NetGalley Reviews – Kymiee tries to read

A huge thank you to **Shelea** from *Caffeine Book Tours* for giving me an opportunity to be a tour host of this amazing book!

BOOK INFORMATION

Title: Iron Widow

Author: Xiran Jay Zhao

Cover: Ashley Mackenzie

Publisher: Penguin Teen Canada

Publication date: 21 September 2021

Age group: Young Adult

Genres: Science Fiction, Historical Fiction

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. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.

To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.

On-page Representation	Trigger and Content Warnings
❁POC (East Asian) ❁ LGBTQ+ (Bisexuality, polyamory)	❁Violence and abuse, footbinding, suicide ideation, discussion and references to sexual assault (though no on-page depictions), alcohol addiction, and torture

I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book from the publisher and Caffeine Book Tours as part of my participation in their tour.

Iron Widow is a retelling of the rise of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor of imperial China. She reigned during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) and was one of the most effective and controversial monarchs in China’s history. ( World History Encyclopedia )

This book is so awesome!

How awesome you ask? I’m a contemporary genre type reader trying to get out of a reading slump and this book got me out of it!

It’s that good! I love how adventurous emotional, inspiring and reflective it is.

I love how the MC is willing to take risks no matter how the situation is.

I love this book so much! I love the way it was written. It’s amazing. She’s the character I want to be. I loved that she’s standing up for herself, destroying patriarchy and breaking down stereotypes. I loved the intensity of emotions, the pace of the story and how compelling it was. This is a new favorite!! I would highly recommend this book!

AUTHOR INFORMATION

Xiran Jay Zhao is a first-gen immigrant from small-town China who was raised by the Internet. A recent graduate of Vancouver’s Simon Fraser University, they wrote science fiction and fantasy while they probably should have been studying more about biochemical pathways. You can find them on Twitter for memes, Instagram for cosplays and fancy outfits, and YouTube for long videos about Chinese history and culture. Iron Widow is their first novel.

Author’s Website

I was diagnosed with a mental illness that can be debilitating at times. I am still in the process of learning how to live with my new normal.

I know it’s dark and twisty sometimes but I want you to know that you are not alone and help is available.

Please do not self-diagnose. A consult with a licensed professional (Psychiatrist/Psychologist) will tell you what you are experiencing.

COVID-19 Mental Health Resources

Of course there must be lots of Magic in the world,” he said wisely one day, “but people don’t know what it is like or how to make it. Perhaps the beginning is just to say nice things are going to happen until you make them happen. I am going to try and experiment.
― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

Ten-year-old Mary Lennox arrives at a secluded estate on the Yorkshire moors with a scowl and a chip on her shoulder. First, there’s Martha Sowerby: the too-cheery maid with bothersome questions who seems out of place in the dreary manor. Then there’s the elusive Uncle Craven, Mary’s only remaining family—whom she’s not permitted to see. And finally, there are the mysteries that seem to haunt the run-down place: rumors of a lost garden with a tragic past, and a midnight wail that echoes across the moors at night.

As Mary begins to explore this new world alongside her ragtag companions—a cocky robin redbreast, a sour-faced gardener, and a boy who can talk to animals—she learns that even the loneliest of hearts can grow roots in rocky soil.

Given new life as a graphic novel in illustrator Hanna Luechtefeld’s whimsical style, The Secret Garden is more enchanting and relevant than ever before. At the back of the book, readers can learn about the life of Frances Hodgson Burnett and the history of British colonialism that contextualizes the original novel.

—Goodreads, 2021

Number of Pages 192	Date Published Expected publication: June 15th 2021	Setting England
Genre Fiction, Classics, Childrens, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction	Format Net Galley Shelf App (PDF)	Publisher Andrews McMeel Publishing

I love the art style of this graphic novel. The fact that it’s a children’s classic made it more interesting because I tend to get intimidated with classic books. It was astonishing and a very cute adaptation. I think children would enjoy how adventurous and awe-inspiring it was.

I was having a rather bad day and this book really cheered me up. It was a very comforting read. I am excited for more adaptations by these artists. I would recommend it.