2021 SF, second of what is now planned to be at least a trilogy. Wu
Zetian overthrew the old corrupt order. Now things should be better,
right?
Really not, and after I very much enjoyed the first book I found
this one a depressing slog for most of its length. Where in the first
book Zetian was actively going out and doing things to make the
world better, here she's constrained in various ways and has to work
out just how far she's willing to compromise herself and her
principles in order to get even the most trivial bit of good done.
This is a post-revolutionary state, and if Mao's Cultural Revolution
is never once mentioned even in the author's notes, I wasn't born
yesterday and even I (not at all versed in Chinese history) can
recognise some of the elements. (There are of course parts taken from
the historical reigns of Wu Zetian and Qin Sheng here too.) It's messy
and real, as genuine desire to improve everyone's lot is quickly
supplanted by the settling of old and new scores.
But, well, Iron Widow may not have been a laugh-fest, but it had
genuinely positive actions to offset the brutality, not to mention an
enjoyable polyamorous romance. None of that is here, everyone hates
everyone else (with good reason), and as a reader I found myself
getting frustrated even with Zetian. I'd pick this up, read a few
pages, feel discouraged and let it lie for a bit.
I get it. Times are bad. But what had been an escapist and hopeful
story has now become a downtrodden and desperate one, and that's
really not what I was in the mood to read.