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A review by ellenisntcool
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was a good sequel but not without its flaws unfortunately.
I enjoyed the action and relationship building, but then the last 100 pages were confusing and a bit problematic.
To start, I’m confused on why we destroyed Yizhi’s character and then switched it to oh he was doing the right thing all along!! It’s too late, you now made me deeply uncomfortable with how he violated Zeitian’s trust with her body which Qin Zheng also did by doing surgery on her feet to fix her disability (which now writing it down, as someone who’s disabled that’s actually quite fucked up), but I was rooting for a somewhat forbidden romance between Yizhi and Zeitian but it got destroyed.
Also, I thought we’d be saving Shimin but well, no he’s gone. He was only there to build up Zeitian’s character but it no longer felt emotionally charged because the whole Heavenly Court was confusing and weird and I was angry at Yizhi the whole time so I wasn’t rooting for the three to reunite and then it didn’t matter anyway!! Cause Shimin is dead and gone and Yizhi is a fucking dick so the relationship is dead!
I’m conflicted when it comes to Qin Zheng. Because he was stuck in a fake quarantine we didn’t see him do much aside from threaten Zeitian and be an Emperor. Then when they have sex (which is more graphic for YA) it didn’t feel like she was actually giving consent it felt like coercion so he could get what he wants. His entire character felt a bit wasted, but now he’s the villain I suppose after Zeitian stabbed him??
I don’t know I’ll still read book 3 when it releases but so far this wasn’t the strongest end to a story and the cliffhanger was okay. I do think if I didn’t re-read iron widow beforehand I would be rating it higher.
I enjoyed the action and relationship building, but then the last 100 pages were confusing and a bit problematic.
Also, I thought we’d be saving Shimin but well, no he’s gone. He was only there to build up Zeitian’s character but it no longer felt emotionally charged because the whole Heavenly Court was confusing and weird and I was angry at Yizhi the whole time so I wasn’t rooting for the three to reunite and then it didn’t matter anyway!! Cause Shimin is dead and gone and Yizhi is a fucking dick so the relationship is dead!
I’m conflicted when it comes to Qin Zheng. Because he was stuck in a fake quarantine we didn’t see him do much aside from threaten Zeitian and be an Emperor. Then when they have sex (which is more graphic for YA) it didn’t feel like she was actually giving consent it felt like coercion so he could get what he wants. His entire character felt a bit wasted, but now he’s the villain I suppose after Zeitian stabbed him??
I don’t know I’ll still read book 3 when it releases but so far this wasn’t the strongest end to a story and the cliffhanger was okay. I do think if I didn’t re-read iron widow beforehand I would be rating it higher.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, Murder, and War
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, and Pregnancy
Minor: Confinement, Torture, Police brutality, Grief, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail