I can't tell if Yizhi is trying to be the next Peeta or the next Kitay...

Heavenly Tyrant is the much-anticipated sequel to Iron Widow, and it definitely excelled at making me unreasonably angry. This installment to the series is quite a bit longer than book one, which is helpful in clarifying some worldbuilding from book one and developing the plot in a more in-depth style, but it also took away the character dynamics I enjoyed so much in book one, which - when combined with a slower plot - meant I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I did the first book.
Zetian is now the empress of Huaxia, but power comes with more than a crown...it requires a level of responsibility that she may not be equipped for. Revolution, political intrigue, and questions of when leadership stretches too far take the center stage in this book as Zetian must reluctantly work with Qin Zheng to ensure the stability of her nation while deciding what to do with the truth of its past. I enjoyed the social and political commentary of the novel (I picked out a few quotes below), but because the plot was so focused on political intrigue, I struggled to get through it at times. A lot of the sections felt less like scenes and more like montages of slow changes, which I guess is kind of the point, but it took away from my enjoyment of the story. I liked the ending and its implications, so I'm hoping this is a case of second-book syndrome and that the next book will bring back fast-pacing or more action to complement the political intrigue sections.
I think my biggest struggle was that Li Shimin and Yizhi weren't as involved with the plot as they were in the last book, and I didn't like Qin Zheng's dynamics with Zetian. Shimin is (understandably, if you've read book one) not present for most of the story, which is unfortunate because he's probably my favorite character. I had issues with Yizhi in the last book, but now his complexity intrigues me, and in the wake of Shimin's absence, he's a contender for favorite character. I really like Zetian as a protagonist; she's strong and stubborn, but not usually in a way that's annoying or too unrealistic. I enjoyed seeing her come to terms with the state of her country and what revolution actually means. I just hated Qin Zheng. That's probably intentional given how toxic he was, but I could not stand him, and since he's probably the most important character in this book besides Zetian, that was a lot of time I had to let my hate brew. Wan'er and Taiping were interesting additions to the cast, but they felt like they got cast aside in the second half, so I hope they make a return in book three.
Expanding the worldbuilding from book one and furthering Zetian's journey of feminine rage, Heavenly Tyrant promises an exciting conclusion to the Iron Widow trilogy.
3.5/5

"'If to exploit is an element of human nature...then this, to resist exploitation, is also human nature. No exploiter has ever lived in peace without their weapons, their soldiers, and their propaganda and lies. And I have enough faith in human self-interest to believe that those who do the true labor of society will rise for their own sake until there are no more exploiters to combat, however many eons it may take. Every oppressor, through their denial of humanity, sows the seed of their own destruction'"(207).

"Because that's how the old order kept us powerless - by turning any bonds we shared against us"(210).

"I've realized that the military's loyalty is the single most important factor to make or break the revolution ... The military was built to defend the interests of the rich and the powerful, after all"(217).