Iron Widow (Iron Widow #1) in Rolling with the lgbt

May 30, 2021 atlas ♡ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 21-favorites, sapphic, e-arcs, achillean, ebooks

12/29/22 - This is just as fabulous as the last time I read it! Absolutely devastated that I still have to wait so long until the sequel

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5/31/21 - When I tell you that i absolutely loved this book, my god. In this YA sci-fi novel we follow 𝗭𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻, our MC, as she seeks revenge for her sister, and succeeds.

"𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴. 𝘔𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴."

Zetian is a powerful and determined woman that never gives up. She lives in a oppressive society that s 12/29/22 - This is just as fabulous as the last time I read it! Absolutely devastated that I still have to wait so long until the sequel

—

5/31/21 - When I tell you that i absolutely loved this book, my god. In this YA sci-fi novel we follow 𝗭𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻, our MC, as she seeks revenge for her sister, and succeeds.

"𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴. 𝘔𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴."

Zetian is a powerful and determined woman that never gives up. She lives in a oppressive society that says that she's lesser than merely because of her womanhood. Because of this she's angry, with every right to be so. Everything that happens to her makes her more determined. The way misogyny is talked about in this novel is incredible.

"𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦, 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯. "

The romance was easily my favorite part of this book. Poly representation we love to see it! It isn't a major plot but way that it's tackled is just delightful. The trust and care between the characters is amazing. You can tell how much they love each other. Their relationship is a wonderful friendship bound by love and it was just so lovely.

The pacing was perfect, keeping me invested in the story all throughout it. I don't think there was a time whole reading this book that I was bored. The characters were likeable and well developed. I genuinely wouldn't change anything about this book.

Overall this was a 5 star read and completely worth the read. I desperately hope it gets the love it deserves. Definitely check it out if you want a sci-fi novel with a chinese coded cast + setting and poly rep!

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄. ...more

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May 01, 2022 Reading on Wheels rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviews, bipoc, would-sacrifice-myself-for, disabled, queer, feminist

5 / 5 stars

I loved every single messed up second of this.

Our Main Character is a fiercely strong girl who is like other girls even if she can’t find them and fights for what she believes in, feminism and man-hating, – we love to see it – and she enlists in the army in order to kill someone, then realizes she has immense potential separate of the girl-killing system that the army relies on.

It’s so distinct and separate from anything I’ve read. Especially the incorporation of culture, feminism, an 5 / 5 stars

I loved every single messed up second of this.

Our Main Character is a fiercely strong girl who is like other girls even if she can’t find them and fights for what she believes in, feminism and man-hating, – we love to see it – and she enlists in the army in order to kill someone, then realizes she has immense potential separate of the girl-killing system that the army relies on.

It’s so distinct and separate from anything I’ve read. Especially the incorporation of culture, feminism, and fantasy. They’re all so interwoven and well written, with just enough vivid imagery and room for the reader’s interpretation.

The writing is just to die for. Which, I guess, is a phrase that doesn’t actually make sense, but as an idiom it serves its purpose. Regardless, it’s witty, sarcastic, sweet, and serious all rolled up into the justifications for atrocities on every side, be it protagonist, antagonist, side character, or love interests.

The main character is such a…force. She’s complex, let’s just say that. She has layers and a very thoroughly developed character and internal monologue. And she schemes. A lot. And most of the time it goes wrong, so she schemes some more. As she should, and she is truly, terrifyingly, her. Again, as she should be.

And, oh gosh, the rep.

The queer rep, it’s described so well and shown so tenderly. I’m at a point where queer books are nice, but I don’t treasure them as I did my first few queer lits. But this book hits the queer joy and queer treasure mark. I just love the level of acceptance and support, the love with which multispectrum identities are shown.

Although I myself am not polyamorous and will leave the critiques and/or appreciation for the accuracy or innaccuracy of the rep to polyamorous people, I will simply say that it was very well balanced, sweet, and adorable. It didn’t feel like an excuse to not resolve tension, it was a reason to add it, create character development, and add more complexity and passion. I’m not going to hide these as spoilers because it’s pretty much the most well known thing about this, at least it was for me and everyone I’ve talked to.

And now the other community I’m a part of that was represented in this : The Disability Rep. I absolutely adored it. I love it so much, it’s so dear to my heart. Unlike with queer rep, there’s a lot less well done Disability rep, so I haven’t read much of it.

In fact, this is the second time I’ve seen a character use a wheelchair and the first time I’ve seen it represented as a tool and an extension of the wheelchair user’s body rather than a burden and a manifestation of a tragedy. So I’m definitely still in the Every Good Disability Rep Holds a Place in My Heart stage. And honestly, even if I wasn’t I would still think this was really solid, accurate, and validating rep.

I love that her use of her chair wasn’t seen or even mentioned as something that would make her weak as I feared it might. It simply was. It was a good thing, a tool, a mobility aid. It helped her just as mine helps me. I love my chair, and I love this book for letting me see someone else use a tool. ...more

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Sep 06, 2020 vatana is trying to read marked it as on-hold

found this book from the author’s live tweets of Mulan 2020 (😩) and i’m so glad i did because this sounds TERRIFIC! this book really says “Ancient China’s only Empress but mecha,” and i respect that. also??? poly rep??? A+++++

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Apr 09, 2021 Eva B. marked it as to-read

Shelves: young-adult, that-cover-though, owned-tbr, queer-leads, z-2021-releases-tbr, retellings-reimaginings-etc, five-star-predictions

OMG THAT COVER-
I NEED THIS!

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Oct 15, 2022 gabby ୨୧ rated it it was ok

2 stars

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Nov 10, 2023 H Noss rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical, science-fiction, lgbtq

Overall, a really interesting book. The graphic detail of Wu Zeitan's bound feet was brilliant, but I really don't recommend reading it while you're recovering from ankle surgery.

I'm not sure what to make of the very ending, but the entire polyamorous relationship in this is fantastic. That kiss (not that one, not that one, yes! The third one) was amazing.

Wishlist for the sequel: non-binary rep, more people in the polycule, and a lot of rage. ...more

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