Intro
I was first introduced to Fourth Wing about a month ago when a teacher of mine --Mr. Dunning-- wouldn’t stop raving about it. He talked about it each time I met him, telling me I just had to read it and experience it for myself. For about a week, he was determined to get me a physical copy. When I finally got a hold of Fourth Wing, I immediately understood why he was so passionate about it. The world-building, the action, and the undeniable tension between the characters completely pulled me in. Even though I was initially reluctant, I was just as hooked as he had been by the end.
Summary
Before I get into my review, I need to catch you up to the basic premise of the story. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is a fantasy novel set in the brutal world of Basgiath War College, where only the strongest survive. The story follows Violet Sorrengail, a young woman who has spent her life preparing to join the Scribe Quadrant—until her commanding mother forces her into the deadly Riders Quadrant, where she must bond with a dragon or die trying. As Violet navigates dangerous training, cutthroat competition, and the constant threat of assassination, she also finds herself drawn to the mysterious and powerful Xaden Riorson. With war looming and secrets unraveling, Violet must prove she has what it takes to survive in a world where weakness means death.
This, however, is just the baseline plot. From here the story twists into an interesting shape, which eventually compels readers to pick up books two and three in the series, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm respectively.
What I think
Fourth Wing, being the YA Fantasy that it is, does not necessarily cover anything extremely new-- many tropes found in the book (such as enemies to lovers) have been done time and time again. This isn’t to say that the book is terrible, just simply a tad cliche. A main grievance of mine lies with the protagonist, Violet. She is repeatedly described as being tiny and weak and forced into her situation. In such a violent (lol) setting, I simply don’t believe she should have survived, especially when those more capable were poorly killed off. Even with this though, I genuinely think that it was a fun read. The main strength of Fourth Wing was its romance aspect. The focal relationship in this story is between Violet and Xaden. Even though Stevie Wonder could see the relationship between them forming from a mile away, it never became boring, and was one of the points of the book that kept me tuned in throughout the entire thing. A good example of this is when Xaden and Violet can communicate without words, and it adds a thrilling touch to their dynamic. Amid their relationship, the surrounding lore of their government and how Xaden and Violet each play a part in it grows. Introducing the readers to the mythical beings and their connections as well as the secrets of their government allows Fourth Wing to flow seamlessly into Iron Flame.
Final Score and Recommendation
The book was easy to follow and alluring, however it was not life-changing. If you enjoy action, fantasy, and romance, then don’t put this off as your next read. It is similar to The Hunger Games and A Court of Thorns and Roses, so if you’ve enjoyed either of those then all the more reason to pick up Fourth Wing. There are about 300 pages, so not too long of a read.
Overall, I rate Fourth Wing 3 out of 5 stars.
I was first introduced to Fourth Wing about a month ago when a teacher of mine --Mr. Dunning-- wouldn’t stop raving about it. He talked about it each time I met him, telling me I just had to read it and experience it for myself. For about a week, he was determined to get me a physical copy. When I finally got a hold of Fourth Wing, I immediately understood why he was so passionate about it. The world-building, the action, and the undeniable tension between the characters completely pulled me in. Even though I was initially reluctant, I was just as hooked as he had been by the end.
Summary
Before I get into my review, I need to catch you up to the basic premise of the story. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is a fantasy novel set in the brutal world of Basgiath War College, where only the strongest survive. The story follows Violet Sorrengail, a young woman who has spent her life preparing to join the Scribe Quadrant—until her commanding mother forces her into the deadly Riders Quadrant, where she must bond with a dragon or die trying. As Violet navigates dangerous training, cutthroat competition, and the constant threat of assassination, she also finds herself drawn to the mysterious and powerful Xaden Riorson. With war looming and secrets unraveling, Violet must prove she has what it takes to survive in a world where weakness means death.
This, however, is just the baseline plot. From here the story twists into an interesting shape, which eventually compels readers to pick up books two and three in the series, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm respectively.
What I think
Fourth Wing, being the YA Fantasy that it is, does not necessarily cover anything extremely new-- many tropes found in the book (such as enemies to lovers) have been done time and time again. This isn’t to say that the book is terrible, just simply a tad cliche. A main grievance of mine lies with the protagonist, Violet. She is repeatedly described as being tiny and weak and forced into her situation. In such a violent (lol) setting, I simply don’t believe she should have survived, especially when those more capable were poorly killed off. Even with this though, I genuinely think that it was a fun read. The main strength of Fourth Wing was its romance aspect. The focal relationship in this story is between Violet and Xaden. Even though Stevie Wonder could see the relationship between them forming from a mile away, it never became boring, and was one of the points of the book that kept me tuned in throughout the entire thing. A good example of this is when Xaden and Violet can communicate without words, and it adds a thrilling touch to their dynamic. Amid their relationship, the surrounding lore of their government and how Xaden and Violet each play a part in it grows. Introducing the readers to the mythical beings and their connections as well as the secrets of their government allows Fourth Wing to flow seamlessly into Iron Flame.
Final Score and Recommendation
The book was easy to follow and alluring, however it was not life-changing. If you enjoy action, fantasy, and romance, then don’t put this off as your next read. It is similar to The Hunger Games and A Court of Thorns and Roses, so if you’ve enjoyed either of those then all the more reason to pick up Fourth Wing. There are about 300 pages, so not too long of a read.
Overall, I rate Fourth Wing 3 out of 5 stars.
