Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Book info:

Book review: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Release date: 2 May 2023
Goodreads link
Amazon AU link
Dymocks link
Aussie publisher: Hachette

Blurb:

Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders…

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general — also known as her tough-as-talons mother — has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away… because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter — like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Goodreads

Rating:

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Fourth Wing was a book that I remember all of the hype about when it first came out. I was actually on holidays in the US at the time and it was front and centre in every Target, Barnes and Noble, and indie bookstore that I went to. Like, it was actually a bit crazy.

Of course, because we were travelling I didn’t purchase a copy (I had enough books in my suitcase, thank you), and I kind of regret not getting a fancy US edition. However, I do now own other fancy editions, and so it’s all evened out in the wash.

But because of the hype, I didn’t get to this book immediately. In fact, I only read it earlier this year in April. I finally got around to it, despite fear of the hype, because a few blogging friends and I decided to do a buddy read. Shout out to my reading buddies Sam @ Fictionally Sam, Jamsu @ Jamsu Dreams, Ruby @ Bookishly Ruby, and DB @ DB’s Guide to the Galaxy. And a bigger shout out to them for entertaining the buddy read as some of them had already read it. Also for sticking with me, because I am a terrible buddy reader, as DB knows all too well. It is also the book that Sam picked for my 12 in 12 challenge this year.

So, let’s get into my review of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.

Fourth Wing follows Violet Sorrengail, our main character, who, due to the force of her mother, finds herself joining the elite academy for dragon riders, instead of the scribes and librarians. Violet has to navigate extreme training, fierce competition, and brutal cadets, and prove her worth and form a bond with a dragon to survive.

In terms of characters, let’s start with Violet herself. I love her. Violet is a hill that I would die on. At the start she’s kind of super smart, kind at heart, and resilient but scared. Which was relatable. And throughout the story she becomes this amazing badass. But it is not easy for her (and we love an underdog).

If we started with Violet, we also have to talk about Xaden. Mostly because he would also die on the hill that is Violet. And we stan a guy who shows up and fights for what he believes in. The slow-burn will-they-won’t-they relationship they are in was *chefs kiss*. Even though I knew they were destined (thanks social media), it never felt forced and there were real edge of my seat moments to see how certain scenes played out.

In terms of most of the other characters, I’d recommend not getting too attached. I felt like almost every character we met in the first 100 pages was dead two pages later. It was a lot, but it really added to the brutality, which was cool. In a Hunger Games way.

The world-building was top notch. I love the descriptions of the magic system, and how the dragons bonded with their riders. (I especially loved that it’s the dragon’s choice, not the humans). The history of the war and the orphans added depth to the story and gave certain characters real motivation and drive. Also, it wasn’t over the top. It was easy to follow, and things made sense, while still having depth. I really enjoyed it.

So, the pacing was fine for the majority of the book, but it felt a bit rushed towards the end. There’s also a part where Violet blacks out, and has things that happen explained to her… and then the book ends on a cliffhanger.

I’m not saying any of this was bad, per se. It’s just that the if I didn’t already have the next book on my shelf I’d probably be crying. In saying that, I am holding out for Onyx Storm in case Iron Flame is a worse cliffhanger.

Overall, this was a great romantasy book. There was the perfect blend of family drama, forbidden romance, grueling competition with really high stakes, and dragons! It was a fun read that still delivered the occasional gut punch to the feels.

I hear there’s some controversy with the second book, but I haven’t read it yet. It’s highly likely I will continue the series though.

I would recommend for fans of Cassandra Clare, Kerri Maniscalco, Adalyn Grace and Holly Black.

Have you read Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros?