Reviewed by Hannah Bazinaw
Mecha suits, Chinese mythology, and a protagonist that is, quite frankly, kind of a bitch. These aren’t the classic elements that come to mind when creating a retelling with a twist, but it’s what makes the sci-fi story of China’s first and only female emperor Wu Zetian work. Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao is the second book in her sci-fi series Iron Widow.
Heavenly Tyrant takes place in Huaxia, a futuristic version of China engaged in a never ending war with the alien Hunduns. The novel has a similar vibe to The Poppy War series by R.F. Kuang, but with a much more casual tone. While the first book focused on Zetian’s rage against the system and seeking revenge, Heavenly Tyrant takes a moment to unpack the pieces that make up the big picture. What does it mean to be complicit in the system? Is reformation truly possible? Is humanity capable of it? And, maybe most importantly, do they deserve it? The narrative also delves deeper into themes of propaganda, and whether or not the ends justify the means.
Zhao bucks YA literature conventions on every page. Zetian is an angry and unapologetic protagonist whose thirst for vengeance is only rivaled by her ambition. Despite these character traits sounding like the perfect recipe for an unlikable protagonist, Zetian has only grown more complex and sympathetic since the first book. We watch as she juggles unlearning everything she thought she knew, all while being thrust into a position of power she is wholly unready for.
As she learns to fulfill her new role as Huaxia’s empress, Zetian is engaged in constant conflicts. She plots in secret to overthrow the gods, collides head first with hunduns on the battlefield, and grapples with her conscience over the supposed necessities of war. Zetian struggles to navigate this while simultaneously engaged in a battle of wits with Qin Zheng, her unconventional love interest and the legendary emperor that was frozen in time for 200 years before Zetian woke him up–a decision she regrets more often than not.
Heavenly Tyrant is afforded its ability to transcend traditional genre barriers by virtue of being published outside of the United States. Zhao has described on her TikTok account the rejection she faced when trying to publish her books through U.S. publishing houses, despite several editors expressing liking it. A sci-fi reimagining of the rise of China’s first female emperor (one that resolves its love triangle with a polyamorous relationship, no less) apparently wasn’t something American publishers were willing to take the risk on.
Zhao’s books are published through the Canadian branch of Penguin Random House, which seems to allow her significantly more freedom. Despite being labeled as young adult fiction, it transcends restrictions that often makes those stories feel too juvenile for older audiences. There are the superficial things, like Zetian’s enthusiastic use of expletives, but it also allows Zhao to confront misogyny head on instead of dancing around it.
A real problem Zetian faces is that the public doesn’t view her as empress material after her multiple stunts in the first book: laughing maniacally over the dead body of her first co-pilot, playing up the seductress angle for the cameras, her entanglement with a prisoner-turned-co pilot, and most damningly, the mass murder of the old regime. The only thing keeping her from death is her new status as empress, and the only thing keeping that status is the commands of her husband and the idea that their union would produce flawless heirs. The novel confronts Zetian’s explicit fear of rape and impregnation without softening its language, a choice that makes it all the more impactful.
Although it’s based on the real Empress Wu Zetian, there doesn’t seem to be an abundance of similarities between the protagonist and the historical figure so far. Empress Wu started her climb to power as a concubine to the emperor, who she had several children with. This couldn’t be further from the story of the fictional Wu Zetian, but she shares the most important thing with her historical counterpart: her thirst for power.
Heavenly Tyrant is a good read for those who love sci-fi and Chinese mythology. But for the girls that burn with rage, it’s the perfect choice.