This book is a really good reminder that I need to stop forgetting that YA books exist.

You remember the film Pacific Rim, right? Big, daft action film with giant monsters being punched by giant robots? Imagine that but written by a very angry Chinese feminist. Are a lot of the themes incredibly on the nose? Yes. Did it harm the book? No. In my opinion, it only enhanced it. This was not a subtle book. It was brash and in your face about everything. It was never intended to be subtle. It was here to scream at you, and scream it did. The book is ridiculous and over the top and great fun.

Our main character is Zeitian, whose sister was murdered by one of the celebrity mech warriors who defends the people of Huaxia from the encroaching monsters. She decides to get revenge by volunteering as one of the mech warrior copilots (the problem being that, as a woman, the male pilot is expected to essentially use her as a human sacrifice to power the machine). Don’t worry though – she’s planning to murder him before she ever steps foot in there. What starts out as a dangerous revenge plot rapidly becomes something so much more.

Zeitian’s character growth is phenomenal. I love that she didn’t have the traditional arc of understanding her power – she knew she was a strong woman and she went out there to kick ass. Well, kick everything really. Zeitian was very angry. (In fact, it’s the main complaint I’ve seen from low star reviews of the book but I loved her for it. She suited it and it was nice to have a female character, especially in this setting, be so self-assured, arrogant, and forceful.) Her growth was far more centered on her overcoming her preconceptions and allowing herself to be vulnerable. Y’know, in between mech battles and planning to escape a horrifically oppressive patriarchal society. Look, she’s got a lot on, okay?

The ending was incredible. A lot of the book was predictable fun, but then that ending had my jaw drop with delight. Obviously I can’t say much without ruining it, but Zeitian makes it clear very early that she’s a woman who won’t settle and goddamn does she mean it.

Also, as a very minor spoiler, I did very much appreciate that there was a geometrically accurate love triangle. This is always one of my pet peeves in books that claim to have a love triangle. Most of them mean they have a love Less Than symbol. It’s not the same.

I’m off track, what I should be saying is: Do you like big stupid action books? Do you like angry feminism and even angrier, unapologetic women? Do you like awesome cool Chinese fantasy? You may want to give this a go.