Past the Hunger Games inspiration and a final plot twist that lacks originality, Xiran Jay Zhao manages to write a believable story of female rage, one that she sees through completely with no fear of alienating her audience. Some of the characters' dynamics could and should have been given a little more time to naturally evolve but, given how action packed the last part is, it makes sense the author wanted to get there as quickly as possible, no steam lost on characterisation.

All in all, this is a very promising start. My only complain would be that

Spoiler

Zetian is still weighed down by men at the end and willingly so this time

, but I trust the author to turn this around, the same way she turned the

Spoiler

“you need to stand in solidarity with every woman, no matter what”

discourse these books (and a certain branch of feminism) always spout.

Iron Widow is what The Scarlet Throne set out to do but couldn't deliver on: an ode to a female rage that's powered by hate and has no time for pesky things like morality or remorse; the world is just reaping what it sow.