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Iron Widow

Iron Widow

FantasyScience Fiction
Pages
384
Published
2021
Language
English

Synopsis

In a world where giant robots are humanity's only defense against alien invaders, 18-year-old Zetian seeks vengeance for her sister's death. She becomes an 'Iron Widow,' a feared pilot who can sacrifice boys to power her mecha. Now, Zetian must navigate a dangerous political landscape and a forced partnership with a controversial male pilot, all while fighting for her own survival and seeking to dismantle the system that sacrifices girls.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

DarkTenseEmotionalInspiring
RevengeSacrificeForced ProximityMorally Grey
Spice level
2.0 avg spice

Genres

Fantasy Science Fiction Space Opera Young Adult Dystopian Romantasy YA Fantasy

About the author

X
Xiran Jay Zhao

Xiran Jay Zhao is a Chinese-born Canadian author and online content creator. They are a first-generation Hui Chinese immigrant who moved from a small town in China to Vancouver, left a biochemistry degree to write, and make educational videos about Chinese history and culture. Their debut novel Iron Widow (2021), a mecha science fiction reimagining of Wu Zetian, reached No. 1 on the New York Times list and won the 2021 BSFA Award for Best Book for Younger Readers. They followed it with the middl...

Characters

ZetianProtagonist
Li ShiminSupporting
Gao YizhiSupporting

Wealthy son of media mogul Gao Qiu, and Zetian's childhood love interest who becomes entangled in her plans against the Huaxian system.

All characters in Iron Widow

Frequently asked questions

  • What inspired Iron Widow?

    Author Xiran Jay Zhao has said the novel grew out of two things: their fascination with Wu Zetian, the only woman to rule China as emperor in her own right, and their frustration that the mecha anime Darling in the Franxx didn't go far enough with the themes raised by its dual-pilot premise. Iron Widow reimagines Zetian's rise inside a mecha-piloting society, with its giant war machines styled after Chinese mythological creatures.

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