Iron Widow Review: Incredible premise, solid execution
As I've inevitably continued my search for the perfect comp titles for my novel, Lu Patrick Easley and the Groovy Penguin Avenue, a friend recommended Iron Widow to me as a good match for the character voice side of things. I was a little skeptical of the claim's veracity, given that my novel is a modern-day supernatural mystery and this is a reimagining of Chinese history in an SFF setting. Still, my intrigue for the novel's premise flourished far more than my doubt. So, what did I think of Iron Widow? That's what I, Brighton Nelson, will be talking about today. Thank you so much for joining me here on the website, and I hope you enjoy your stay!
As always, I'll start with the negatives and save the best for last! While I adored so many things about this novel, I can't wait to see where the rest of the trilogy goes and consider myself a fan of Xiran Jay Zhao; unfortunately, a couple of things were left to be desired. Firstly, the action wasn't that great because it didn't feel grounded in a place. I just felt the action struggled to paint a picture of what was happening. Granted, I have strong hypophantasian and can't visualize much, but it was noticeably more difficult than some other novels. Also, it felt like there was some major Deus ex Machina crap happening in the climax with this Qin Zheng dude. It was foreshadowed a little bit, but it felt like it came out of nowhere. Also, the worldbuilding doesn't really go into much detail, and I was left wondering about so many things. Lastly, the plot reveals were really solid, but the final one could've taken a little more time to hit harder.
There were a few underwhelming elements that could've been improved, sure, but the good far outweighs the bad! First of all, the premise here was wonderful! Yin-yang mecha robots with concubine pilots as the mechanism for a feminist plot? Legendary stuff. While the action and climax lost me a little bit, the main plot had me invested the whole time. I appreciate strong feminism in a fantasy world, as it lets you accelerate the revenge plot without resorting to melodrama or unrealistic elements.
Many say that the main character, Wu Zeitan, isn't a true feminist because she hates the other women in the story who have been indoctrinated into the patriarchal society. To that point... I agree! But I think that makes her character very interesting and flawed. Her judgment of those who aren't as strong or fearless as she is is her main flaw here, aside from her general abrasiveness. Seeing Wu go from practically nobody to who she becomes is very interesting, as she does have flaws even as she does the right thing. She accomplishes everything she needs to ensure justice is served, no matter the cost, yet she isn't the perfect hero. I really enjoyed her as a protagonist!
I also love the unconventional romance and its execution in this book! While Shimin and Yizhi could've used more development as standalone characters, honestly, I'm never really gonna blame a debut novel for such a criticism. As someone in the writing and querying process, I know some stories have to cut character-development scenes and focus on the main character. I'll be harder on the sequels if there's not as much development, though...
Anyway, both characters are awesome! I loved the romance here, and I adore that this book didn't go the unnuanced "all men suck" route. With Shimin, especially, it takes her a long time to warm up to him and realize he's a great guy. I enjoyed Shimin a lot as a character because there's a mystery to him, and because he goes from seeming like a sort of misogynist villain to being revealed as a really tender man who's always being misconceived.
Yizhi is a very different character and doesn't have nearly as much of an arc, but he's just such a softhearted, great guy that I loved every time he spoke. He may not be a jaded war hero who demands respect like Shimin. Still, he's interesting because he goes against the stereotype of his entire conceited, rich family to become something better. They might be a little too perfect as love interests in some ways, but they're still lovable characters.
The best part about this love triangle? I wasn't forced to pick a side! Zetian mentions that she can have love in her heart for both men in what is probably the best scene of the book. Then, they all unconventionally get together, breaking down every rule in the book of a love triangle, and become a true triangle, not some two-lined fake triangle. I personally have no interest in a polyamorous relationship (as I am way too in love with my girl and don't find the concept to be my cup of tea). Still, I was very interested in the book's portrayal of it, and was captivated. It was quite underdeveloped, but that's to be expected when the point was the slow build-up to the concept. Now, if the sequel doesn't live up to its potential, that will be a major disappointment for me, but I can't complain about how this played out. This is my most anticipated aspect for the Heavenly Tyrant and whatever the third book will be called!
The plot is super satisfying, ends really well (even with a weaker climax), and has some awesome twists! Some twists are more shocking than others, and some aren't executed as well as others, but there's not a single twist here that I felt didn't strengthen the plot. While I don't think everything was ironed out perfectly like it could've been, I loved this plot and will be checking out anything Zhao puts out for years to come!
The Brighton's Bookshelf Verdict
Brighton's Bookshelf Score - 3.75/5
Letter Score - A-
Iron Widow struggles to execute some of its prose and plot perfectly, but Xiran Jay Zhao has gained a new fan with this book! I love the themes, unique romance, twists, characters, and, above all, the masterful premise. Can't wait to read the sequel!
Interested in checking out some of my other reviews? Check them out below!
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