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A review by across_the_stars
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
My first review deleted, so here’s my condensed version.
This book gave me flashbacks to many of the YA novels I enjoyed as a teen: Red Queen, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Divergent. It’s not a bad thing; I think it’s bringing in a new generation to this unique genere. But Violet and Xaden were pretty generic.
Violet was “small, weak, had bad joints, pain” etc but none of it affected her. Chronic illness impacts people on a daily scale, but she never seemed to significantly fail. And we want to root for our main character, but she seemed unrealistic. Not to mention bonding with two dragons one who is the most powerful….
Xaden gave me a mix of Rhysand and Azriel from ACOTAR vibes with his shadow abilities. He hated Violet until it’s revealed that her dragon (who was even going to participate in the Threshing) is later to his. Then he decides to like her. But later in the book he says he’s liked her since he first saw her.
There were some things as a reader I didn’t personally like: these “college age” adults read like teens and the swearing was a bit much. The cliche “bully wants to kill me” the moment he sees me isn’t one of my favorite tropes either. But overall it was a decent book and I’ll read the next two because I’m committed at this point.
This book gave me flashbacks to many of the YA novels I enjoyed as a teen: Red Queen, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Divergent. It’s not a bad thing; I think it’s bringing in a new generation to this unique genere. But Violet and Xaden were pretty generic.
Violet was “small, weak, had bad joints, pain” etc but none of it affected her. Chronic illness impacts people on a daily scale, but she never seemed to significantly fail. And we want to root for our main character, but she seemed unrealistic. Not to mention bonding with two dragons one who is the most powerful….
Xaden gave me a mix of Rhysand and Azriel from ACOTAR vibes with his shadow abilities. He hated Violet until it’s revealed that her dragon (who was even going to participate in the Threshing) is later to his. Then he decides to like her. But later in the book he says he’s liked her since he first saw her.
There were some things as a reader I didn’t personally like: these “college age” adults read like teens and the swearing was a bit much. The cliche “bully wants to kill me” the moment he sees me isn’t one of my favorite tropes either. But overall it was a decent book and I’ll read the next two because I’m committed at this point.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, and Sexual content
The chronic illness isn’t really given a name and it doesn’t seem to affect Violet whatsoever, especially after she trains with Xaden and those he assigned to help her. It felt unrealistic.