Iron Widow by Xiran Jay ZhaoMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
In a future society based on traditional China, complete with female subservience and foot-binding, young men and women pilot vehicles called Chrysalises, powered by qi (life force) to fight the Hunduns, who have taken over their planet and threaten their civilization. The only catch for the “concubines,” however, is that they are usually drained of qi and die in the process, and as in so much else, the men get all the credit. Wu Zetian, a poor but strong-willed young woman, volunteers as a concubine with the aim of avenging her older sister’s death, but things go differently than she had planned. The pilot she blames for her sister’s death is killed, but by means of her qi rather than the mundane hairpin she had taken with her, and she is hailed as an “Iron Widow” and paired up with the strongest and most dangerous of the other pilots, Li Shimin. She then must work with Shimin; Yizhi, a rich young man from her village who is in love with her; and with other, much less savory characters to defeat the Hunduns and the battle strategists alike and to ensure that no more young women will die. In the process, she will discover explosive secrets about both the pilot system and the war itself.
The world-building in this book seemed a little vague at times, and I’m not sure whether that is a weakness or a strength. Hopefully, we will learn more about the society and its backstory in the next book, particularly considering the revelation at the end. I found Zetian to be a compelling and at times terrifying character, particularly after the final battle, and at least at that point she is not sympathetic, even though we have been in her head and understand her motivations, but again, I hope we will see her grow into wisdom and compassion as her story continues. I do not demand characters who are “likable”; I just want them to be well-rounded people who make me care about what happens to them, and Zetian fits the bill. I eagerly await the second installment.
The author notes at the beginning of the book that Zetian is inspired by Empress Wu, the only woman who ever ruled China in her own right, and this book makes me want to know more about her as well.
I received a copy of Iron Widow from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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