Iron Widow

Wu Zetian, 18-years-old, has lived her whole life under the rules of men. Her only value is the money her family can get if they sell her as a bride, or the monetary compensation they will get if she enrolls in the Huaxia army as a pilot's concubine and dies in battle. When her family sells her to the army to become a concubine for pilot Yang Guang, Zetian plans to kill him while he sleeps as retribution for his killing her older sister. What she was not expecting was to be forced into a battle on her very first night. Zetian not only survives the battle but kills Yang Guang and takes control of his Chrysalis, making her what is called an ‘Iron Widow’.

Huaxia is trying to protect the surrounding Great Wall against Hunduns and their alien mechs. Huaxia has created modified versions of these robots that they call Chrysalises, and constant waves of battle are being fought and broadcasted for the people to watch as entertainment.

Chrysalis’ require two pilots. Young girls are given up by their families to serve the army and have their qi tested to see if they are able to pilot alongside a powerful boy. However, due to male pilots having a higher qi, female pilots do not usually survive the power imbalance during battle.

Though high action is abundant, the characters are the strength in this story. While still sharing similar goals and values, they couldn’t be more different from each other. Li Shimin was sent to jail for the murder of his brothers and father until he showed unparalleled spirit pressure. The army removed him from prison and forced him to pilot the Vermillion Bird Chrysalis and be known as the Iron Demon. Yizhi is the son of a powerful media baron. His father controls many of the social and public relations channels in Huaxia. Yizhi had been meeting Zetian in the forest near their village where they would spend precious hours away from their responsibilities. Yizhi holds a key role in the story and in the Iron Widow and Iron Demon power dynamic.

Just like Wu Zetian, both Li and Yizhi will fight to the death for what they believe in. Gradually, all three develop feelings for one other. Each of the characters falls for the other two at their own pace, and they talk about the implications of loving more than one person. As Yizhi explains to Zetian: "Love isn’t some scarce resource to battle over. Love can be infinite, as much as your heart can open." This relationship isn’t merely a subplot. It makes them stronger in a very literal sense. Their love allows some of the main events in the book to unfold.

A fourth character in the novel is Chinese culture, Chinese history, and the life of the only female Chinese emperor. One of the most important aspects of this book was the fact that Zetian had her feet bound, an ancient Chinese tradition. Zetian is written with chronic pain and mobility issues, and yet is empowering despite being constantly affected by it.

The misogyny instilled in Huaxia culture is the true villain of the story. Some of those misogynistic principles are borrowed from Chinese history (young females having their feet bound so they utterly dependent on their husbands). Some are merely echoes of that dependency (the Yin-Yang pilots’ seats).

Zetian is truly a groundbreaking protagonist. She is given full ownership by the author not only of her body, but of her destiny: to be merciless and vengeful, and cold-blooded; to kill people in order to achieve her goals. Seldom has a YA author committed their protagonist to the dark side like this. Zetian earns the title of Iron Widow.

This novel will shock readers with its mind-blowing denouement which will satisfy those who may have been disappointed with the degree of world building.

Xiran Jay Zhao is a Chinese-Canadian author, Internet personality, and cosplayer. Their debut novel, Iron Widow, became a No. 1 New York Times Best Seller.