Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

467 reviews

livrosnoanonimato's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

My favourite book ever 
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sadetanssija's review against another edition

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adventurous dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I recognise many many flaws with this book, and yet... I found myself enjoying it a lot.

Mainly because good polyam rep is so hard to find, I'm willing to forgo a lot of other standards.

To quote a good movie: "It makes no damn sense. Compels me though."
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embersbooknook's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I don’t know exactly what I was expecting when I picked up this book but HOLY SHIT🤯  It blew my mind.  It was such a huge undertaking of a book in that I feel like, while we could nitpick character arcs and plot rhythm, the scope of the book was, to me at least, very focused on the undertaking of exposing the evils of empire, and of the consequences of peoples and groups of peoples too long oppressed, and the way that systems of oppression harm EVERYONE.  

I really appreciate the way Xiran captures this
especially in the way that men are shown to be being lied to, fooled, and used by the powers that be, too.  Especially with them being ‘tributes’ once they reach a certain age.  Also in the way that many of the male pilots don’t want to hurt their female co-pilots and yet do because they have bought the lies, but then also live with the guilt because they don’t realize the whole thing is totally rigged.  It’s deep and feels so chillingly close to our own realities
.   

While there’s SO much more to say about anti-colonialism/empire, sexism, gender based violence and oppression, and propaganda, this was a fantastic beginning.  I feel like the soul of the book is Zetian fighting back for all those who can’t anymore, and to make sure that those to in future generations don’t face the same abuse, violence, and oppression that she and all those before have had to. 

On a lighter note
MY THROUPLE BETTER MAKE IT DAMMIT!!!  They’ve been through enough, I want them to rule the world as a throuple - Zetian, Yizhi, and Shimin just need to be okay at the end of this. 😭😭❤️‍🩹
 

I appreciate the stage that was set in this book, and I am simultaneously terrified and excited for book two, and to see the next level of these discussions.  
I really haven’t properly captured this book because I am still processing it, and will be for some time to come.  10/10 would recommend.  I will be tagging some content warnings below, although the author also provides them in the beginning of the book.  Definitely read this one when you’re feeling stalwart because it’s some heavy themes but well handled and important. 🙌🏽  
Okay, gonna go preorder Heavenly Tyrant now…😉 
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morgs_gray's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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islayfraser's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

So good and so complex. It addresses so many issues relevant in Canada and other countries, right now and in the past. Intersectional feminism, queer and gender theory, characters of colour, this book has it all! It even addresses decolonization, which I (surprisingly, considering how colonial many fantasy works are) don't see much in fantasy literature!
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justagrlandherdog's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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confusedmuse's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

 Nowadays I'm hesitant to start series that aren't already finished, but this one has come up often enough with enough praise that I decided to just go for it. And I only wish I'd done that sooner. As an anime fan who was wildly disappointed that Darling in the Franxx did not live up to its promise, I went through each chapter of this book with ever-increasing glee. All of my thanks go to the author for writing the kind of story that I'd wanted to see from that show.

I didn't read this book so much as devour it - from the second the main character chooses revenge over love, you're there in the whirlwind of events that follow. I could not put this book down. I needed to know just how far Zetian would go to tear down the society that was trying so hard to grind her into dust - and also hoping that she'd find some inner peace for herself at the end of it. All of this, plus an on-page polyamorous relationship, and I loved every moment of this story, even as the cliffhanger ending reminded me yet again why I usually wait for a series to be over.

Thanks to all of that, for most of this book I was ready to give it five stars just for the emotions that it inspired in me. But the last thirty pages or so highlighted the one major problem I have with it - the author keeps pulling back to tell rather than show. I'm not sure why the author does this - I could accept it in the scenes where the characters were quickly moving from place to place, or when it was clear that it was acting as a written version of a montage. But in the middle of action sequences or as a way to share important plot information? Not as much. And the author can craft compelling scenes - I'd find myself lost in the conversations, imagining the clothes, the armor, the way the mechs were fighting. But then that flow would be interrupted by pulling backwards to tell how someone sounded, rather than show it through their words. At times it felt like the author was afraid to go all in, but I wish that they'd let even more loose. The book is already hundreds of pages - some extra space to properly flesh out scenes wouldn't be that much more to ask, would it? 

Regardless, I'm joining the legion of people waiting for the sequel. And I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that Zetain finds her happy ending, whatever she decides that looks like. 
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evann140's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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ixris's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

What if pac rim met the hunger games and starship troopers in a back parking lot and had a gender fist fight. 

Very fun. Top tier writing. I have one complaint and it's about how short-lived the best shape got to be. 
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r3ader's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This was... an experience. A book that is filled with pure female rage and feminism. A book that shocks you, that makes you angry, sad and happy. An ending making you wish to be able to read the next book INSTANTLY. Still, something was missing for me to give it the full 5 stars. 
I'm looking forward to part 2 and seeing how it will all play out. 
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