little too much. The world-building provides numerous threads to follow. However, the author wasn’t quite able to weave them together in a satisfying and engaging way.

The writing is quick and witty and not held down by too much flowery language. However, at times I felt a stark disconnect between the fantastical aspects of the story and the very modern language used, particularly in dialogue.

Iron Widow was an enjoyable read in the first half but ended up being a little disappointing for me. It didn’t deliver what I hoped for! Despite loving the characters (and our little polyamorous love triangle!) in the first half, finishing this book was a slog and I’m disappointed I didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to.

Is there anything I can even say that hasn't been said better by other readers and reviewers? I don't know, but I will try.

This book is risky in the sense that it is unapologetic. It is unapologetic about its rage, its indignance, and its desire for revenge. At the risk of sounding like a conservative, now is a time fraught with the potential to be judged, mocked, and doxxed if you dare to voice an opinion that is even slightly aberrant from the norms of online society. In this context, Iron Widow, a book about female rage and revenge starring queer, feminist, polyamorous characters, one that doesn't pander even the slightest towards soothing the anxieties of men, white people, or any other majority not being represented favourably in this book, is groundbreaking to me. And you can disagree - I've seen less flattering reviews that point out valid things about the book - but for me, the sheer nerve of Iron Widow is its biggest strength, and for that alone, for the indulgent revenge scenes, the ruthlessness of the main character and her unwillingness to compromise her opinions, that is what sets it apart.

Get in, we’re taking down the patriarchy.

Wu Zetian takes on men and machines and doesn’t care what happens, which makes her a good character. She’ll do whatever it takes to get it, making her a very powerful force compared to other YA female leads. And the cover has Zetian posed like a Yugioh character, which is kind of cool.
Based on the Handmaidens Tale, Pacific Rim, it has Chinese inspiration (Zetian being based on a real empress), feminism, and a polyamorous relationship, all of which I looked forward to.
But. While there is a polyamorous relationship between Zetian and two other men (not found much in other stories), the characters themselves don’t seem like they’re meant to be in a relationship with the others and their interactions feel forced and rushed.
The worldbuilding isn’t very detailed, more as if we’re thrown into the story without knowing the background. Little of the world they live in and the empire is explored and explained, and it’s difficult to connect to a story if i don’t know the world it takes place in. It’s hard to know why they’re fighting the aliens, and the ending that’s supposed to explain it makes it more confusing because of the little worldbuilding there is.
While it seems that the pilots she’s paired up with seem to be what the darker side of the story is focused on, it’s more of her binded feet and their graphic description that do it.

Iron Widow has both good and not so good points, but it has a nice plot line overall.

Thank you to Penguin Teen Canada for sending an ARC of Iron Widow to review - all opinions are my own.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4065625748

Quick Premise: In Huaxia, girls must pair up with boys to pilot Chrysalises, giant transformers used to battle and defend Huaxia from alien invasions. The catch is that these concubine-pilots often die from the mental strain. Aching for revenge after her sister dies in this way, Wu Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot with a singular objective: assassinate the pilot responsible for her sister’s death.

This book had a lot of potential to be one I loved, but it ultimately fell flat in every possible area.

I've put off writing this review for so long due to the amount I loathed my experience of reading this book. Xiran Jay Zhao’s prose is sloppy. The writing is choppy and underdeveloped.

Zetian’s initial motivation of avenging her sister’s death is not given enough background to feel like a major part of the story. Things were constantly being told to the reader.

One of Iron Widow's biggest flaws was the worldbuilding. The world was so underdeveloped, but the reader is expected to go along with the action even though the world isn’t explained. They use robots to fight aliens in an ongoing war but this major conflict is never expanded upon. The politics of the world isn’t explained either.

In addition, Zetian as a femininist didn’t work for me. Her world is deeply misogynistic, but it is never explained how Zetian became an outspoken feminist in her society. Her character development in the book is poor and her backstory is even poorer. In addition, she doesn’t have a single positive female relationship in the book. Despite the other women in the book only having negative on-page appearances, it’s clear the author wants you to root for Zetian. Her beliefs actively go against the way she treats and perceives the other women. Her motivation seems to be to correct misogynistic systems, but instead, she tears down other women and consolidates power for herself (and herself only).

I must point out again that things were told to the reader, and the reader was expected to take it at face value without asking the “why” behind the information. The plot is messy, underdeveloped, and predictable.

While I applaud the presence of a poly romance within the book, the romance was also underdeveloped. Them getting together feels abrupt, and it didn’t feel like the characters had formed an emotional bond.

I think this book, with a lot of editing to the prose and more thought going into Zetian’s feminism, could have thrived as an adult sci-fi novel with multiple POVs. This gives more development on the romance, as well as developing the love interests to an immeasurable degree. It gives insight on all the politics and societal systems that didn’t make sense in the book.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this more than I expected.

I will update the review with the link to on our blog as soon as I can.

I'd like to thank the publisher Penguin Random House Canada, Penguin Teen Canada and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fantastic debut filled with Chinese history and action. Loved the retelling of Wu Zetian and the unorthodox romance aspect. I had some issues with the story but overall it is a solid book that definitely worth the read.