Spoilery Book Reviews

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Back of the book

Welcome to the brutal and elite world of Basgiath War College...

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general – 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, every day the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Everyone at Basgiath has an agenda, so sleep with one eye open because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

My thoughts

Ahem. *knuckle crack*

In this essay I will gush over my love for this novel and dissect its flaws which had no impact on my enjoyment. The wonderful trifecta this book had: physically weak yet mentally strong main character, dragons, and physical challenges with the possibility of death at every chapter. While reading I was reminded of Eragon, for their dragons are written with a similar vibe, Divergent, in the way their youth are sorted into Quadrants, and A Court of Etcetera, for the dark and brooding love interest.

To begin, my first critique is it felt a little overwritten, but as we assimilate into the world I didn't notice that anymore. Setting the scene required many descriptions that became tedious. Violet reciting facts in times of stress was an obvious and cringey way to infodump, especially since it was present early on, and disappeared in the second half of the book. My issues with the writing was a tiny blip that disappeared, and I will later discuss where the writing excelled. The major flaw is in the plot, concerning Violets' motivations for staying in the Riders Quadrant.

This novel begins with a scene with Violet and her mother, to introduce the tone of their relationship. This is their only interaction of note in the entire book, so we are continuously told of their dynamic instead of shown. Violet did not plan nor aspire to join the Riders Quadrant and is only doing so by order of her mother, who has threatened she cannot get out of it under any circumstance. We are told instead of shown the threat Violet's mother presents when she considers leaving the Riders Quadrant, so her motivations for staying are flimsy. For the story to progress Violet must stay in the Riders Quadrant (as a reader I wanted her to stay for the excitement), but with a mythical threat from her mother and body really unsuited to physical pursuits, why Violet stays when Dain constantly offers her help to get out does not feel organic.

After a few successful weeks at the Riders Quadrant Violet's attitudes change, and she gains confidence in herself and her abilities. When she crosses the line into staying so she can prove a point, because does feel she can be good enough, the reasoning firms up a bit. It's not flawless since the mother-daughter dynamic is continually told instead of shown, so it's hard to care about "proving a point" to Violets' mother, but Violet also has her personal motivations. Since Violet being the underdog yet triumphing is the main story, it is a major flaw that her being 'trapped' into the Riders Quadrant feels so forced for the sake of the story. I still loved this story.

The love triangle... was okay. As a triangle it felt forced, but as a shifting of attention and attraction, it flowed naturally. I liked Dain when Violet liked Dain, but he held on to who she was instead of who she was fighting to be, I wanted him gone. I wanted to dislike Xaden but I knew from the language in the first pages that he was going to be the main love interest. I know we shouldn't like the mysterious emotionally unavailable bad boys, but we do and this book delivers. The language in the first chapter also opened the door to an actual sex scene (conversation between Violet and her sister), although sliding the possibility in there felt disjointed. The actual sex scene when it eventuated though...

A lightening strike when she orgasms? How dramatic can you get! Jokes (criticisms) aside, what I want to rave about is this book used the word clit!! I don't recall ever seeing that written in a book and to further my amazement, it boycotted cock and dick. I was so satisfied that instead of talking around it by saying "quivering bundle of nerves" or simply there, we dove right in, gave the clit the attention it deserves, and had several orgasms (and lightening!) as a direct result.

I have some thoughts about Tiern and Sgaeyl being a mated pair compared with Xaden and Violet falling for each other... I don't like or dislike it, but I would like another example, to clear up if this is a one-time coincidence or the way fate and this universe works, pairing riders and their dragons like a great match-making magic. Too many convenient pairs in books really puts me off, and I am very curious where Xaden and Violet's relationship is going after the breakdown of trust.

Trust (in my opinion) is the most important part of a relationship. It is possible to be deeply in love with someone and not trust them. The fracture in this relationship allows for a very interesting sequel but it will need to be handled very well. I have high standards considering how lovely this novel was. I will not be satisfied if the break in trust is brushed under the carpet. I need Xaden to prove again and again that he is trustworthy and I need Violet to keep her eyes open to red flags and not get stuck in a bad relationship.

To top it all off, Fourth Wing ended with a shock that was almost a cliffhanger, but more like an open door, for possibilities for the sequel. I was expecting Violet to be in a secret location, but I did not guess...the other part. Even though this review is full of spoilers, I'll keep just that one for people who have truly read the book.

I really enjoyed this world. I know the underdog triumphing and being extra special is completely classic (lol such main character energy) but I loved it. I highly recommend a read, especially if you are a fan of any of Eragon, Divergent or A Court of Etcetera. I am still reeling from the ending and I've already pre-ordered the second! (out November 7th [2023])

TL:DR

Underdog triumphs against all odds, powerful dragons and a bad boy with secrets we're only just beginning to uncover. The only reason you wouldn't read it, is to wait for the whole series to be released so you can binge-read the entire story with no agonising waiting.