- Story 4/5
- Ease of access 3/5
- Character 3/5
- Time commitment 3/5
- Triggers/Glimmers 2/5
- Impact 5/5
- Overall 3.5/5
I’ve been aware of Xiran Jay Zhao’s series for a while, following on Instagram for years before I managed to find a copy of her first novel Iron Widow. Followers know that I do not do paid book reviews, I find a copy on my own steam, read it because I want to, and give my personal thoughts so you, the review reader are completely aware that you are getting my honest opinions on if I think you should read something. I need to write this because I can say with absolute certainty that Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao is worth your time!
It is no secret that I am not actually a fan of Science Fiction as a genre. I’ve tried but it always vibes badly with me, lots of different reasons but it all comes down to Sci-Fi writers not being creative enough. Zhao almost completely blew that out of the water!
Iron Widow is set in a futuristic-fantastical version of earth after a violent attack by an alien race that splits the world giving rise to a militaristic country inspired heavily by classical Chinese mythology and philosophy. Pilots are made up of male and female pairs representing the yin-yang, opposites in balance, as they wield non-Newtonian mech’s, like mixing Gundam anime with the Science of Isaac Newton (custard pool). The action scenes are incredibly bombastic and over the top while not limited like other Mech series, if you must pilot a badass super robot how boring for it to be human shaped after all.
If all of that sounds utopian and idealistic that’s where it gut punches you in the first chapter. You see in the world of the Iron Widow the young men are tools, used and give celebrity status to save the world, but worse than that is the young women used as fuel for the Chrysalis suits, bought and sold by nobles and the military to sacrifice in every battle at a rate that makes the Imperium of man in Warhammer 40k look kind.
A lot of the reason I dislike Sci-Fi as a genre is because, in these futuristic worlds with aliens, advanced technology and medicine why are they so mired in the social issues of our own day and age? Surely the issues should be more unique, to quote Sir Terry Pratchett “In the end white and black will team up to beat up green.” For me a Sci-Fi series shouldn’t have issues like sexism, racism or gender politics because, to quote Alex Stewart/Sandy Mitchell of the Ciaphas Cain series “we have bigger things to worry about!” And while that feeling for me still holds true what I can say is that Iron Widow is my exception to my no Sci-Fi rule.
The use of sexism as a worldbuilding and story element that gets explored, explained and eventually exposed and turned on its head is incredible. I very nearly dipped before the end of the 2nd chapter but as of the 3rd chapter starting I was in and invested and that is my main takeaway.
If you want a really good, really eye opening read with a great premise and better execution there are few books I can think of better than Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao. Between the pacing, story and plot there are few books that shine a light in the way that it does without being preachy but still being serious and never breaking into comic relief or suspension of disbelief. It is all very logical and realistic while at the same time being over the top and bombastic, feeling like a wild ride with a strong grounding in the rules it establishes early into the series (thought he force lightning moment still surprised me).
If you are looking for a relaxing read by the poolside, I recommend you look elsewhere. The Iron Widow does everything Rebecca Yarros, Suzanne Collins and similar writers that work in dystopian YA fiction have been trying to do but so much more satisfyingly, probably because the heroine is;
A. Angry and stays as such,
B. Is not simpering or cloying and never feels too much like a Mary Sue,
and C. Is inherently unlikable as a character and the book never portrays her as perfect.
In fact all three of the main characters have times that they are unlikable, disagreeable and genuinely unpleasant, but you still route for them because they are also flaws, imperfect and very, very human.
In conclusion, if you want to read about a fantastical sci-fi dystopian world with East Asian inspiration and themes (I am not an expert on the nuances of different cultures but know that nine-tailed foxes, chi and female oppression and foot mutilation are elements I feel East Asian is a perfectly fine classification for now) this is the book for you and if you think it probably isn’t the book for you I still recommend giving it a try as I was genuinely surprised how much I am still thinking about it and talking about the Iron Widow. Also I hear one of the male characters get’s pegged in the sequel so I’ll be reviewing that.
Barons Bookshelf 