Nals’s Reviews > Iron Widow > Status Update

I feel like the characters’ reputations are half developed. Public image becomes important to save them but the characters don’t wonder about certain footage being leaked, or generally the consequences of their actions. If they live by the public eye they need to think about it at least a little. If they live by the strategists will they need to worry about that too. It doesn’t factor into decisions enough.

Ha ha ha ha!!!!! Yesss.
Very melodramatic but like… why not?

He better not be a love interest. This is dehumanizing.

I had hoped that the Hunduns were revealed to not actually be evil, and that there’s a military conspiracy to hunt them down and use them for better weapons, but I’m worried that isn’t going to happen.

Noooo she’s not going to fall in love with the evil pilot, is she? I just feel like if pilots are the peak metaphor for men who use and throw away women, how do you justify redeeming and romanticizing one? But Yang Guang is getting the sexy YA love interest description… I hope that there’s a plot twist and it’s not him.

Super interesting. The style is a little unpolished but the ideas and characters are so so interesting. It’s very forward and strong with its messaging about the role of women, but I don’t think it has to be more subtle—it’s cathartic. Also, this book is proof (along with Legendborn) that diverse writers are needed for fantasy because they bring a new perspective.