Attention Toronto: Xiran Jay Zhao is coming to town! They’ll be appearing at Anime North July 15 to 17 to promote both Iron Widow and their middle grade novel, Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor. Grab tickets to Anime North and check out their schedule below:
Friday, July 15:
7:00PM: Fashion Show – North Ballroom, Toronto Congress Centre North Building
10:00PM: D20 Live – International C Room, Delta Hotel
Saturday, July 16:
12:30PM: Xiran Jay Zhao Q&A – Cohen Ballroom, Toronto Congress Centre South Building
2:00PM: Autograph session – Hall A, Toronto Congress Centre South Building
Sunday, July 17:
4:30PM: LGBTQ+ Book Recommendations – Pinsent Room, Toronto Congress Centre South Building
Can’t make it to Anime North? Xiran will be stopping by a few local bookstores to sign stock – support your fave indies by ordering from them (you could also ask for personalized copies!).
Iron Widow
By Xiran Jay Zhao
400 Pages | Ages 14+ | Hardcover
ISBN 9780735269934 | Penguin Teen Canada
The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn’t matter that the girls often 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 she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected – she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.​ To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia​. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way – and stop more girls from being sacrificed.