Rating: 2.5/5
Okay. So I’ve finally read what all the fuss is about. And yes, like The Drift (2023) and The Children of Gods and Fighting Men (2022) this review is a little later than intended. What can I say I have a lot to get through on my shelf.
Now Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing (2023) was another one of those ‘should I dare to read it’ books. Booktok are certainly adamant that you should.
Of course I did try to do my own research. Literally every time I dealt with a passenger’s rejected bag and come across its golden cover I would ask them if it was any good. Sadly the only responses I got ranged from “I don’t know. I just brought it,’ to that look saying ‘please just finish whatever it is you are doing’
So as usual I took the plunge.
The best way to describe Fourth Wing is its like Sarah J Maas’ The Court of Thorns and Roses series (2015-) meets Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle (2002-). Or a raunchy J.K.Rowling’s Harry Potter Series (1997-2007) meets Cressida Cowell’s How to Train Your Dragon (2003-2015). Honestly there are a lot of comparisons I can make to this book, but hey, no idea is ever original, right?
In Fourth Wing, readers follow the physically frail daughter of a revered general, Violet (ha! Get it?), who has been forced into an academy to train as a dragon rider. At first the odds seem against her. However, when she becomes bonded to not one but two dragons she quickly turns into a person of interest especially to her broody, shadow-wielding wing leader, Xaden.
Oh boy this book. This book was something.
When I started it I will admit I was invested in its universe. For a while stories about dragon riders had become a bit of a bore to me. But Fourth Wing did revitalize that obsession I had when I was a child. Perhaps not as much as say Bradley P. Beaulieu's The Dragons of Deepwood Fen (2023) (future review in process) but enough to make me want to know what was install for its characters, who, to an extent, are likeable. Expect Dain. That guy was irritating. If that was Yarros’ intention, then well done to her.
However as I fell deeper into the rabbit hole, my opinion on Fourth Wing began to change. I’ll confess I’m not as in to the genre, romantasy as I probably would have been ten years ago. So it is hard not to let my bias opinion affect this post.
However I’m sure there are some readers who can agree with me that Fourth Wing’s lovebirds are not contenders for fictional fantasy couple of 2023.
Much like the story itself, there is no doubt Yarros’ inspiration for Xaden and Violet came from Maas’ Rhysand and Feyre.
The signs are all there. Enemies to lovers. Check. Guy who can wield shadows. Check. Nothing wrong with that of course, like I said, no idea is ever original.
However, it speaks volumes when you want to hear more about the dragons than their riders’ attraction to each other.
Yes. At the start the tension between Violet and Xaden was promising but once the cheesy dialogue came into play during its most emotional and *ahem physical moments, it was too corny to take serious.
I can’t believe I’m admitting this but Xaden and Violet’s moments of intimacy were disappointing. They were way, way too wordy, leaving little to the imagination and quite frankly made it so uncomfortable to read I had to skip them. Though on a positive note, they are great examples for writers to use should they ever want to prove that ‘less is more’.
By spending time on their physical romps, the emotional quality Yarros was going for lacked development for me and by its final chapters the hardships and shocking reveals that should have broken them felt rushed and lacklustre.
It also brought my attention to the other issues, creating plot and character developments that were either unnecessary or neglectful.
For example at one point a character is stabbed during a training exercise. He recovers but then later down the line he and his dragon are killed in battle. Which lead me to think what was the whole point in ensuring his survival in the first place?
Another example is Violet herself. Throughout the story she constantly goes on about her fragility and how she isn’t built the same way as other riders. Now this isn’t a negative on the character but more on Yarros’ writing. The character trait has been identified and acknowledged so there is no need to be drilling it into readers’ mind over and over. They know this is one of her flaws and they know she is going to overcome it. Much like Xaden and Violet’s happy fun times, the book could have benefitted by saying less and letting the readers come to their own conclusions.
Now after my ‘little’ rant I suspect those of you reading this would determine my overall view on Fourth Wing. The thing is, I would be a liar to say I’m not planning to read its sequel, Iron Flame (2023).
As mentioned, I know I can get pretty bias towards the romantasy genre and the fact I was able to finish this book perhaps shows there is something in it that makes me want to give Yarros a second chance. However, I won’t be wandering around wearing a Xaden hearts Violet shirt anytime soon. Or move it to the front of the list of books I have yet to read and review.
Fourth Wing does spark readers imaginations with familiar tropes. However, if those same readers are looking for a compelling romance between its leads it has a long way to go.
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