I was sooooooo excited to get my hands on this book, and it did not disappoint!!
Zetian continued to live up a morally gray character I can enjoy. I also really enjoyed the nuance the author gave what an active economic revolution could be in a fantasy setting.
15/10 recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy/sci-fi and an extremely morally gray cast!

So much to say about this book—I am completely enraptured by the world-building in this series. I continue loving Wu Zetian's anti-hero character arc. I love the ensemble cast and their morally grey character developments too.
Qin Zheng is an incredibly complicated villain, and I still hesitate to call him a villain. He's an absolutist with strong moral convictions and absolutely identically matched to Zetian in his hunger for power. Their constant push and pull for the upper hand is a constant theme, and they're so damn intense that it was hard to put down the book.

I am disappointed to see that some people expected this series to center romance in its storytelling, or think that Wu Zetian needs to work towards redemption. Idk man, open the schools. Teach literary analysis. Learn subtext.

A long awaited sequel, Zetian must contend not only with her entire knowledge of her world being turned upside down, but deal with the consequences of her actions at the end of the previous novel, handle the grief of loosing someone she loved, and deal with a reawakened Emperor that had been kept asleep for over 200 years. Oh, and she also now is a major head of state who finds herself constrained by the will of the returned Emperor. 

Writing this review hurts my heart. Not because that as a whole this book was disappointing. just the opposite in major ways. it expands the world and mythology. It opens up new areas of 'magic' if you will.  Its exploration of how socialism works in practice versus paper and how dismantling capitalize doesn't mean a complete destruction of the behaviors that make it so very flawed at best and oppressive to many others is remarkable. there is incredibly deep thinking social, economical, and cultural thinking. it's a good reflection on how actions and intentions effect history in ways we can't anticipate. There are scenes of action that are rightfully sweeping. The depiction of the complexity of personality, in particular when someone is powered by their own anger, and how not even 'negative' emotions are necessarily white or black promoting good and bad actions and thought process is something there's a lot of room for. 

What has me screaming with frustration and yanking down the review is that the relationship parts of this novel aren't just toxic. I am all for showing a journey through a toxic relationship and welcome it being one that carries problems from both parties. That type of storytelling would make the 'things to be admired' list. What I have a problem with is that while Zetian will have these reflections on how she knows she's reacting badly, or that the Emperor's actions aren't right, or extreme, or short sited she immediately shoves that down and acts completely contradictory in the next breath. this is a trait of being stuck in a destructive cycle, but the book NEVER addresses this or leads to a healing process. 

There is a moment of sudden revelation where she acts drastically and stands her ground but it comes so close to the ending that it almost feels too late at that point. The 'romantasy' genre is full of 'bad boy' romances, 'enemies to lovers'. This is someone who acts absolutely abusively and controlling from day one. There is understanding in only that they both realize they are angry people and flawed. But the types of problems are not equal. It's really concerning for me as someone who's older to see for so much of this book seeing a lead character constantly manipulated knowing that this will have younger viewers. 

the first book dealt with righteous anger and a relationship that was healing. It also managed to have a romance element that didn't take over the plot. That was even before the in depth world and fantastical elements that I adored. To see it go from there, to here, even if the reader isn't really led to 'cheer' for a relationship like this, to have so much focus and such a long book with this as what is preoccupying and entrancing our protagonist's life is really glamorizing it all the same. 

It really hurts to have a book that has so many brilliant points to have such backwards character development. Even a new revelation about a previous existing character that comes to light that could have had some really interesting consequences really gets boiled down to make a villain of and outcast the character. Which is also somehow worse to Zetian because it's unexpected compared to the actions of the Emperor who gets a pass because "it's just like him to do that, I don't expect less." 

I  remain curious about how this series will conclude. I will probably pick it up on release. But it's hard not to admit that something is so wonderful and so deeply disappointing on one hand and the other. 

5 ⭐ CW: (provided by the author) violence, abuse, body horror, mass murder, toxic relationship dynamics, discussions of reproductive coercion, allusions to childhood sexual abuse, references to miscarriage, domestic violence, sexual assault, and suicide

"They tell me you are vulgar, dangerous, bloodthirsty, self-absorbed, manipulative, and all-around, affront to sensibility. What do you have to say for yourself, Wu Zetian? 

Yes, that's pretty much who I am. Still want to marry me, Your Majesty?" 

Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao is book two in the Iron Widow series. I have been waiting so long for this book, and it did not disappoint! There is so much female rage in this, just like in book one, but this time it's much more politically focused. This was a very long book, but it kept my attention the whole time. Possible spoilers for book one ahead. 

We pick up with Zetian after the events of book one, and she finds herself to have inadvertently started a revolution by waking Emperor Qin Zheng. Now Zetian has to live with the choices she has made and the people she has killed to get here. We find that despite her justifiable rage against the establishment, Zetian is quite naive about what happens after you topple a government and what it actually takes to have power and rule a country. We see her very unhealthy relationship with Qin Zheng, and the heartbreak and betrayal she endures from someone she loves. 

Absolutely so much happened in this book, it's impossible to summarize it all. We get way more on the political side of things in this book as we see Zetian learning more about how government works and learns about the laborist movement. I have such complicated feelings about Qin Zheng, because one the one hand, he and Zetian's relationship is extremely toxic and he's definitely a dick, but on the other hand, he has some fairly progressive political ideas. Don't get me wrong, Zetian is also extremely toxic to Zheng as well. We learn so much more about the Hunduns and about the gods in the Heavenly Court. Some wild stuff happens at the end that leaves us on a cliffhanger about Shimin. 

I'm so mad we had to wait so long for this book, and now I have to wait again for book three! 😭 I just want these characters to be happy. I loved this book, this series is definitely a favorite. Many tabs were used in the reading of this book.