China’s only empress overthrows the patriarchy

A goal I set for myself this year is to incorporate more diversity into the books I read. Xiran Jay Zhao’s Iron Widow is actually a book that I have had on my to-be-read list for a while. This debut novel checks all my desired boxes of having non-western fictional settings, diverse characters, and clear inspiration from cultural folktales and stories.

But, this is not what really drew me to Iron Widow. It was Zhao’s TikTok video addressing why the novel was written. “Honestly, I wrote this book because I was just tired of seeing women always having to be the ones to take the high road in stories,” Zhao said. “Like, what if a woman was just unhinged? Just completely unhinged and went at the oppressive systems keeping her down with everything she had with no regard for all the morality that people try to force on her in order to keep her in her place. Just, like, what if she was just feral? What if she did not care and she had access to a giant mecha? What would she do?” That description alone should make the book worthy of 5 stars.

I enjoyed the fact that Wu Zetian, the main protagonist, always maintained a sense of agency in her quest for vengeance to spite a sexist and oppressive society. Iron Widow’s fast pacing complements Zetian’s unpredictable actions in a way that makes readers feel like they are in for a ride. I sure did. On a different note, my favorite aspect of the novel is the love triangle turned polyamorous relationship. No, that is not a spoiler; it was actually a plot point used to market the book. Zetian’s relationship with her co-pilot Li Shimin exposes her to the harmful effects of a patriarchal society on men and forces her to recognize her own hypocrisy. Gao Yizhi, Zetian’s first love, allows the reader to see the protagonist’s gentler side and desires beyond violence and vengeance. The triangle is the strongest shape, after all.

However, some of the novel’s flaws prevent me from rating it higher than four out of five stars. For a novel that so heavily marketed its subversion of the love triangle trope, there are not nearly enough scenes of Shimin, Yizhi, and Zetian actually together as a couple. Even the start of their relationship felt rushed. The fact that the reader can only experience events through Zetian’s eyes means that most of Yizhi and Shimin’s interactions happen behind closed doors. Also, for a “feminist” character who wants to free girls from the oppressive patriarchy, Zetian does not actually do much to overturn the system for most of the novel. She does not free anyone as most of her actions center around getting her revenge on those who have wronged her. Furthermore, the author’s decision to write Iron Widow in first person perspective hinders the depth of the worldbuilding. The reader is limited to only Zetian’s experience in a society that looks down upon women and uses them as fodder for their mechas. The novel could have definitely benefited from at least acknowledging other women’s opinions on the patriarchy, where they identify within it, and how it impacted them.

But, despite its flaws, I wholeheartedly loved reading Iron Widow. I was so eager to read this book that I used the opportunity to write this book review as an excuse to order a hardcover copy from Amazon for my personal enjoyment. I will definitely be buying this novel’s sequel Heavenly Tyrant, when it releases next year. Also, check out Xiran Jay Zhao’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/XiranJayZhao), with detailed video essays on Chinese history and Asian-related media.