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Iron Widow

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Bloodthirsty and tender, full of power and powerlessness, I could hear Wu Zetian roaring her vengeance call long after I finished this thrilling sci-fi masterpiece.

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This is an EXCELLENT debut novel. Giant mech warriors! Futuristic fiction grounded in Chinese history! A young woman choosing revenge against a society that destroyed her sister!

What I adored: where a lot of novels would chicken out, Xiran Jay Zhao NEVER shies away from her character taking revenge on patriarchal monsters. Zetian doesn’t performatively fret about it afterwards. It’s an intense breath of air! 🔥

“You’ve been living a dream for long enough! Welcome to your nightmare!”

PART ONE: Excellent. 10/10.

PART TWO: Surprising!! 9/10

PART THREE: 10/10! The love triangle in this is so… (spicy? free?) better than any of the ones I grew up with. These characters are on the brink of death 24/7 why should they feel shame or choose to limit themselves? It’s nice!

PART FOUR: I am not going to spoil anything. What an ending!!!!!

Much like the mechs themselves, this book becomes more powerful and beautiful with every new layer of pressure, pain, and intensity. I RECOMMEND YOU PRE-ORDER THIS IF: you want to follow a main character living longer than they ever expected, and using the borrowed time to fearlessly test the limits of the broken world around them.

Content warning: there are Neon Genesis Evangelion levels of body horror & trauma! Just a heads up!

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This book has quickly made its way to the top of my favorite books of 2021. I could feel her rage through the page while I cheered her on as she destroyed everything in her path. I am recommending it to everyone I talk to at this point. I cannot wait for the sequel.

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A big thanks to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. I pretty much devoured this one. This book was unapologetically fierce and never ceased to deliver excitement.

I find the description of Pacific Rim meets A Handmaid’s Tale to be particularly accurate; Zetian, an 18-year old girl, is sold by her own family into the government’s concubine-pilot program—A program which exploits girls as a battery to power mecha-suits. Though her story begins as very bleak, she is quick to take hold of her own destiny in ways you wouldn’t imagine.

A combination of riveting characters, engaging storytelling, cultural elements, and fascinating tech made this a very unique read. You’re constantly on your feet with a new thrill at every turn. Thumbs up to the author!

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It was an amazing read. Very fast paced, I read it in one sitting. I already ordered some copy for the store and can’t wait to promote it.

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This book deserves its hype. There's talk of misogyny and has Chinese rep. It's a great young adult book. I believe this is a debut novel and I'm excited for book two!

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Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for this eARC of Iron Widow, it will not affect my opinion/ratings.

Synopsis: In Huaxia, men who pilot the mechas (Chrysalises) always pair with women concubine pilots to fight in their wars. This is a pairing that works well if you ignore the fact that the women often die from the mental strain of the fight. Zetian enlists in the army with one goal: pair up with the general that killed her sister, and repay the favor. When she proves to have uncontrollable strength, the army pairs her with a dangerous male pilot named Li Shimin, who proves to be much more mysterious than she could have imagined. As the war wages on and her political position gains controversy, Zetian will try to find a way to end the needless sacrificing of concubine pilots, and change the world.
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Thoughts: I’m not really sure what to say with this one, it just really didn’t work for me. The setting felt very confusing, the magical elements weren’t fleshed out well enough for me, and the characters also felt very one dimensional. I was not fond of the main character at all, she was a activist for women who hated every female she encountered in the book, and she spent most of the book actually being rescued by the men around her, which seemed counterintuitive for this being called a feminist book. Iron Widow honestly took a big step back for me as far as gender role discussions, which was super disappointing because in the pitch it just sounded so appealing. I actually got stressed out while reading thinking about trying to remember what all I would want to say about it. While I love and appreciate Zhao’s content, this book didn’t work for me.

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In a world devastated by monsters, humanity must persist through the use of giant mecha operating machines. Male pilots are treated like heroes, and their female pilots must serve as their concubines and often die quicker from the mental strain. Eighteen-year-old Wu Zetian volunteers to become a concubine in hopes of her avenging her sister’s murder, and she gets her wish. She kills him through the psychic link that should’ve killed her and emerged the victor. As the military becomes unnerved by her abilities, she is immediately paired with Li Shimin, a convicted murderer and the most vital male pilot in Huaxia, whose female pilots never survive a battle. Zetian refuses to count her days and uses this new position to leverage her survival and figure out why the system fails the girls before it can take any more of them away.

Any book that is inspired by Pacific Rim will always immediately capture my attention. Throw in a sci-fi world inspired by Chinese history and a love triangle that ends in a satisfying polyamorous relationship? I wasn’t even halfway through the book when I decided that Iron Widow would be epic, and Zhao does not disappoint.

What I loved the most about Iron Widow was the immense amount of passion you could feel resonating off the page. It was so much fun reading about Zetian as she grows from being a village girl to one of the most influential people in Huaxia. Revenge plots are usually a hit or miss with me, but Zetian takes it out of the ballpark. She is fueled by revenge for her elder sister, who died at the hands of one of Huaxia’s best male pilots, but her anger doesn’t stop there. Once the pilot is dead, she turns her wrath to the military of Huaxia, the ones who declared that girls were weaker than boys, their energy simply not strong enough to survive when in battle. It’s bullshit, and Zetian knows it; she’s been through too much to be told she is worth nothing and risks everything to prove she is everything.

The mechanism behind the mecha machines can be a little confusing, but Zhao’s writing is straight to the point. No messing about, and their writing abilities just illuminate the world. Personally, I would’ve loved more world-building detail but what we have is impressive and, simply put, a lot of great fun!

The characters are where Zhao and their writing really shines for me. Zetian is one big ball of anger, and justifiably so. Her anger might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I lived for it. She is unwavering in her stance, refuses to take no and the status quo as the answer to everything. From her family to the higher-up of Huaxia, she will prove to them all that their misogyny will be their downfall while she plans to re-write history for everyone the world has abandoned. Shimin was a character who grew on me. The best character comparison I could give is Altan from The Poppy War. A boy raised to be a weapon and so entirely misunderstood by everyone around him. Yizhi seems like the typical first love interest, the one who knew the protagonist first, but he’s brilliant. He uses his wealth and influence to help Zetian and Shimin navigate the upper-class societies who lean onto the pilots are a source of entertainment while they risk their lives. Polyamorous relationships are not common in Young Adult, and Zhao did a great job with their relationship. The story is very heavily invested in its remarkable fight scenes, but I would’ve loved to have seen the trio interact a lot more on the page. Knowing that the first draft of this was more Adult orientated, I can’t help but feel it’s also the one who got away. Zhao teased some pages on Twitter, and I’ve never been so jealous of anyone who got to read that early version. 😂

Nonetheless, Iron Widow was action-packed and tremendous to read. The epilogue teases an even more dangerous journey as Zetian discovers the danger isn’t just the people at the top. Pitched as Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s Tale, Zetain’s story is about a girl who is driven by revenge and her journey to offset her patriarchal society leads to an even more significant threat that pushes her to the limit.

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thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review

this was wonderful! sometimes it takes a while for fantasy books to grab my attention but i was fully immersed by the third chapter. i am very excited to see where the story goes in book two. the ending had me at the edge of my seat and now im desperate for the sequel which is exactly how i want to feel after finishing a book within a series.

i would die for zetian, shimin, and yizhi and i LOVE that this book didnt contain a traditional love triangle. i am tired of the love triangle and i think all of them should end in a poly relationship like in iron widow. i hope that we will eventually be able to read the boys’ pov (but that doesn’t mean i dont love zetian as a narrator) i love each point of the triangle for different reasons and im glad that the author flushed out their characters enough for me to be able to say that!

just go preorder it!!

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I'm not usually the biggest fan of Sci-fi or historical fiction but I saw the authors post on TikTok about the poly rep in the book and decided to give it a shot. And let me say, it was absolutely worth it.

The relationship in this was everything to me. It wasn't the main focus, but the attention to building a strong bond between the three characters was so well done. I haven't seen many poly relationships in books, but this one was represented in a very respectful manner. There was never any competition with anyone, and the communication and intention between everyone was clear. This was the main reason I decided to pick up the book and it did not disappoint.

I loved the writing in this novel. It was clear and easy to understand, especially for someone like me who doesn't read much Sci-fi. I especially enjoyed this in the world building and how it managed to mesh Chinese history and these futuristic elements together. The world building in this book was immaculate. The pacing was perfect for this story, giving the right amount of time to see the characters develop and learn about them whilst also managing to keep the main plot clear and concise.

This is described as a feminist story, and rightly so. The main character, Zetian, is faced with the societal and familial obligations set by the patriarchy, especially in the beginning, but it spans throughout the novel. Instead, she decides to take none of that shit and do what needs to be done. All of this was so well connected with the historical aspects of the story. It used aspects of Chinese history, incorporating this misogyny and the fight against it within the Sci-fi elements of the story as well.

I hadn't realised that this was a series, but I'm so excited for the sequel, even though this one isn't even out yet.

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Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada and the author for this free, digital advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
is a post-war dystopian fantasy marvel! I loved this book!

“Nobody in this world hates women in general. They just hate the ones who won’t listen. Who think they can break the rules and get away with it. “

Zetian is the second born daughter in a family that thinks a girl’s purpose is to benefit her family, even if that results in her death. Set on avenging her older sister’s death she enlists to be a pilot with the goal of assassinating the man who killed her sister. All while being linked to a male who will use her qi to add strength to his own power while piloting Chrysalises, giant transforming robots in a war beyond the Great Wall. A job that puts her at risk of certain death.

In a dystopian world where girls lives are dispensable and males are dominant , Zetian shows the male pilots and the leaders that girls are not to be underestimated. Macha, aliens, romance and a powerful female heroine make this book a must read! In this powerful book about crushing the patriarchy, Xiran Jay Zhao addresses the history of the gongdou traditions. This is a powerful book that addresses misogyny and oppression with a strong LQBTQIA+ love triangle. I honestly can not express how much I enjoyed this book

Fans of The Hunger Games and Girls of Paper and Fire will enjoy this book.

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Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As this has a science fiction element, I wasn’t sure how much I’d like it, but decided to give it a shot anyway and I’m glad I did.

Iron Widow is a blazing example of female rage and the examination of misogyny within a young adult fantasy/science-fiction novel. Before explaining the events of the novel, it’s important to understand the premise of the world: giant mech suits that require a man and woman to pilot, where the woman acts like a battery until she dies. They must use these suits to battle invading creatures and this is just accepted within the society.
Specifically, Iron Widow follows Wu Zetian, a girl whose older sister had been killed after becoming a concubine pilot, who swears vengeance against the pilot who killed her and offers herself up as a concubine pilot to be able to kill him. But when she’s selected and becomes a concubine, she ends up killing the pilot with the psychic link and becomes known as the Iron Widow. Since pilots are a sort of celebrity, the government can’t kill or properly imprison her, so they must use her and pair her with another prisoner pilot in an attempt to keep her in check.
After this pairing, Zetian has to find her place with her new partner and is properly sucked into the world of piloting, and stardom, and the never ending war the pilots fight in, all of it a lot more than it seems.

I read this book in a single night and my first thought was I absolutely LOVED how unhinged Zetian is. She wants vengeance at any costs, she gets it, she’s brutal and ruthless and unapologetic and straightforward. Very much a morally gray or villain protagonist. She is critical and where we see her dissection of the rampant misogyny within her society. I think this is where the book shined brightest. However, I will note that due to complete lack of important female characters or friendships, there were a few “not like the other girls” vibes/moments. Ultimately I could overlook it since I loved her but I wish there were more women in this book (more specifically women with who she has positive relationships with)

I also enjoyed the romances… yes, you read that right. Plural. Poly triad! One interest felt a little more compelling and genuine than the other love interest, but I enjoyed both.

Representation was great: all non-white characters (think Chinese and Mongolian people in fantasy setting) polyamory, and the three are bisexual. Zetian is also disabled (her feet are bound and makes it extremely hard and painful for her to walk)

While the system of the mech suits and energy used were well done, I think the world-building itself was a bit lacking. Again, this can be remedied in future books.

So many moments in this had me gasping “wtf!” or giggling in delight. I couldn’t put it down. It wasn’t perfect, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly look forward to where the series goes in the future. But given the tendency for any book series with a villainess main character is having them die at the end, I’m a little nervous, not gonna lie. Please don’t do that to us, kind author.

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This book is phenomenal. I had so many expectations going into Iron Widow, and it's safe to say that Xiran Jay Zhao knocked them all out of the park.
Effortlessly balancing a commentary on gender roles and sexism in cultures while developing a world that's intricate and engaging, Iron Widow is a truly remarkable book--one that is already a favorite of mine. I love stories that explore what it means to be a teenager figuring yourself out, while also having to deal with a world that's fighting against you, and I think that Zhao handled it wonderfully. The writing was fresh and modern--a result of its taking place in the future--but maintained the aura of Ancient Chinese civilization. I loved all three of the protagonists, and their chemistry with each other was unmistakable. I enjoyed the polyamorous relationship between them, and how their love triangle wasn't reduced to two men fighting over a single girl. But what really makes this book memorable is Wu Zetian. Zetian's agency is her own. She's never doing anything because people tell her to, she's doing it because that's what she wants to do. And in stories like this, it's important to have characters who show you that while the institution is horrendous, not everyone is going to ignore the problems it exerts onto society.
All in all, Iron Widow was thoroughly enjoyable and I look forward to reading more by Xiran Jay Zhao in the future.

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Iron Widow was such a fascinating read! With a strong main character, Zetian, and an incredible depiction of Chinese history. It was truly inspiring to read Chinese culture in fiction as a Chinese reader! The themes of feminism had also contributed to my enjoyment of the book . Overall, Iron Widow is definitely a book I would recommend to other readers!

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How do I begin to put all my thoughts into this book? Iron Widow was written phenomenally with outstanding world building and heart breaking conflicts. Every chapter had a significant purpose and the pacing was nice and fast, I was fully immersed in the journey I didn't want to look away or leave the would Xiran built and submerged me into. ​

​This is a feminist novel that everyone needs to read, its a stop the patriarchy kick misogyny right where it hurts and we aren't taking no for an answer kind of book. It also shows how some men are shoved into roles they don't willingly want to take on and how it affects them and everyone around them. I love how Xiran takes the major issues and mixes it with this phenomenal world she built.

Zetian, Shimin, and Yizhi are the Poly Relationship we all need in our lives, i loved their dynamic with them and how they each had a special connection with one another. I'll be honest this was the major thing that made me want to read this book, I didn't have to pick sides because both of these men won my heart over and I understand how Zetian couldn't let either of them go. The relationship they all share is so raw and beautiful, I really couldn't help but get invested into their story and fall in love with them.

The Plot was so engaging and every aspect of the storytelling process Xiran hit out of the park, i think my favorite parts were the climax and the ending. Those last ten chapters had my head spinning, in a good way. my heart was wrenching, engage nail biting suspense, mind blowing reveals. everything was just mind blowing.

Iron Widow, is the book we all need to read in September.

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I enjoyed this book. The pacing was excellent and the characters were well developed. I would definitely seek out other works by this author in the future.

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Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
To avenge her Big Sister’s death, Wu Zetain volunteers herself as a concubine-pilot. When her original plan takes a turn; she improvises; leading her to come out with a stronger, deadly power level. To tame her; her people’s army has paired her up with the strongest and most controversial male pilot. Emotions will run high, the right cards will have to be made to achieve power. Zetain is now the Iron Widow and she wants more power; she also wants to know why the system works against girls the way it does. Will Zetain’s digging lead to something bigger?
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Warning: Topics of violence, abuse, suicide, sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and torture.
This book was on a whole new level for me! Xiran Jay Zhao has really really raised the bar for the book community. There have been comparisons of this with a combination of the movie Pacific Rim 2018 and the book The Handmaiden’s Tale. I honestly believe that it was spot on. Zhao also goes into the aspects of why they created Iron Widow; it is so inspiring and so powerful! I really loved that they took the idea of a real historical powerful woman and put her into a next level, sci-fi fantasy book!
Xiran Zhao is absolutely amazing with their wording and putting great details into all the scenes and the characters. Even when Zhao goes over the characters' flashbacks or their emotions; there is no need to imagine with these because Zhao gives such great detailing. Through so many details, even in a fantasy book, Zhao really brought to light the reality of what a nightmare it is for a female concubine.
The main character, Wu Zetain, is an absolute badass. I love the powerful energy and just “don’t try me” attitude. Then the fact that no one saw her coming out of her small village; no one expects the woman. I love these types of books; where the woman just takes control and it just stuns everyone. Also the awesome fact that she can totally kick anyone's ass now after some training and she has learned how to play the political game. She is totally not dumb and it’s so cool to just watch the madness unfold.
The romance in this book is addicting and I kept wanting more. I thought of this as a love triangle, don’t quote me on this. I don’t normally like them; but this! This was amazing! Every expression that was put into the romance and even into possible PTSD events. Feelings are so important in this book.
Xiran Jay Zhao really took this book to the next level and I can’t wait for the next book to come out for this series; if they plans on more of this storyline. I am absolutely honored that I was approved for this ARC. Thank you so much Xiran Jay Zhao and Penguin Random House Canada .

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So…this was an interesting book. I am unfamiliar with Oriental (specifically Chinese) literature and themes, so I am certain I did not fully grasp everything the author illustrated in “Iron Widow.” That did not prevent this from being a good story well told.

Author Xiran Jay Zhao has an agenda with this book. Her protagonist rails against patriarchal societies - and rightly so - who subjugate women to narrowly defined, sacrificial roles. She also challenges gender conformity, rejects authority, and refuses to accept perceived helplessness. This is a strong character.

What I liked best about this book is that the protagonist learns and grows. She is just as guilty of bias and prejudice as those she despises, yet she seems to be perched on a moral high ground. Fortunately she doesn’t stay there, growing as new information shatters her preconceptions. This is a good thing. It allows the story to grow along with our hero into an almost legendary tale.

My only gripe was the heavy-handed way that the author delivered the message. Even that gripe is minor because, sometimes, a shout is the only thing that can be heard. Otherwise this was one of the best books I’ve read this year.

My rating is four and a half stars. I look forward to other books by Xiran Jay Zhao.

My thanks to Netgalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Rating: 4.25 or 4.5

Overall: This book had me hooked from page one and was a wild ride the entire way through. The chrysalis-concept is incredible and really well fleshed out, I will now read any book or watch any movie that (1) is by Xiran Jay Zhao and (2) uses this tech.

The Pros: Engaging and vibrant world building, stellar cast of characters, super interesting concept and follow through. Zetian's character arc was thrilling to watch and I look forward to the next chapter!

The Cons: Dialogue felt a (teeny) bit corny or convenient from time to time and there was SO MUCH happening that I felt some of the relationships between characters seemed to develop very quickly with not a whole lot in the middle

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Screamed when I saw I got approved for this arc. Screamed again when I saw it on my kindle. Screamed for the three hours it took me to absolutely devour this book.

Iron Widow is the YA sci-fi of my dreams. Needless to say, anything with mecha is an insta-read for me (NGE's grip on me has never faltered), but I genuinely didn't think I'd enjoy this as much as I did - there are certain genres in certain age categories that usually are more miss than hit for me, and YA sci-fi happens to one of them but, uh, Xiran Jay Zhao is a master at their craft.

Let me get into the one "negative" that really jumped out at me, that's not particularly a negative at all: the poly relationship does end up feeling like both boys are closer to Zetian than each other (meaning they read more like insta-love than their separate connections with her, though the three of them coming together is still strong), but I recognize that leaving that tight, first-person single POV would have not been as narratively satisfying (it is, above all, Zetian's story). Oh, another not-really-a-negative, most of the twists were easily predictable, but I could not tell u for the life of me if they were just set up really well or if they were lukewarm reveals because, honestly, the rest of the novel is so good it makes you blank on things like that.

OKAY NOW TO GUSH ABOUT THAT VERY RELATIONSHIP. The poly rep was a big reason I wanted to read this so badly, and I'm so glad I did. I really did not expect either of the love interests, and I utterly adore both of them alllmost as much as I adore Zetian. Seriously, the character work with these three is incredible, and watching their little triangle develop was so fun. I don't think I've had this much fun with a YA couple in so long.

The complicated relationships between women this book explores is excellent. Its takes on gender and how it affects every aspect of society, often in ridiculous, made-up ways that are only that way suit patriarchal demands, were so fresh to me. None of the women here are one-dimensional, and, wow, that exploration of trust & betrayal & helplessness in grandmother-mother-daughter relationships? Hahaha. There was a line in this that nearly made me stop because it was just too real.

What I'm saying is, this is a debut that excels in nearly every level - worldbuilding, character, pacing, plot. I can't wait for my preorder to get here so I can read it AGAIN, and I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL I NEED IT NOW PLEASE.

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