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ravensandpages 's review for:
Iron Widow
by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
ARC received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I haven't had a book grip me like this in a very long time. IRON WIDOW is a fiery debut that doesn't shy away from any of its inspirations— with a delightfully over-the-top, power-hungry anti-hero for a main character doing anything and everything to dismantle a rotten misogynist power system with nothing sugarcoated or shied away from, this book was a delight from start to finish.
Set in a futuristic sci-fi world where the last dregs of humanity face a constant onslaught from giant creatures called Hunduns, the people's last hope to fend them off is celebrity pilots; recruited based on their spirit pressure to pilot husks of the Hunduns called Chysalises. The stars are the men who pilot them, and more often than not their female concubine pilots die from the strain. Wu Zetian, whose sister fell victim to one such pilot, has had enough of this system and pulls up to exact her revenge— except she finds it in a very unexpected way.
Xiran Jay Zhao has crafted a rich, brutal world, and I loved every fast-paced second of this novel. Was it a little ridiculous in places? Sure, but in the exact same way Pacific Rim was, which is a movie I adore. I felt a full range of emotions both during and after reading, and while I want to stay away from gushing about the love interests since I don't want them to overshadow the amazing world, plot, and characters, it's impossible to say anything about Iron Widow without getting into Shimin and Yizhi. Softest of villains, most vicious of poets, the love triangle that turns into a poly triangle (!!!!) was EVERYTHING to me. I loved all three of them so much, I can't even put it into proper words.
In conclusion: I needed the sequel yesterday and I will not shut up until it's here. This is one of the debuts you definitely don't want to miss this year. If you want an unrelenting power-hungry heroine, a vicious story that doesn't stop digging and asking questions, and fun mecha battles, you are sure to adore IRON WIDOW as much as I did.
❧ 4.5 ★
I haven't had a book grip me like this in a very long time. IRON WIDOW is a fiery debut that doesn't shy away from any of its inspirations— with a delightfully over-the-top, power-hungry anti-hero for a main character doing anything and everything to dismantle a rotten misogynist power system with nothing sugarcoated or shied away from, this book was a delight from start to finish.
Set in a futuristic sci-fi world where the last dregs of humanity face a constant onslaught from giant creatures called Hunduns, the people's last hope to fend them off is celebrity pilots; recruited based on their spirit pressure to pilot husks of the Hunduns called Chysalises. The stars are the men who pilot them, and more often than not their female concubine pilots die from the strain. Wu Zetian, whose sister fell victim to one such pilot, has had enough of this system and pulls up to exact her revenge— except she finds it in a very unexpected way.
Xiran Jay Zhao has crafted a rich, brutal world, and I loved every fast-paced second of this novel. Was it a little ridiculous in places? Sure, but in the exact same way Pacific Rim was, which is a movie I adore. I felt a full range of emotions both during and after reading, and while I want to stay away from gushing about the love interests since I don't want them to overshadow the amazing world, plot, and characters, it's impossible to say anything about Iron Widow without getting into Shimin and Yizhi. Softest of villains, most vicious of poets, the love triangle that turns into a poly triangle (!!!!) was EVERYTHING to me. I loved all three of them so much, I can't even put it into proper words.
In conclusion: I needed the sequel yesterday and I will not shut up until it's here. This is one of the debuts you definitely don't want to miss this year. If you want an unrelenting power-hungry heroine, a vicious story that doesn't stop digging and asking questions, and fun mecha battles, you are sure to adore IRON WIDOW as much as I did.
❧ 4.5 ★