Iron Widow

by Xiran Jay Zhao

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

A riveting feminist sci-fi inspired by Chinese history, Iron Widow is a richly imagined, nonstop alien adventure that is wholly unique and positively captivating. A vibrant and unrelenting trio of main characters powers the narrative to a shocking ending that will leave readers clamoring for the sequel.

The instant #1 New York Times bestseller, now available in a stunning new paperback look with bonus content.

Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale in this blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction for YA readers.

The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall of China. It doesn't matter that the girls die from the mental strain.

When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But when she gets her vengeance, it becomes clear that she is an Iron Widow, a rare kind of female pilot who can sacrifice males to power up Chrysalises instead.

To tame her frightening yet valuable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest male pilot in Huaxia, yet feared and ostracized for killing his father and brothers. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will take over instead, then leverage their combined strength to force her society to stop failing its women and girls. Or die trying.

This deluxe new paperback edition features eight pages of Chrysalis concept art and a discussion guide.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780735269958
Publisher:	Tundra Book Group
Publication date:	02/28/2023
Series:	Iron Widow , #1
Pages:	416
Sales rank:	7,629
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.50(d)
Lexile:	HL830L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

XIRAN JAY ZHAO is a first-gen immigrant from small-town China who was raised by the Internet​. A recent graduate of Vancouver’s Simon Fraser University, they wrote science fiction and fantasy while they probably should have been studying more about biochemical pathways. You can find them on Twitter for memes, Instagram for cosplays and fancy outfits, and YouTube for long videos about Chinese history and culture. Iron Widow is their first novel.

Editorial Reviews

Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller!

An Amazon Editors’ Pick for Best Young Adult
An Amazon Editors' Pick for Best Science Fiction and Fantasy
A Polygon Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Book of 2021
An Indigo #1 Teen Book of the Year
An Indigo Best Teen Book (2021)
An Indigo Best Teen Sci-Fi & Fantasy Book (2021)
A Barnes & Noble's Best YA Fantasy & Adventure of 2021
A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens (2021)
A Canadian Children's Book Centre Favourite Book of the Year (2021)
A Boston Globe Best Book of 2021
A Cultured Vultures’ “21 Best Books Of 2021”
One of Book Riot's "20 best science fiction books of all time"

A 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee, Best Young Adult & Science Fiction
Nominated for the Science Fiction Writers of America's Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction
WINNER of the 2022 Arlene Barlin Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy
WINNER of the 2022 Amy Mathers Teen Book Award

"The action-packed plot, involving battles both physical and mental, is original and incorporates queer themes and Zetian’s unwavering, cathartic feminism." —Kirkus Reviews

"[This] duology opener will appeal to those seeking high-energy, feminist, queer narratives." —Publishers Weekly

"[An] incredible novel, fun and exciting, sometimes horrible to read, but in all the ways that make you fall in love with a character." —Tor Online

"Iron Widow is an exciting, action-packed sci-fi story and a scathing indictment of patriarchal culture." —Shelf Awareness

"This novel will shock readers with its mind-blowing denouement." —CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"Iron Widow is a groundbreaking YA novel." —The Oxford Student

"Zhao has done an impeccable job at developing a totally shippable polyamorous relationship." —The Strand

"Like its ferocious heroine, Iron Widow is brutal, bloodthirsty, and full of rage. Zetian's fight to shatter patriarchal definitions of power makes for a truly thrilling read." —Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

"A primal scream of a book, Iron Widow delivers on all that fury and more, combining meticulous pacing and brilliant world building to make a truly epic read." —E.K. Johnston, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Aetherbound

"Zetian is the take-no-prisoners heroine you’ll love to cheer on as she crushes everyone who tries to bring her down." —Rebecca Schaeffer, author of Not Even Bones

"A bold and brash story that will grab you by the throat from page one. Zhao expertly weaves a story that polishes off classic sci-fi themes and re-imagines them in a lush futuristic world inspired by Ancient China. With an unapologetic heroine who pushes so far beyond the boundaries of expectations, the reader will go on a journey of twists and turns that will make them gasp with each page turn. Thrilling, heart-wrenching, and epic!” —Kat Cho, internationally bestselling author of Vicious Spirits
 
"In Iron Widow, Zhao crafts a thrilling, brutal tale with jaw-dropping action and a fierce and unyielding heroine. Zetian is unstoppable, and I dare you not to cheer her on." —Elizabeth Lim, bestselling author of Spin the Dawn

"Iron Widow is a gut punch from the very first pages. The action is riveting. The story relentless. The heroine ruthless and unapologetic. Zetian is here to set the world on fire, and her pursuit of vengeance is thrilling and empowering to behold. Sit back and enjoy the show — and stay the hell out of her way." —Nicki Pau Preto, author of Crown of Feathers

"A searing, cinematic, gut-punch of a tale, Iron Widow is both wickedly fun and brutally incisive when it comes to the Chinese history and culture it draws inspiration from. There’s no resisting Wu Zetian; once she sinks her claws in you, you’ll be racing alongside her to a shocking, subversive end." —Joan He, New York Times–bestselling author of The Ones We're Meant to Find

"Absolutely epic. This is the historical-inspired, futuristic sci-fi mash-up of my wildest dreams. Iron Widow charges headfirst into a world of giant mechas and uncompromising characters. The brutal beauty of Xiran Jay Zhao’s writing kept me glued to the page from start to finish." —Chloe Gong, New York Times–bestselling author of These Violent Delights

"I . . . stayed up till 3 a.m. to finish." —Lisa Gardner, New York Times-bestselling author

From the Publisher

08/19/2022

Gr 9 Up—In a futuristic Chinese society, the boys of Huaxia pilot giant robotic Chrysalises to protect their world from mecha aliens destroying it. The boys pair with girl "concubine-pilots" to power beasts that can change into more powerful forms depending on the strength of their combined chi. Unfortunately, in many cases, the female does not survive. Zetian, deeply angered after her sister dies, decides to volunteer so she can seek revenge and kill the pilot who was paired with her sister. When she kills him using their psychic link, she is branded an Iron Widow, someone leaders fear but also want to use for her powerful chi. Now paired with Li Shimin, one of the most powerful and most deadly pilots, Zetian is frightened, but as her power grows, she seeks to stop the misogynist structure of the pilot system and save more girls from her sister's fate. Zetian unexpectedly finds herself in a love triangle and explores her own power over her body as she decides who she loves and what that means for her newly awakened independence from her family and from society's expectations. Rong Fu expertly voices Zetian's rage and Li Shimin's heartbreak, instilling battle scenes with chaotic tension while giving the softer moments a palpable gentleness. Hearing the Chinese words and accents performed accurately enmeshes listeners into the culture and setting. VERDICT An excellent addition to any audiobook collection. While savvy readers may get a hint of the conclusion, many will be surprised by several twists. All will be in anticipation of the next installment.—Courtney Pentland

School Library Journal - Audio

Rong Fu narrates this historical sci-fi with tenacity and poise. Male and female pilots team up to fight the aliens that are invading Huaxia. The mental exertion of piloting results in the deaths of most of the female pilots, and Zetian swears revenge upon the famous pilot who sacrificed her sister. But after their mental link results in his unexpected death in the cockpit, she is forced to pair with the strongest male pilot—convicted murderer Li Shimin. Fu embodies Zetian’s passion with a commanding narration and consistent pacing, holding listeners captive with a story inspired by Chinese historical figures. This exciting and unique audiobook is one not to miss. A.K.R. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2021 - AudioFile

Rong Fu narrates this historical sci-fi with tenacity and poise. Male and female pilots team up to fight the aliens that are invading Huaxia. The mental exertion of piloting results in the deaths of most of the female pilots, and Zetian swears revenge upon the famous pilot who sacrificed her sister. But after their mental link results in his unexpected death in the cockpit, she is forced to pair with the strongest male pilot—convicted murderer Li Shimin. Fu embodies Zetian’s passion with a commanding narration and consistent pacing, holding listeners captive with a story inspired by Chinese historical figures. This exciting and unique audiobook is one not to miss. A.K.R. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

OCTOBER 2021 - AudioFile

2021-07-27
An individual vendetta fuels a systemic challenge in a war-torn world.

In Huaxia, a Chinese-influenced futuristic society, humankind is in a constant war with the Hunduns. These giant buglike aliens fly and attack with frightening power. In response, humans have built Chrysalises, war machines that take the shape of mythical animals and are powered by the qi of two pilots, one bringing the female yin force and the other the male yang. The female concubine-pilot typically dies in the battle, having been entirely drained of her qi. This sacrificial attitude toward females results in the death of narrator Zetian’s older sister. Bent on revenge, Zetian, a frontier girl who chafes at the idea of rigid gender roles and imagines the freedom of “giving onlookers no easy way to bind me with a simple label,” voluntarily becomes a concubine-pilot. She proclaims herself the nightmare these careless, selfishly ambitious boy pilots deserve to face. When she is paired with Li Shimin, a pilot and murderer with powerful qi, she must be strategic to survive the war and take down the patriarchy. Things become complicated when her forbidden love interest, wealthy, protective Yizhi, gets involved. The action-packed plot, involving battles both physical and mental, is original and incorporates queer themes and Zetian’s unwavering, cathartic feminism. However, lapses in worldbuilding and characters’ relationships result in some events feeling random and forced. The epilogue promises a sequel.

A pleasurable read despite some inconsistencies. (content note) (Science fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews