tl;dr a sci-fi reimagining of Chinese history (China's first female emperor) that blew my mind
Premise
The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn't matter that the girls often die from the mental strain.
When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.
To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.
Rating
100/5 stars
Review
by
Xiran Jay Zhao (Goodreads Author)
Caroline's reviewOct 05, 2021 · edit it was amazing bookshelves: favorites This. Book. Iron Widow absolutely blew my expectations out of the water and launched its way onto not only my list of sci-fi favorites, but my list of all-time favorites. Phenomenal. Iron Widow follows Zetian while she enlists in a mecha war, her goal being to kill the pilot responsible for her sister’s death. But when she kills him through their mind link, she is hailed as a feared Iron Widow (title plug lol). She’s then paired with the infamous and feared Li Shimin, the strongest pilot who might not be all that he seems. Zetian sets off on a journey to take back her agency, fight this sci-fi war, and most importantly, stop more girls like her and her sister from being sacrificed. The plot of this book gripped me from the very beginning. It has so much action and twists and turns, but the quieter moments also drew me in. There’s this whole mecha war going on, with the main characters operating robots taller than skyscrapers and manipulating supernatural forces. But I also really enjoyed the moments just between the characters, seeing their development, seeing their love for each other blossom. I need a whole section to talk about the characters. Zetian is an absolute bad bitch, morally grey excellence. There’s no one else in this series that I’d rather follow — seeing her go from her life in her village to wreaking havoc from a giant transformer was something else. I loved the grip she had on herself and the way she let no one stand in the way of what she wanted. Watching her develop & taking command while also letting some of her walls down was 10/10 I love. Shimin and Yizhi, the other two primary characters, balance each other out so well. They seem to be on opposites of the spectrum, but they’re so drawn to each other and fit with Zetian in different ways. Shimin, while appearing ruthless and intimidating, has a more vulnerable side. Yizhi, while being sweet and charming, can be cutthroat if he wants to. The three of them together channel such power — just seeing them all come together was my favorite thing. AND HELLO ROMANCE LIKE— I thought this was going to be a love triangle and Yizhi would fill the classic childhood best-friend role, but no. It’s even better than that. This is the first book I’ve read with polyam rep, and it was amazing to see such a healthy polyamorous relationship develop. THE THREE OF THEM JUST REALLY GET ME LIKE UGH IM SO ATTACHED PLEASE I NEED THEM ALL TO BE HAPPY. LIKE PLEASE IM DESPERATE. Pls see the following quote to convince you: “every time you choose to look at me, I know for certain that there’s a place for me in your heart” ok goodbye i hope you’re convinced The writing of Iron Widow was one of my favorite parts: it balanced so many emotions at once, crafting heart-wrenching moments on one side and making me laugh out loud on the other. Zetian has such a distinctive voice as a narrator that I didn’t expect: there’s a quirky or eccentric quality to it that really struck me in the beginning. There were so many one-liners that had me laughing to myself (all the characters are so funny and for what???), but I also wanted to tear out my hair and sob when learning about the hardships the main characters have had to go through. It’s a damn funny book, but also a heart-turning one. I really appreciated the societal commentaries that this book made: on gender roles, on power, on money/socioeconomic status, on family roles. While the plot was action-packed and engaging, the overarching themes tied the whole thing together. There’s a special part of my heart that gets extra happy seeing Zetian kicking ass — it’s books like these that solidify to me that main characters can look like me. The ending has me unhinged. Sequel right now. Please.
Other Info
First book in a series (sequel not out yet)
16+
CW: violence, abuse, suicide ideation, discussion/references to SA, alcohol addiction, torture
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Widow-Xiran-Jay-Zhao/dp/0735269939
Would I Recommend?
YES YES YES
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The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang (adult fantasy)
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan (adult fantasy)
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