Iron Widow (Iron Widow #1) by Xiran Jay Zhao Book Review

Title: Iron Widow
Author: Xiran Jay Zhao
Publisher: Penguin Teen
Release Date: September 21, 2021
Pages: 400

The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn't matter that the girls often die from the mental strain.

When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.​

To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia​. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.

Buy it on Barnes & Noble or Amazon  

My Thoughts

**Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for sending me an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review!**

Taking place in a futuristic realm of ancient China in a country called Huaxia, girls and boys are paired to operate Chrysalises, giant robots used in battle. Oftentimes, however, the girl ends up dying from the mental strain they go through.

Men want us so badly for our bodies, yet hate us so much for our minds.

When Zetian's sister dies from operating a Chrysalises, she sets off to join the fight in hopes of avenging her sister's death. Using her anger as her fuel to keep her going, Zetian ends up accidentally killing her male co-pilot and labeled an Iron Widow. 

He should be the Iron King, and I should be the Iron Queen. Yet Iron Demon and Iron Widow is all they'll let us be.

Now that she has power, she's paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest male pilot. Continuing her journey, she must figure out a way to survive as a female pilot in the corrupt pilot system.

"You're my polar star." Yizhi's voice echoes in my memories. "I'll go wherever you guide me."

Star Review: ★★★★☆ (4)

I loved the fantasy world the author created. I thought it was so magical and cool to see how everything came together in the book.

This story also gives a good insight on the prejudice that women face, in this case, Asian women, in society. If you think about it, it's normally the male that is dominant and the females are always the ones supporting the other, but Zetian represents the few women that break past these boundaries. #girlbossmoments

Overall, Iron Widow was a great, unique debut novel. It has one of the best covers for 2021 YA new book releases and I can't wait for its second book to come out! 

About the Author

Xiran Jay Zhao is a first-gen immigrant from small-town China who was raised by the Internet​. A recent graduate of Vancouver’s Simon Fraser University, they wrote science fiction and fantasy while they probably should have been studying more about biochemical pathways. You can find them on Twitter for memes, Instagram for cosplays and fancy outfits, and YouTube for long videos about Chinese history and culture.