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A review by barrettbooks
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Firstly, this is a very cool setting/premise. It's a futuristic world based on Chinese history. There are riffs on historic figures and events, cultural practices, and mythologies with a technological twist. And it has massive mechas! I don't always love a patriarchal system in a fantastical or sci fi world (like, you know you make the rules right?) However, this is a case where the oppression is central to the story, and is treated with the horror it deserves. I like how the narrative deals with both individuals and systems enforcing misogyny as the characters discover how deep the systems run. I also like that it addresses the lateral violence enacted by other women as they internalize the misogyny they are surrounded by and work to uphold the system. The interconnectedness of personal abuse (such as the violence Zetian's family has enacted on her and each other) with the systemic oppressions of patriarchy and poverty was well-explored.
I love the characters, particularly our protagonist Zetian. I just love an angry woman. Especially in a world where the intense patriarchy is a focal point, it's delightful to have a woman protagonist that is unrepentantly angry and vengeful. I love that Zetian's anger is never undermined. It is proved justified over and over. However, I also like that this is not her only feature, and even amid her rage at many people and systems that surround her, we get to watch her learn to trust individuals and be open and vulnerable with them.
I love the love interests as well. (Mild spoilers) I would like every love triangle to resolve in polyamory. Perfection. The growth of the relationships felt measured and realistic, and it was a satisfying part of the book for me while not always being the primary focus. It was lovely to have an emotional core I cared about in a book with such a wide scope in terms of plot. (Running out of space, but I enjoyed the pacing and main plot as well!)
So, in conclusion, I loved the plot, the world, the characters, the romance, and the themes i.e everything? Lived totally up to the hype for me. Going feral for the sequel! 🧡
I love the characters, particularly our protagonist Zetian. I just love an angry woman. Especially in a world where the intense patriarchy is a focal point, it's delightful to have a woman protagonist that is unrepentantly angry and vengeful. I love that Zetian's anger is never undermined. It is proved justified over and over. However, I also like that this is not her only feature, and even amid her rage at many people and systems that surround her, we get to watch her learn to trust individuals and be open and vulnerable with them.
I love the love interests as well. (Mild spoilers) I would like every love triangle to resolve in polyamory. Perfection. The growth of the relationships felt measured and realistic, and it was a satisfying part of the book for me while not always being the primary focus. It was lovely to have an emotional core I cared about in a book with such a wide scope in terms of plot. (Running out of space, but I enjoyed the pacing and main plot as well!)
So, in conclusion, I loved the plot, the world, the characters, the romance, and the themes i.e everything? Lived totally up to the hype for me. Going feral for the sequel! 🧡