Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Wu Zetian is, without a doubt, awesome. She is one of my favorite heroines. From the first pages, she drew me in and kept me guessing what she was going to do, and every time she blew me away with her attitude and flair. The novel’s twists and turns were (for me) unpredictable—and that’s a hard feat. That, mixed with Xiran’s stellar descriptions and worldbuilding, had me hooked for DAYS after I read it. There are themes of feminism, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities are prominent in the writing. The first time I read it was in 2021. I have been patiently waiting for three years for the sequel, and I’m excited to say that for Christmas this year, I finally got a publication date, AND the second book. Keep a lookout for Heavenly Tyrant for a chance to see where Zeitan’s story goes after this excellent read.

Mariah Wills, Library Clerk

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