Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Iron Widow

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Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

416 reviews

bisexualbookshelf's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao is a fierce, unapologetic masterpiece that blends science fiction, Chinese history, and feminist rebellion into a searing tale of vengeance and liberation. In a world where girls are sacrificed to power giant war machines, Wu Zetian, the novel's protagonist, stands as a force of unflinching defiance, determined to dismantle the patriarchal society that seeks to destroy her. Zhao’s direct, sharp prose brings Zetian’s rage to life, grounding her personal quest for revenge in a larger critique of the oppressive systems that devalue and discard women.

Zetian’s journey begins with a personal vendetta—the murder of her sister by a male pilot—but quickly transforms into a mission to tear down the very system that treats girls as expendable. When Zetian kills the man responsible for her sister’s death, she earns the title of "Iron Widow," a rare and feared female pilot capable of sacrificing men to power the war machines known as Chrysalises. Her defiance becomes a symbol of feminist resistance, challenging not just the men who uphold the system but also the women who enable it. Inspired by the real-life Chinese Empress Wu Zetian, Zhao’s heroine is a force of nature, her journey fueled by fury and a hunger for liberation.

The world-building in Iron Widow is nothing short of ambitious. Zhao draws on Chinese history and mythology, creating a richly imagined society that blends futuristic technology with ancient traditions. The concept of girls being sacrificed to power mechas feels both chillingly futuristic and deeply rooted in historical patriarchal violence, making the novel’s feminist themes all the more potent. Zetian’s rebellion isn’t just personal—it’s a full-scale war against the systems that have oppressed women for generations.

Zetian’s relationships with co-pilots Li Shimin and Yizhi add another layer of complexity to the story. Their triad challenges traditional ideas of romance and loyalty, exploring themes of polyamory, interdependence, and bisexuality in subtle but powerful ways. The emotional depth of their bond, especially as they navigate a brutal world together, underscores the novel’s exploration of non-traditional relationship structures and challenges gender norms with nuance and care.

At its core, Iron Widow is a defiant rejection of societal expectations. Zhao doesn’t shy away from heavy themes, tackling patriarchal violence, gender roles, and systemic oppression head-on. While the novel’s feminist critique is often intense and at times heavy-handed, this only reinforces the urgency of its message. Zetian’s rage, her refusal to bow to the world’s demands, and her unrelenting pursuit of justice make Iron Widow a powerful, exhilarating read.

For anyone seeking a story of rebellion, resistance, and the reclamation of power, Iron Widow is a must-read. Zhao’s fierce writing, bold themes, and unforgettable characters make this novel an electrifying entry into the science fiction canon. I can’t wait to see where Zetian’s journey takes her next.

📖 Recommended For: Fans of feminist rebellion and fierce heroines, readers who enjoy stories blending science fiction with historical influences, those interested in themes of dismantling patriarchy and non-traditional relationships, and anyone who loves unapologetically powerful characters like in The Hunger Games or Chain-Gang All Stars.

🔑 Key Themes: Feminist Resistance, Patriarchal Violence, Reclamation of Power, Polyamory and Non-Traditional Relationships, Vengeance and Liberation, Chinese Mythology and History.

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ellius's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

HOLY FUCKING SHIT

Wow. I absolutely loved this. Never in my life have I had a reading experience like this. Never in my life have I had a book engage me so much that I’ve felt physically nauseous but in the BEST way. This is absolutely one of my new favourite books, and for good reason.

I fell in love with the world building immediately. It was absolutely impeccable and i thought it was a really informative and creative depiction of Chinese history and culture.

I 100% fell in love with the main characters. Their motivations were all so interesting but ESPECIALLY Zetians. She is truly one of the most fascinating characters I have EVER read about. Plus her being based on the only ever female empress of china is so fucking interesting and added a whole other level to this book.

And the society that this was set in was so raw that it was kinda hard to read at points but it was a really important discussion on misogyny that I have never seen done in such a powerful way before.

But that’s all I can really say without getting into spoilers.

All in all this was an incredible book and reading experience. It covered important topics in a serious way while still being a creative and lively story (with a really cute romance). My only complaints are that the ending wasn’t as engaging as I wanted and I thought that the final twist was really cliché seeing as I predicted it since the beginning, other than that, a truly stunning book.

9.7/10. Polygamy *rizz*

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sahayatee's review against another edition

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dark emotional inspiring tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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khymihr's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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findleydunn's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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ytzel_vr24's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This book is actually the wildest thing I’ve ever read in my life. It has a really interesting combination of characters who are right but also completely merciless and borderline villainous. Super fast paced, engaging, and thrilling, but occasionally the dialogue falls flat which is why it’s a 4.5 for me. Mostly a style preference. Otherwise, an excellent book.

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juan_adhd_reading's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Listen, I'm not gonna pretend that this book doesn't have its flaws, particularly regarding prose, dialogue, and world-building. Yeah, it can sometimes feel a bit underdeveloped or even juvenile (I think it could've benefited greatly from being written for adult audiences instead of YA). But at the end of the day I do NOT care, because this book was insanely fun!!! It's an action-packed revenge story that blurs the line between sci-fi and fantasy with magically controlled giant mecha suits fighting against aliens. It basically feels like reading anime. The protagonist, Wu Zetian, starts as a morally grey femme fatale type of character who plots to avenge the murder of her big sister, and throughout the story, we can see her descent into a fully unhinged tyrannical villain. I LOVED IT!!!

There is a plot twist at the very end of the book that completely redefines the events of the story, and some might feel like it came out of nowhere, but I believe there are some clues scattered throughout the book that actually foreshadow it. We know that the war is not what it seems, because the army has been lying about everything from the very beginning, from the accuracy of Spirit Pressure testing, to why women are always placed in the Yin seat instead of men.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story, even if it took me a little time to get into it. I CANNOT WAIT for the sequel!!!

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pipe_dream's review against another edition

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adventurous dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

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wildflower_magic's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This book had me in a chokehold. It is a feminisism ICON. I fell hard for these characters and their mission. The world building is beautifully done and in a way that maintains the flow of the story rather than reading like a text book. I love the magic/chi power/spirit metal system. The main character is a fierce, passionate woman who doesn't just break glass ceilings, she shatters the whole building. I was enthralled with her plans the whole time. The ending is living rent free in my head and I absolutely HAVE to read the second book.

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ruisquared's review against another edition

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adventurous tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

so to preface, i was quite excited to read this book - i've seen some of xiran's stuff online, and being chinese myself i was intrigued by this concept. that being said, i knew going into this that this book wasn't really for me. 'iron widow' is a blend of YA dystopia, fantasy and sci-fi, all genres that aren't particularly appealing to me. for the target audience i think this book fulfils everything it should - it's accessible for readers of every level, action-filled and fast pace.

my personal gripes can generally be put down to a matter of taste and not being part of the target demographic, but that being said i didn't particularly love this book. the pacing, for one; while fast and suited to the constant action and plot development, i couldn't help but feel that it gave very little in terms of worldbuilding or character development.

for the former, details of this futuristic world are given in exposition as the plot demands. while i much, much prefer this approach over that of lengthy infodumps, it gave the world of huaxia a very skewed, half-finished feeling. the anachronisms themselves didn't bother me so much as the lack of explanation surrounding them - if the qing dynasty practices of the mc's village can coexist with drones and tablets apparently issued by the government, how far does technology stretch in this world? if people are plagued by "media" then how far does the internet exist? if at all? and how do the village folk even know how to operate tablets??? is everyone born an innate ipad kid without needing any instructions or literacy??????

of course, being fair, this is sci-fi. i get why there isn't an explanation for any of this, as it certainly wouldn't benefit the plot or the pacing. but it would be nice to at least see a better thought out world, especially as the concept is so fascinating - a post-apocalyptic society with divinely granted futuristic technology could make for a much more vivid backdrop than the mishmash that is convenient for plot purposes in the story.

for the latter, i have to say that i found none of the characters particularly fleshed out. wu zetian is the worst culprit of this - after the prologue i was surprised that this book was told from first person POV, and as i carried on i felt that zetian's narration gave the reader scarcely anything in terms of showing her motivations or personality beyond "righteous fury badass". in the early half this was especially bad, so much that reading her thirst for vengeance felt like sasuke's essence distilled - why does she want to avenge her sister so badly??? the rest of her family is abusive and neglectful so was her sister any different????? if she was, WHY was it never shown??? never even alluded to?????

the writing also at points descends into the cringe (as much as i hate to use that word). the end of every chapter seems to have a sentence specifically written to become a quote, and because this novel is supposedly from zetian's perspective, is the reader meant to believe these are her thoughts???? even though i don't disagree with the sentiment, the execution comes across as heavy handed.

the other characters don't get off much better. yizhi is two-dimensional and shimin not much better, although at least his background is expanded upon. the romance, too, isn't really given enough time to develop organically, especially between yizhi and shimin. the lack of 'good' female characters apart from zetian also is disappointing for a story so centred around women in general, and although mention is made of girls and women just like zetian they are nowhere to be seen.

all in all, i think this book is good for what it sets out to be. a more developed world and more developed characters would slow down the breakneck pace of this book, making it less YA fiction, but even though i understand why it still seems like a shame.

(i wanted to make a dynasty warriors joke about the assortment of historical chinese figures, but couldn't figure out how to fit it in. so just imagine that i made one. thanks.)

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