1
of
1
Iron Widow
The TikTok sensation
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 105,382 ratings, 22,489 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2299
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Backorder
STOCK ARRIVING EARLY NOVEMBER
Order now to secure your copy from our next shipment
Found a better price? Request a price match
Iron Widow
$2299
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Latest News
The Book Briefing 21/10/2026
Welcome back to another edition of 'The Book Briefing', your weekly round-up of all the...
Story to Screen - 21/10/26
It's been another huge week in the world of book-to-screen adaptations! From record-breaking trailers and...
Things We Learned from an Evening with Alice Oseman
Liam and Lizzy went along to an evening with Alice Oseman of Heartstopper! Here are...
The Book Hero Team's Wins and Misses in Film and TV Adaptations
We all love arguing in a mostly good-natured way about which adaptations of our favourite...
Vanya Insull (aka VJ Cooks) visits Book Hero
We were lucky to have a visit from popular foodie, home cook and baker Vanya...
See more
Chinese history and mecha sci-fi combine in this dazzling YA retelling
Science fiction and East Asian myth combine in this dazzling retelling of the rise of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
Instant New York Times No.1 Bestseller
‘Absolutely epic. This is the historical-inspired, futuristic sci-fi mash-up of my wildest dreams.’ Chloe Gong
‘Think The Handmaid’s Tale meets Pacific Rim and buckle up.’ Shelley Parker-Chan
‘Like its ferocious heroine, Iron Widow is brutal, bloodthirsty and full of rage.’ Julie C. Dao
I have no faith in love. Love cannot save me. I choose vengeance.
The boys of Huaxia dream of the celebrity status that comes with piloting Chrysalises – giant transforming robots that battle the aliens beyond the Great Wall. Their female co-pilots are expected to serve as concubines and sacrifice their lives.
When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, her plan is to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister’s death. But upon miraculously emerging from the cockpit unscathed after her first battle, she is declared an Iron Widow – the most feared pilot of all.
Now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she sets her sights on bigger things. The time has come to stop more girls from being sacrificed.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao is celebrated for its originality and thrilling narrative. The protagonist, Zetian, is praised as a fierce and inspiring character driving the story's intense and heart-wrenching events. The novel is described as epic and cinematic, leaving a strong impression on readers.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780861542116
Publisher: Oneworld Publications
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 08 September 2022
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Rock the Boat
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 29.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 416
About the Author
Xiran Jay Zhao (they/ them) is a first-generation immigrant to Canada from small-town China (which, for China, means a town of 4 million people). A recent graduate from Vancouver’s Simon Fraser University, they wrote sci-fi and fantasy books while they probably should’ve been studying more biochemical pathways. You can find them on Twitter @XiranJayZhao for daily shitposts, Instagram as xiranjayzhao for cosplays and very extra outfits and YouTube as Xiran Jay Zhao for videos about Chinese history and culture. Iron Widow is their first novel.
Also by Xiran Jay Zhao
View all-
Heavenly Tyrant
“She is hated by both men and gods, and heaven and earth cannot allow her to exist.” After suffering devastating loss, Zetian finds herself at the seat of power in Huaxia. But her world is not as it seems, and revelations about an enemy more daunting than she imagined force her to share her power with a dangerous man. Despite...Paperback$2699Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor
Zachary Ying has never learned about his Chinese heritage. So when he’s chosen to host the spirit of the First Emperor of China for a vital mission, he is woefully unprepared. As a result, the Emperor botches his attempt to possess Zack’s body and binds to his AR gaming headset instead. Now, with the legendary tyrant yapping in his headset,...Paperback$5499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Heavenly Tyrant
THE WAIT IS OVER. ZEITAN IS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE.She is hated by both men and gods, and heaven and earth cannot allow her to exist.After suffering devastating loss and making drastic decisions, Zetian finds herself on the seat of power in Huaxia, but she has also learned that her world is not as it seems. Revelations about an enemy who dangles one of her loved ones...Paperback$2299Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks
More from Young Adult
View all-
New ReleaseThe Sixth Faction
Beatrice Prior stands on the brink of a decision every person in her world must make: five factions, five futures, five lives. She has a plan: she's going to make the bravest choice, and leave Abnegation behind to join Dauntless, even though it means leaving her family behind. But when tragedy strikes at her Choosing Ceremony, everything changes—her world, her...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New Release21 Days of Fear: A Letters Thriller
A heart-wrenching YA thriller told in an advent calendar format, paced for amping up the chilling suspense! What would you do to bring your sister back from the dead? After Lucas’s sister mysteriously disappeared ten years ago, his family was torn apart. His mother has been lost in a deep depression ever since, his father has been unable to speak...Hardback$3500Elsewhere:$4500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseThe Star Path
A young whale searches for the whale rider's heir and a teenager takes an epic voyage to Antarctica with a fleet of waka hourua to claim his lost inheritance, in this breathtaking return to the world of global hit The Whale Rider, over thirty years on. From the internationally acclaimed author of The Whale Rider comes a novel about the...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Song of the Saltings
On the isolated island of Brack, the people live by an ancient bargain: every year, a sacrifice must be made to the Glimm, the creature that haunts the salt marshes. Eight years ago, it should have taken Lotta. Instead, the monster spared her and claimed her pony, shattering tradition and anointing her both folk hero and object of suspicion. Now...Paperback$2499Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Tell Me with Kisses
From New York Times bestselling author and Wattpad sensation Mercedes Ron comes the English translation of the third in the Tell Me series, where Kamila Hamilton is caught between the two Di Bianco brothers after they burst back into her life. From New York Times bestselling author and Wattpad sensation Mercedes Ron comes the English translation of the third in...Paperback$2399Elsewhere:$2800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Release Me
The searing second volume in a new series set in the #1 global bestselling Shatter Me universe ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment. Rosabelle Wolff had a plan. Now she wants revenge. To save her sister she needs to get back home and destroy the system that created her. Rosabelle’s greatest strength is her ability to deaden her...$2200Elsewhere:$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
A Language of Dragons
The most exciting debut of 2025 – an incredible fantasy Dark Academia, perfect for fans of Babel, Fourth Wing, and the Scholomance trilogy. EVERY FIRE STARTS WITH A SINGLE SPARK. Welcome to Bletchley Park… with dragons. London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivien Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules,...Paperback$1700Elsewhere:$2299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
18% offShatter Me: Shatter Me series 1
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi is a gripping dystopian novel that plunges readers into a world where society is on the brink of collapse. At the heart of this chaos is Juliette, a 17-year-old girl with a fatal touch—literally. For 264 days, Juliette has been imprisoned in solitary confinement, her only crime being an accidental touch that resulted in death....Paperback$1800Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Cozy Corner
Relax and unwind with this adorable colouring book – it’s time to get cozy! Step into a world of calm and comfort with Cozy Corner, featuring 45 beautiful hand-drawn pages ready for you to colour in. Settle into your very own cozy corner with these brand new colouring pages! This follow-up to Coco Wyo's beloved Little Corner promises a new...Paperback$1700Elsewhere:$2100Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Bunny vs Monkey: The Great Big Glitch (a Phoenix Comic Book): the instant number one bestselling book from Jamie Smart, Illustrator of the Year
When Bunny, Monkey and friends discover a glitch in reality, life gets even crazier than normal: Bunny declares himself The Woods' Magical Protector, Pig becomes a superspy, plus there's complete metal Monkey mayhem! Experience the laughs and chaos in Bunny vs Monkey: The Great Big Glitch (a Phoenix Comic Book), the instant number one bestselling book from Jamie Smart, Illustrator...Paperback$2499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Summer I Turned Pretty
The Summer I Turned Pretty is now a major new TV series on Amazon Prime! If you loved The Kissing Booth and Jenny Han's smash-hit Netflix movie series To All the Boys I Loved Before, then you'll adore this gorgeously funny, romantic story! Everything that happened this past summer, and every summer before it, has all led up to this....Paperback$2400Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson is the New York Times No.1 bestselling YA crime thriller that has captivated readers globally. Now adapted into a major BBC series, this intricately plotted and intensely gripping novel is being lauded as a modern classic in young adult literature. Pippa Fitz-Amobi, an intelligent and determined high school student, is looking...Paperback$1800Elsewhere:$2299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
Young Adult lists from the team
Explore our curated lists from our heroes to find your next read!
-
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listYoung Adult
Emily's Romance and Romantasy Recommendations for 13-16 Year Olds
These romance and romantasy reads are sweet without the spice, and Emily's favourite ten picks for people aged 13-16 who are looking...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listYoung Adult
Lizzy's Favourite Young Adult Romance
In this list there really is a bit of everything - coming of age stories, magical stories about enemies to lovers, boarding...View the list -
![]()
![]()
![]()
Lizzy's listYoung Adult
Emily's YA Recommendations
The amazing Emily visited Book Hero and made a list of some of her favourite reads - perfect for ages 12 and...View the list
