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Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Chronic illness, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Grief, Fire/Fire injury
4⭐ out of 5⭐.
Tropes:
→ fantasy romance /romantasy
→ enemies to lovers
→ forced Proximity
→ academy (war college)
→ New Adult romance
→ chronic illness (h) representation
→ morally gray H
→found family
→ slow burn
→ overcoming adversity/underdog
→ dysfunctional family
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, War
Graphic: Torture, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail
(It's worth noting at the beginning here that this book needs a heavy trigger warning for torture, so if that's the only part of this review you read ((as if anyone reads my reviews )), I'll be okay.)
A lot of the issues I had with Fourth Wing were nonexistent here. Violet is no longer info dumping all the time. The world has been built in book one (no matter how lazily), so the lore we get here is well crafted and executed. It sort of felt like Fourth Wing was just the book she had to write so Iron Flame made sense.
The character writing is also much improved in book two. Particularly when it comes to Violet and Xaden's relationship. (Although I will never forgive Ms. Yarros for naming him Xaden.) This genre has so many male love interests that are too perfect and exist only to teach the FMC something about herself (Manic Pixie Dream Bat Boys™), but Xaden is flawed as hell. They fight and I can't take anyone's side because they're both wrong and toxic as hell sometimes. They both have major character growth throughout the book, and we love to see it.
The more minor characters are much more enjoyable too. In Fourth Wing I could barely keep everyone straight in my head, so it was hard to appreciate the found family banter. In Iron Flame, it's all there and wonderful. Would die for Ridoc.
And of course we love to see this kind of disability representation. And not only EDS, but some great PTSD portrayals in there too. As a neurodivergent disabled girlie, there was lots to warm my cold heart. And all the great family drama in there too. Juicy.
This book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. While I could predict every single twist to Fourth Wing, I had no idea what was coming next in Iron Flame. I still maintain that the Empyrean series so far is nothing revolutionary. Despite what the blurb on the cover says, this is exactly like every fantasy you've ever read. But damn if this Divergent/Eragon/wizard-books-that-shall-not-be-named mash up isn't fucking fun. Very excited for the next installment.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Animal death, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, Violence, War
Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Torture, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Classism