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The fact that this is considered a great fantasy novel is a huge testament to certain peoples STUPIDITY. I had to scoff every 3 sentences at the pre-pubescent-boy humour. Dick jokes on every page get QUITE tiring.
The whole things smut. Not active, but that’s a ALL the FMC thinks about.
If I hear you’ve read this and enjoyed the entire experience, my level of respect for you will PLUMET.
I better not hear another person call this a fantasy novel, the only good part of this book was the dragons I admit. But the thing reads like a tween novel from way back in 2013, and hey, I lived back then. A tween novel can hit HARD, if WRITTEN WELL.
The whole things smut. Not active, but that’s a ALL the FMC thinks about.
If I hear you’ve read this and enjoyed the entire experience, my level of respect for you will PLUMET.
I better not hear another person call this a fantasy novel, the only good part of this book was the dragons I admit. But the thing reads like a tween novel from way back in 2013, and hey, I lived back then. A tween novel can hit HARD, if WRITTEN WELL.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Violence
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Went in with low expectations and was very pleasantly surprised! The backbone of this book is an engaging plot that the romance aspect has been laid over top of; wasn't expecting depth in a romantasy book. Very excited to read the next!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This... is one of those absolutely complicated cases where I found the premise of the book and its world intensely intriguing and the cast of characters definitely has promise. But it just fails on all fronts to deliver an actually enjoyable experience. The plot is non-existent until the last 40-or-so pages of the book, whereupon it's all info-dumped onto the reader at once in a HUGE reveal and revelation that turns everything on its head.
There's no character development. It also demonstrates an... almost astonishing display of internalized ableism with how it handles Violet's disability -- it definitely plays into that cultural/societal expectation that if you just push yourself and overcome your limitations, you can do anything. There's also definitely an undercurrent of "accommodations are bad and you should feel bad if you need them" that never gets examined. Violet herself doesn't undergo any real development. She remains a shallow, vapid character who the reader is definitely meant to project themselves into, rather than being a fully-fleddged character of her own.
Her relationship with Xaden is incredibly shallow. It's entirely focused on physical attraction. It doesn't help that while Xaden is deeply involved in and driving the main plot, all of that happens completely offscreen and isn't revealed until the aforementioned Big Revelation at the end, because Violet is about as observant as a box of fucking rocks and with all the charisma of wet cardboard.
The pacing is atrocious and I honestly don't think that Fourth Wing actually knows what it wants to be. At its core, it's an identity crisis. Because it fails to really establish the stakes or do much with its astonishingly broad cast of characters. Some will be mentioned briefly, only to come back later when is convenient for something to Happen. Often, there's no real reason given for the actions you take. You don't know why half the characters do what they are, what their motivations are... because they're simply there to fulfill a Trope Requirement.
And that's where the identity crisis comes in: Fourth Wing does not know if it wants to embrace being a full-fledged, silly romantasy power fantasy or if it wants to be a Dramatic Fantasy With a Romance. It fails to deliver on any front, resulting in a confusing, hot-ass mess that's definitely got the bones of a good story, but that could have benefited greatly from aggressive editing in all aspects.
Fourth Wing absolutely doesn't need to be nearly 500 pages (I'm not counting the bonus content in that page count) when it says and does so little with its premise or characters. If the pacing was tightened up and Violet was more involved in the plot, then it could've been salvaged. As it stands, I'm more invested in the potential of the world and characters than I am in the actual canonical events or relationships. Guess that means I'll just be writing a shitload of fic, because it's like the Twilight series all over again.
There's no character development. It also demonstrates an... almost astonishing display of internalized ableism with how it handles Violet's disability -- it definitely plays into that cultural/societal expectation that if you just push yourself and overcome your limitations, you can do anything. There's also definitely an undercurrent of "accommodations are bad and you should feel bad if you need them" that never gets examined. Violet herself doesn't undergo any real development. She remains a shallow, vapid character who the reader is definitely meant to project themselves into, rather than being a fully-fleddged character of her own.
Her relationship with Xaden is incredibly shallow. It's entirely focused on physical attraction. It doesn't help that while Xaden is deeply involved in and driving the main plot, all of that happens completely offscreen and isn't revealed until the aforementioned Big Revelation at the end, because Violet is about as observant as a box of fucking rocks and with all the charisma of wet cardboard.
The pacing is atrocious and I honestly don't think that Fourth Wing actually knows what it wants to be. At its core, it's an identity crisis. Because it fails to really establish the stakes or do much with its astonishingly broad cast of characters. Some will be mentioned briefly, only to come back later when is convenient for something to Happen. Often, there's no real reason given for the actions you take. You don't know why half the characters do what they are, what their motivations are... because they're simply there to fulfill a Trope Requirement.
And that's where the identity crisis comes in: Fourth Wing does not know if it wants to embrace being a full-fledged, silly romantasy power fantasy or if it wants to be a Dramatic Fantasy With a Romance. It fails to deliver on any front, resulting in a confusing, hot-ass mess that's definitely got the bones of a good story, but that could have benefited greatly from aggressive editing in all aspects.
Fourth Wing absolutely doesn't need to be nearly 500 pages (I'm not counting the bonus content in that page count) when it says and does so little with its premise or characters. If the pacing was tightened up and Violet was more involved in the plot, then it could've been salvaged. As it stands, I'm more invested in the potential of the world and characters than I am in the actual canonical events or relationships. Guess that means I'll just be writing a shitload of fic, because it's like the Twilight series all over again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, War
Minor: Vomit, Grief
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am always looking for new stories with dragons, so I was curious when I stumbled this one, especially because of the many good reviews.
I'm not quite sure how to feel about it, there were some parts I liked, but also several that I didn't like so much, which is why I skimed over several sections of the book, especially the intimate scenes between the main couple.
What I liked:
The dragons and their personalities.
What I didn't like:
The story was predictable for the most part, but that didn't bother me so much. I can still enjoy predictable stories when the characters are interesting. I couldn't really connect with the main characters apart from the dragons, however. I would've wished for them to act more maturely and be developed a bit more. I also wasn't a fan of the relationship between Violet and Xaden, it felt forced and their chemistry left a lot to be desired.
Conclusion:
There were some interesting aspects, but overall the story couldn't captive me or get me to care about most of the characters. I will not read the following books.
I'm not quite sure how to feel about it, there were some parts I liked, but also several that I didn't like so much, which is why I skimed over several sections of the book, especially the intimate scenes between the main couple.
What I liked:
The dragons and their personalities.
What I didn't like:
The story was predictable for the most part, but that didn't bother me so much. I can still enjoy predictable stories when the characters are interesting. I couldn't really connect with the main characters apart from the dragons, however. I would've wished for them to act more maturely and be developed a bit more. I also wasn't a fan of the relationship between Violet and Xaden, it felt forced and their chemistry left a lot to be desired.
Conclusion:
There were some interesting aspects, but overall the story couldn't captive me or get me to care about most of the characters. I will not read the following books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Death, Blood, Grief, Murder, War
Minor: Vomit, Death of parent
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A combination of elements of other books I've really enjoyed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, War