Iron Widow begins with an authors note- one that explains the concept, the idea of putting a fictional, historical queen as a central character in a futuristic science fiction, with characters from history peppered throughout, all as mecha pilots. It’s honest to goodness one of my favorite parts of the book, getting to see into Zhao’s mind and a little bit of the rage and love that came together to create Iron Widow.
The book did not disappoint. I found myself enraptured by the strong, complex persona of Wu Zetian, of her power and the secrets that lay behind her community. Even more than that, I loved the way she loved, without boundaries and without limits- that is to say, she was in a throuple, and it was so powerful I audibly gasped. I’m a big fan of the “resolving the love triangle by letting them all love each other” idea, so this really hit the spot for me.
There is no easy way to describe this book other than a freaking fun time. I’m gonna keep this review short, but end with a desperate plea: Read. This. Book.
the void 