Iron Widow, published in 2021 by Penguin Teen, is the debut novel by author Xiran Jay Zhao. A young adult science fiction retelling loosely inspired by the real-life story of Emperor Wu of Liang's concubines (particularly the "Iron Widow" Yang Yuhuan and the legend of court intrigue), it blends mecha anime aesthetics, Chinese historical elements, and futuristic world-building. Zhao, who is non-binary and draws from their Huaxia (Chinese) heritage, wrote the book as a subversive take on gender dynamics, drawing comparisons to The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang and Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan. It's the first in a planned series, with sequels Iron Widow 2: The Rouge Prophecy and Iron Widow 3: Crimson Reign in development.
