A review by stillinbeta
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

adventurous challenging dark 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

5.0

This entire book reads like being juggled in a fighting game. It is absolutely unrelenting, both in its depiction of horrific events and its action sequences. It has the ludonarrative consonance that marks really great writing: our protaganist never gets a break, so we don't get one either. We're all dragged down the river, splitting our heads open on the rocks.

Good scifi is a mirror through which we can examine our society, and the symbolism here is so obvious it's basically just another text. The society depicted is, unequivocally, horrific. It's depicted in an unflinching style that almost dares you to look away. Nobody in the setting is obviously the "good guys," and everyone is utterly corrupted by the rotten society they've built. 

There's some cute moments too, a spoonful of sugar to help the extremely bitter medicine go down. And some really incredible action scenes. But if you're looking for something <i>light</i>, this isn't it. 
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