Iron Widow

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The instant #1 New York Times bestseller, now available in a stunning new paperback look with bonus content.

Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale in this blend of Chinese history and mecha science fiction for YA readers.

The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall of China. It doesn't matter that the girls die from the mental strain.

When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But when she gets her vengeance, it becomes clear that she is an Iron Widow, a rare kind of female pilot who can sacrifice males to power up Chrysalises instead.

To tame her frightening yet valuable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest male pilot in Huaxia, yet feared and ostracized for killing his father and brothers. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will take over instead, then leverage their combined strength to force her society to stop failing its women and girls. Or die trying.

This deluxe new paperback edition features eight pages of Chrysalis concept art and a discussion guide.

 
$11.99
 
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# of Pages: 416

Book Binding: Paperback

Year of Publication: 2023

Publisher: Tundra Books

Language: en

ISBN: 9780735269958

Xiran Jay Zhao is a Chinese-American author and filmmaker. Born in Shanghai, China and raised in New York, she holds a BA in comparative literature from Princeton University and an MFA in film production from USC School of Cinematic Arts. Before pursuing a career in writing, Zhao worked in the film industry, where she developed a passion for storytelling. She is the author of Iron Widow, her debut novel and the first book in a YA sci-fi series. Zhao's writing often explores themes of identity, family, and the intersection of Eastern and Western cultures. When she's not writing, Zhao can be found watching movies, playing video games, and practicing martial arts.