Title: Iron Widow
Author: Xiran Jay Zhao
Publisher: Penguin Teen
Publication date: September 21, 2021
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Summary
In Huaxia, boys dream of matching with girls in order to pilot Chrysalises, which are giant robots used to fight aliens coming over the Great Wall. What brings glory to the boys, however, costs many girls their lives. All in the name of the fight.
Zetian offers herself up as a pilot with one goal in mind: to kill the boy who murdered her sister. Once she’s there, she does the unthinkable. Kills the boy through their psychic link, earning Zetian the title of Iron Widow. A female pilot who can sacrifice boys to pilot Chrysalises. So, she’s paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest pilot in Huaxia. She uses her new power to learn more about the pilot system–and to fight for the rights of all the girls.
Review: Iron Widow
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for an advanced copy of this to review! This was one of my most anticipated fall releases, and I am so glad to say that it lived up to the hype. I absolutely loved this book, and can’t wait until my physical copy arrives in the mail!
Right from the beginning, Zhao isn’t afraid to shy away from difficult topics. A lot of the points that Zetian makes about feminism and the way society treats girls can apply to our society as well. Zhao also drew on a lot of Chinese history for this book; you can tell in the world building and all the small details that she includes. I was fascinated by this world, with the mix of technology and history.
And the characters! Zetian doesn’t take no for an answer, and is willing to do what it takes to bring equality to the world. Also there’s a polyamorous relationship! Instead of having a love triangle, basically they all fall in love with each other. It feels so natural in the way this world is built, and each of the characters brings something different to the relationship. Wu Zetian, Li Shimin, and Gao Yizhi have great chemistry, and I want to see more from all three of them in the future!
There are so many layers to this story, and it’s one that I can’t wait to dive into again. I’m sure there are things I missed the first time around, and will definitely have to catch them in a second read!
5/5 stars
[…] killing her pilot instead, making her a legendary Iron Widow. And ready to dismantle the world. I reviewed this book last week and it’s one of my new favorites! Zetian and Katniss would definitely […]