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The Iron Man #2
The Iron Woman
The streaming shape reared . . . like a sudden wall of cliff, pouring cataracts of black mud and clotted, rooty lumps of reeds.
Mankind for has polluted the seas, lakes and rivers. The Iron Woman has come to take revenge.
Lucy understands the Iron Woman's rage and she too wants to save the water creatures from their painful deaths. But she also wants to save her town from total destruction.
She needs help. Who better to call on but Hogarth and the Iron Man . . . ?
A sequel and companion piece to Ted Hughes' The Iron Man, this new, child-friendly setting will be treasured by a new generation of readers.
87 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
58 people are currently reading
682 people want to read
About the author
Ted Hughes
375 books725 followersEdward James Hughes was an English poet, translator, and children's writer. Critics frequently rank him as one of the best poets of his generation and one of the twentieth century's greatest writers. He was appointed Poet Laureate in 1984 and held the office until his death. In 2008, The Times ranked Hughes fourth on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".
He married fellow poet Sylvia Plath in 1956, and they lived together in the United States and then in England, in a tumultuous relationship. They had two children before separating in 1962 and Plath ended her own life in 1963.
He married fellow poet Sylvia Plath in 1956, and they lived together in the United States and then in England, in a tumultuous relationship. They had two children before separating in 1962 and Plath ended her own life in 1963.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
October 9, 2024
Review to follow.
June 20, 2021
Well I will admit that I am weak when it comes to the distraction of a good book - and as part of the move and shake up of my collection continues there is just a constant stream of books that scream for my attention. And so I pick up the Iron Woman the sequel to the more famous Iron Man (and thanks to the animated film the Iron Giant).
This book (at least to me) shows all the beauty and talent that the late Ted Hughes had at his disposal. Years before the environmental disasters become headline news (although to be honest if you start looking there have been people warning of it for years if not decades) and presents us with a answer.
Yes we have fantasy in full flight both in how it dealt with and how it is concluded but for me that is not the point. The point here is that something that does not have a voice is given one and from there the real power comes. Ironically this could be applied to a lot of things today - where currently there is no way of them to tell their story and share their pain - what would come if of it if suddenly they were able to do so.
This may not have all the appeal of the Iron man but for me I think it still demands the respect and attention and if the end I hope a suitable conclusion;
This book (at least to me) shows all the beauty and talent that the late Ted Hughes had at his disposal. Years before the environmental disasters become headline news (although to be honest if you start looking there have been people warning of it for years if not decades) and presents us with a answer.
Yes we have fantasy in full flight both in how it dealt with and how it is concluded but for me that is not the point. The point here is that something that does not have a voice is given one and from there the real power comes. Ironically this could be applied to a lot of things today - where currently there is no way of them to tell their story and share their pain - what would come if of it if suddenly they were able to do so.
This may not have all the appeal of the Iron man but for me I think it still demands the respect and attention and if the end I hope a suitable conclusion;
December 16, 2015
Oh dear. Could this get any more preachy? All my children have enjoyed reading The Iron Man for themselves but this sequel is turgid, boring and sexist (why don't the women turn into river creatures too? See how they flounder now that the men aren't there to run things!)
Great swathes of the most clumsy and unpoetic prose make this a difficult one to 'read aloud' too.
Just awful.
Great swathes of the most clumsy and unpoetic prose make this a difficult one to 'read aloud' too.
Just awful.
April 8, 2025
A decent follow up to the iron man but lacks the same charm as the previous novel.
May 19, 2024
Disappointing book. I had high hopes for this book being a fan of the Iron Giant film and Ted Hughes poetry. The image of the iron woman was strong but the storyline and especially the ending weak
August 17, 2015
I haven't read this book's classic prequel, 'The Iron Man', so any comparisons I have are from the fantastic 1999 Disney film adaptation, 'The Iron Giant'. With that film's focus on friendship blooming out of a shared feeling of otherness and how that clashes with the paranoid Cold War backdrop of 1950s America - this setting, however, is where the film deviates from the book - 'The Iron Woman' comes as a shock to those expecting a tale of companionship.
It becomes clear early on that this story, and the Iron Woman herself, is retaliating to the built-up destruction of the planet by humanity's excesses and waste.
DESTROY THE POISONERS.
THE IGNORANT ONES.
DESTROY THE POISONERS.
THE IGNORANT ONES.
THE RUBBISHERS.
DESTROY.
THE RUBBISHERS.
DESTROY.
These robotic lamentations should convince the reader of her seemingly mechanical origins, however these are the cries of the river and its wildlife, of which she is born. We learn that this river is linked to a nearby waste disposal plant, which is beginning to kill everything natural nearby to it due to its rapacious growth as a business.
After discovering the Iron Woman emerging from the muddy swamps of the river, Lucy - our protagonist and counterpart to Hogarth in 'The Iron Man' - is paid a visit in the middle of the night by the Iron Woman, whereby she is presented with flowers. This rare moment of tenderness - showing an affinity and love for nature shared between the woman and girl, who on the surface are polar opposites - is quickly followed by the enduring, and much less idyllic, imagery of the book.
The Iron Woman shows Lucy a fiery tunnel cut into the river revealing its various inhabitants writhing, contorting and crying in pain; Otters, Kingfishers, Frogs, all presenting their unique wounds from a polluted environment. Most important of all, at the end of this hellish parade, a baby "simply crying - the wailing, desperate cry of a human baby when it cries as if the world has ended".
Hughes really doesn't soften the ecological message intended for his young readership; the fantastical scenes have a very real, matter-of-factness about them. Even the surreal humour of the factory workers and ignorant townspeople, transforming into all varieties of fish and pond life, asks the horrific question of 'is it too late? Have we gone too far?'. Despite the positive ending to the book, those questions will be the resounding sentiments to its readers.
A hugely important book for children to read and one that won't stop being relevant until humanity rethinks its approach to how it treats this planet. These issues are all presented as being something that future generations can change and be actively responsible for. Most significantly it achieves what we, and especially children, often hope to find in a book; that it changes our outlook and approach to life for the better.
It becomes clear early on that this story, and the Iron Woman herself, is retaliating to the built-up destruction of the planet by humanity's excesses and waste.
DESTROY THE POISONERS.
THE IGNORANT ONES.
DESTROY THE POISONERS.
THE IGNORANT ONES.
THE RUBBISHERS.
DESTROY.
THE RUBBISHERS.
DESTROY.
These robotic lamentations should convince the reader of her seemingly mechanical origins, however these are the cries of the river and its wildlife, of which she is born. We learn that this river is linked to a nearby waste disposal plant, which is beginning to kill everything natural nearby to it due to its rapacious growth as a business.
After discovering the Iron Woman emerging from the muddy swamps of the river, Lucy - our protagonist and counterpart to Hogarth in 'The Iron Man' - is paid a visit in the middle of the night by the Iron Woman, whereby she is presented with flowers. This rare moment of tenderness - showing an affinity and love for nature shared between the woman and girl, who on the surface are polar opposites - is quickly followed by the enduring, and much less idyllic, imagery of the book.
The Iron Woman shows Lucy a fiery tunnel cut into the river revealing its various inhabitants writhing, contorting and crying in pain; Otters, Kingfishers, Frogs, all presenting their unique wounds from a polluted environment. Most important of all, at the end of this hellish parade, a baby "simply crying - the wailing, desperate cry of a human baby when it cries as if the world has ended".
Hughes really doesn't soften the ecological message intended for his young readership; the fantastical scenes have a very real, matter-of-factness about them. Even the surreal humour of the factory workers and ignorant townspeople, transforming into all varieties of fish and pond life, asks the horrific question of 'is it too late? Have we gone too far?'. Despite the positive ending to the book, those questions will be the resounding sentiments to its readers.
A hugely important book for children to read and one that won't stop being relevant until humanity rethinks its approach to how it treats this planet. These issues are all presented as being something that future generations can change and be actively responsible for. Most significantly it achieves what we, and especially children, often hope to find in a book; that it changes our outlook and approach to life for the better.
April 4, 2019
Ergh. No. Not for me.
April 7, 2019
Not bad. It works as a read aloud book. The tone is a bit preachy and the message is very obvious. It doesn't share the mystery and grace of the Iron Man.
February 12, 2024
What a strange little book.
February 22, 2021
"Lucy could now see her clearly in full daylight. She gazed at the giant tubes of the limbs, the millions of rivets, the funny concertinas at the joints. It was hard to believe what she was seeing.
"Are you a robot?" she cried.
Perhaps, she thought, somebody far off is controlling this creature, from a panel of dials. Perhaps she’s a sort of human-shaped submarine. Perhaps …
But the rumbling voice came up out of the ground, through Lucy’s legs:
"I am not a robot," it said. "I am the real thing."
"Are you a robot?" she cried.
Perhaps, she thought, somebody far off is controlling this creature, from a panel of dials. Perhaps she’s a sort of human-shaped submarine. Perhaps …
But the rumbling voice came up out of the ground, through Lucy’s legs:
"I am not a robot," it said. "I am the real thing."
July 24, 2021
2.5
As a kids book, it’s nicely weird, but it doesn’t come close to The Iron Man in terms of its mysterious nature.
It all suffers from some heavy misogyny, and an unclear moral: environmental change is enacted in the end only by some magical substance that allows everything to go on as before without the problem of polluting waste. Though perhaps this is the most realistic part of the book after all.
As a kids book, it’s nicely weird, but it doesn’t come close to The Iron Man in terms of its mysterious nature.
It all suffers from some heavy misogyny, and an unclear moral: environmental change is enacted in the end only by some magical substance that allows everything to go on as before without the problem of polluting waste. Though perhaps this is the most realistic part of the book after all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2021
When mankind has polluted all the waterways, a mysterious Iron Woman appears and spreads disruption in protest. Lucy writes to Hogarth, the Iron Man's friend, to see if they can help.
Hughes' 'The Iron Woman' is a well written fable warning of the dangers of environmental damage which is very relevant today.
Hughes' 'The Iron Woman' is a well written fable warning of the dangers of environmental damage which is very relevant today.
February 14, 2024
liked the writing but did not enjoy the misogyny! Also weird solution at the end. 2 stars
August 10, 2025
Very cute and a good continuation of the iron giant story
June 8, 2022
I loved reading this book with my Year 5 classes! It holds a powerful message about the consequences of pollution on flaura and fauna.
September 28, 2019
Polluters, deniers, the greedy and other slithering creatures
The Iron Woman, by Ted Hughes, is a simple, lovely and satisfying fable about toxic polluters getting a taste of their own medicine and changing their ways. There’s a too satisfying ending, though, with mysterious space webs providing the necessary salvation. We’ll need something a lot more realistic than space goo and helpful iron giants to solve the crisis we’re in, but the story provides a nice framework for imagining how quickly things would change if people actually felt the pain of a dying planet.
And even thought this was written in 1993, it’s hard not to think of the Lucy character, the little girl able to link people to the suffering of the earth, as Greta Thunberg.
Sadly, books like this will never be read by those who need a wake up call on environmental degradation.
The Iron Woman, by Ted Hughes, is a simple, lovely and satisfying fable about toxic polluters getting a taste of their own medicine and changing their ways. There’s a too satisfying ending, though, with mysterious space webs providing the necessary salvation. We’ll need something a lot more realistic than space goo and helpful iron giants to solve the crisis we’re in, but the story provides a nice framework for imagining how quickly things would change if people actually felt the pain of a dying planet.
And even thought this was written in 1993, it’s hard not to think of the Lucy character, the little girl able to link people to the suffering of the earth, as Greta Thunberg.
Sadly, books like this will never be read by those who need a wake up call on environmental degradation.
April 21, 2019
To be honest, this book really wasn't for me. It was very preachy and had serious sexist undertones. Does Ted Hughes really believe that without men, the country would collapse? Seriously? I hate to break it to you Ted, but women can function without their husbands. Women can function without men.
December 9, 2017
Not as good as The Iron Man but an enjoyable, surreal, cautionary sequel. Check your world before you wreck your world!
August 21, 2023
*Contains spoilers*
Beautifully poetic and highly figurative, but not particularly compelling. This time there are female protagonists (Lucy and The Iron Woman), and although both are strong, physically and mentally, there are issues. The Iron Woman clearly needs the Iron Man to succeed. Before he arrived to help, she didn’t have a cohesive plan and she needed reining in. The power she finally uses comes from the Space-Bat-Angel-Dragon, a creature which was previously beaten and enslaved by the Iron Man (in the first book). She couldn’t have accessed this power without him. Similarly, when all the men are changed into fish, newts and frogs the women flounder uselessly. Ted Hughes would have known that women held the country together during the war when the men were off fighting, so there’s no excuse.
In the fight against the produce made by factories, such as metal (a birdwatcher’s car being the first item destroyed by the Iron Woman in her rampage), it seems to take figures literally made out of metal. The natural and unnatural seem rather confused here. There is a reference to ‘Mother’, which is surely Mother Earth, but it takes the power of a strange space creature to solve the Earth’s man made problems. Can we, therefore, just wave a magic wand and expect all our environmental issues to miraculously disappear? It’s like waking up and it’s all a dream, despite the fact that the dream experience might have some real and lasting consequences (white hair!).
Beautifully poetic and highly figurative, but not particularly compelling. This time there are female protagonists (Lucy and The Iron Woman), and although both are strong, physically and mentally, there are issues. The Iron Woman clearly needs the Iron Man to succeed. Before he arrived to help, she didn’t have a cohesive plan and she needed reining in. The power she finally uses comes from the Space-Bat-Angel-Dragon, a creature which was previously beaten and enslaved by the Iron Man (in the first book). She couldn’t have accessed this power without him. Similarly, when all the men are changed into fish, newts and frogs the women flounder uselessly. Ted Hughes would have known that women held the country together during the war when the men were off fighting, so there’s no excuse.
In the fight against the produce made by factories, such as metal (a birdwatcher’s car being the first item destroyed by the Iron Woman in her rampage), it seems to take figures literally made out of metal. The natural and unnatural seem rather confused here. There is a reference to ‘Mother’, which is surely Mother Earth, but it takes the power of a strange space creature to solve the Earth’s man made problems. Can we, therefore, just wave a magic wand and expect all our environmental issues to miraculously disappear? It’s like waking up and it’s all a dream, despite the fact that the dream experience might have some real and lasting consequences (white hair!).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2021
Tem o seu quê de continuação do poético Homem de Ferro (não confundir com o personagem da Marvel). Não tem, no entanto, o estilo encantador de ficção científica poética do primeiro livro. Segue outros caminhos, muito mais interventivos. A Mulher de Ferro, espécie de gigante robot, ou Talos feminino, que emerge dos rios e assombra uma cidade, não tem o caráter plácido do Homem de Ferro. Espalha à sua volta, em todos os que toca, uma doença violenta, e promete vingança e destruição.
Quem é tocado por esta mulher de ferro passa a sentir o sofrimento do mundo natural devastado pelo homem, e a única intenção dela é destruir a piores fontes de poluição. A história terminará bem, afinal, este é um livro de literatura infantil. A fúria da mulher-robot será aplacada, em boa parte porque a contaminação de empatia leva os humanos a perceber o mal que a poluição desencadeia no mundo natural. O tom de poesia de ficção científica passa aqui para um ativismo, aproveitando a literatura infantil para passar a mensagem da urgente necessidade de olhar para o ambientalismo.
Quem é tocado por esta mulher de ferro passa a sentir o sofrimento do mundo natural devastado pelo homem, e a única intenção dela é destruir a piores fontes de poluição. A história terminará bem, afinal, este é um livro de literatura infantil. A fúria da mulher-robot será aplacada, em boa parte porque a contaminação de empatia leva os humanos a perceber o mal que a poluição desencadeia no mundo natural. O tom de poesia de ficção científica passa aqui para um ativismo, aproveitando a literatura infantil para passar a mensagem da urgente necessidade de olhar para o ambientalismo.
October 8, 2025
When I saw 'The Iron Woman' on the library shelf, I was astonished, even more so when I saw the author was Ted Hughes. 'The Iron Man' is one of my very favourite books. I love the story and the poetry of the language. I love the beginning and have read the book to many children over the years. How could I have not known of 'The Iron Woman'?
I was a bit skeptical at first and wondered if I'd be disappointed. It had much to live up to. But live up to, it did. It's a wonderful anti-pollution story told in much the same way as 'The Iron Man', and even has a cameo by the Space-Bat-Angel-Dragon; while Hogarth and The Iron man work with and alongside Lucy and The Iron Woman.
I am just so pleased that I found this book - an unexpected surprise - on the shelves of my local library. Treasure indeed.
I was a bit skeptical at first and wondered if I'd be disappointed. It had much to live up to. But live up to, it did. It's a wonderful anti-pollution story told in much the same way as 'The Iron Man', and even has a cameo by the Space-Bat-Angel-Dragon; while Hogarth and The Iron man work with and alongside Lucy and The Iron Woman.
I am just so pleased that I found this book - an unexpected surprise - on the shelves of my local library. Treasure indeed.
August 2, 2023
I've been familiar with Ted Hughes's work for a while so when I kept seeing this book at my favorite used books haunt I thought, why not? I wasn't familiar with Ted Hughes the novelist. I wasn't even aware that this was a sequel to another title, The Iron Giant , or in the UK, The Iron Man . So, I sallied forth. And discovered a mythical and fantastical contemporary fable about the age of industry and waste at war with the nature around it. It reads like a dark bedtime story. But parts did make me smile to myself, especially the fate of the men of this nation, when the Iron Woman handed down her judgment. Interesting addition to mine collection. The illustrations by Barry Moser are amazing. Honestly, for me, it is a literary artifact from the lifelong career of a poet.
April 7, 2025
This book seemed to be a higher reading level compared to the first one. A little longer, a little more complex, longer chapters. The long chapters were a bit annoying since it made it sometimes difficult to find a good stopping point when story time was over. I read this to a kid I work with, he said he enjoyed it but I'm sure he didn't fully grasp the meaning of it. I like the idea of children's books reminding us to be good to our environment and this book does exactly that. And not in a subtext kinda way, it really beats you over the head with it. We do see a return of previous characters so it's best to read these in order. Overall, we liked it and I can see myself reading this to other kiddos in the future, just probably an older group.
May 5, 2017
This book was about the pollution of the globe, starring the Iron Woman as the giant figure who tries very hard to stop this powerful destruction on the Earth. Lucy, a girl who sees the magnificent, grand giant first, tries to help her. However, when Iron Woman says that she will destroy the factory, Lucy is desperate not to let it happen, for her father, Charles, works there. Then Hogarth, the rolling star of the first sequel, The Iron Man, comes along with his huge, metal, male friend, and everyone tries very hard to put it right.
To find out more about what happens with Ted Hughes' random plots, read this book...
To find out more about what happens with Ted Hughes' random plots, read this book...
June 6, 2018
I enjoyed this but not as much as the Iron man and although has a strong environmental message their is something missing from the Iron man ( not sure what it is but seems this has ben written well done a man best even it up and also write about a woman !!! i was glad to meat Hogarth again but at time seemed much to far fetched than the iron man !!!!!! I did think this was interesting the way it was brought in that nuclear WASTE AND INDUSTRY BRING JOBS SO WAS GOOD TO SEE THE CONFLICT OF INTERESTS IT IS A GOOD BOOK TO TEACH ABOUT WASTE AND ENVIRONMENT TO YEAR 6 AND ABOVE !!!
March 21, 2022
This one was better than "The iron man" in my opinion.
The story was way more interesting, though the ending was a bit disappointing.
This time, an/the Iron Woman appears to punish the ones responsible for poisoning the waters where Lucy, the main character, lives. And what actually made me read it faster was the fact that everyone that touched Lucy, would hear the cries and sobs of living things affected by the poison! She was the first to listen to it (thanks to the Iron Woman) and it ended up being contagious. The idea was for people to feel for themselves the suffering, but the lesson goes way beyond it!
It was satisfying to read it!
The story was way more interesting, though the ending was a bit disappointing.
This time, an/the Iron Woman appears to punish the ones responsible for poisoning the waters where Lucy, the main character, lives. And what actually made me read it faster was the fact that everyone that touched Lucy, would hear the cries and sobs of living things affected by the poison! She was the first to listen to it (thanks to the Iron Woman) and it ended up being contagious. The idea was for people to feel for themselves the suffering, but the lesson goes way beyond it!
It was satisfying to read it!
December 22, 2020
(1.5) i get what the message is supposed to be but the solution is something that ..... doesn’t exist? how is this implementable in the real world if the only solution ted hughes could come up with is completely impossible and fuelled by, essentially, magic?
also there’s some real gross sexism in the second half about how women are so useless that the country would completely shut down without men - i have to laugh. the anthropomorphism was really annoying too. i usually don’t mind a preachy book but this just wasn’t well done.
also there’s some real gross sexism in the second half about how women are so useless that the country would completely shut down without men - i have to laugh. the anthropomorphism was really annoying too. i usually don’t mind a preachy book but this just wasn’t well done.
January 8, 2021
I wasn't sure what to expect with
The Iron Woman
. but was pleasantly surprised.
A girl called Lucy comes across the Iron Woman. who has the ability to hear the cries of nature. She allows Lucy to hear the cries and the girl finds that the Waste Factory, which sits alongside a river, is causing the pollution that is affecting the animals in the environment.
What follows is a comical event that puts the polluters in the animals shoes. A nice short tale with an environmental message.
A girl called Lucy comes across the Iron Woman. who has the ability to hear the cries of nature. She allows Lucy to hear the cries and the girl finds that the Waste Factory, which sits alongside a river, is causing the pollution that is affecting the animals in the environment.
What follows is a comical event that puts the polluters in the animals shoes. A nice short tale with an environmental message.
September 12, 2021
The Iron Woman is quite a lovely book that has some very interesting and fantastic characters - one of which being the beloved Iron Man (Or known in the cinematic industry as The Iron Giant).
This is a children's book that has a core message of the importance of being eco-friendly, to care for your environment and to be responsible for your own waste, be it bin rubbish or toxic waste.
I would have loved to read this when I was in primary school as a pre-teen and would urge anyone around that age to give this a go.
This is a children's book that has a core message of the importance of being eco-friendly, to care for your environment and to be responsible for your own waste, be it bin rubbish or toxic waste.
I would have loved to read this when I was in primary school as a pre-teen and would urge anyone around that age to give this a go.
April 23, 2023
I only read this book as I’d enjoyed The Iron Man as a child and never ended up reading The Iron Woman.
However, this book was awful and the only way to describe the plot is ‘bizarre’. It’s obvious that Ted Hughes had good intentions by aiming to raise awareness of environmental issues, but the preachy tone and odd storyline just doesn’t work.
The ending wasn’t even worth persevering through the rest of the book. The environmental issues get resolved by some non-existent and magical cure?
Would not recommend this book at all.
However, this book was awful and the only way to describe the plot is ‘bizarre’. It’s obvious that Ted Hughes had good intentions by aiming to raise awareness of environmental issues, but the preachy tone and odd storyline just doesn’t work.
The ending wasn’t even worth persevering through the rest of the book. The environmental issues get resolved by some non-existent and magical cure?
Would not recommend this book at all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews