✨️ Book review ✨️
*no spoilers*

𝗜𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗶𝗱𝗼𝘄 - 𝗫𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝘆 𝗭𝗵𝗮𝗼

🤖 The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn't matter that the girls often die from the mental strain. When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. 🤖

I went into this book expecting to love it. To my disappointment, it was only ok.

Wu Zetian (fmc) is an interesting character and she is based on a real historical character (the only female empress of china). The journey she goes through is very much the stuff I like to read about, but this book did not go deep enough for me.

The idea of the story in itself is interesting and the plot has some unexpected turns. Yet the final twist came a bit out of nowhere. I liked the twist, but I wish it had been forshadowed a bit more (if it was, I missed the hints and in that case the blame is on me) instead of focusing on the obvious.

My main problem with this book is the lack of subtext. Everything is spelled out and explained. For me, this made reading a bit repetitive and boring.

And I did roll my eyes a couple of times, because the three main characters seem to be the only ones in the entire planet to see past the propaganda and think past the cultural norms. Is it believable that no one else ever thought about these things?

I recommend if you like:
🤖 robots/mechas
🌋 YA dystopia/fantasy
🔥 badass fmc
⛱️ easy reads with flowing writing style

📓 Xiran Jay Zhao: Iron Widow (Penguin Teen, 2021 | kansi: Ashley Mackenzie, Terri Nimmo and Talia Abramson)

#kirjapixelfed #kirjapixel #kirjamastodon #bookpixelfed #bookpixel #bookmastodon #xiranjayzhao #ironwidow

I rushed to be on the holds list for #Heavenlytyrant by #XiranjayZhao My #library finally tore it from other readers for me and I made my way through it. And I’m not sure how I feel. #bookreview #Sciencefiction #Fantasy #newbooks #reading more at the blog (which I’m really trying to grow!) https://hollysreadingescapades.blogspot.com/2025/01/book-review-heavenly-tyrant-by-xiran.html?m=1