Reviews with content warning for Confinement - Iron Flame - Flammengeküsst

Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

Iron Flame - Flammengeküsst by Rebecca Yarros

273 reviews

bookshelfoverload's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Content Warnings

helvetic4standard's review against another edition

2.5

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

*~SPOILERS BELOW~*

Really slow start, ends with a few plot twists. Almost DNF because it’s so slow in the beginning. Honestly, you could have this book be the same length as the first one and you’d have the same results.

Violet and Xaden literally argue for what feels like over half the book before they resolve their issues. She’s upset he’s keeping secrets, then she’s keeping secrets from him. It’s all a mess. Xaden tells her to start asking questions but that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, and Violet still refuses to ask questions to make herself feel better. There’s also a weird ex/jealousy plot point thrown in just to make this book even longer. Nothing pans out, Violet gets over herself but her and the ex barely interact after resolving their problems. Besides the ex, there’s a few other side characters that are hyped up but never used in the story. They just exist to fill out an already bloated cast. Rhiannon is the only side character that has any agency besides Violet and Xaden.

Plot was ok, it’s the second book but it still feels like the author is setting up for end game. It felt like she was trying to set up some racism/discrimination plot against the rebel’s kids but it never panned out. Violet talks about how older riders are uncomfortable around the kids with relics but it was never expanded on. It’s like Rebecca gave up and decided she didn’t want her characters to hold prejudices.
The twists were ok, when the general dies it feels really anticlimactic. There wasn’t much redemption or character growth for her to have an impact in my opinion. When Xaden goes venin it’s stupid, it just felt like something the author did to keep readers hooked instead of writing something actually satisfying.

Writing wise, it’s sooooo dense. It felt like Rebecca decided to break the world record for f bombs in a novel because she does not use it sparingly. If she were a better writer, there would be more interesting ways to describe a moment besides “fuck.” A lot of the writing felt clunky and unedited. You can also tell a lot came from other books as well, sometimes it felt a little like ACOTAR or HP.

I’m committed to the series at this point because it’s like a train wreck I can’t look away from, so hopefully there’s something good in the third installment.

Content Warnings

clarlar's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

katsoares's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous dark tense slow-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: N/A

I feel like it really did not need to be this long.

Content Warnings

jadior's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: N/A

Loveable characters: Yes

Content Warnings

petra333's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

tieflingmom's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I really loved this story but Violet was pissing me off. And Xaden too. It spent like 2/3 the book on them fighting and they're supposed to be the main couple? Also what's the point of the Vi-Cat rivalry if it's just gonna fall on its face at the end. I honestly feel like that was added in just because it's whats "supposed" to happen in this genre and then the author was like "Ok, we did the rivalry with the ex, let's move on". Just cur the entire subplot out. It's time we could have spent exploring Jesenia and Sawyer. Or Brennan. Or Tairn, his previous rider, and the fact he died to save Brennan, who is alive, so did he succeed or did something else happen? Is Vi, who's supposed to be a genius, just not questioning that, because the fact she appeals to Malek so often and now may have proof resurrection is possible seems like it needs to be a big dealer? Also where's Brennan's dragon if riders--unless venin--die when their dragons die and he can still wield? Even Rhi's dragon is mentioned in passing so his should at least appear in the background. Especially if it's been residing in Aretia since he "died" and they just established hatching grounds there. Maybe this all gets answered next book, but, man. I just wish we cut the constant fighting (esp. when they say Xaden and Cat were the toxic ones) and jealousy and focused on these things. The "you don't trust me" line gets tired after the first 20 times. The humor also bordered on a bit cringey at times. That said, it's also badass as hell. And I really love seeing a main character with a chronic pain illness because I can relate. I also love how complex the relationships--when they're not "complex" just because they have the same argument every 5 seconds--are. Violet's relationships with her mom, Dain, Mira, Brennan, Sloane, and even Rhi do a great job of showing her and their flaws and making them all fleshed out characters. And the worldbuilding is really intriguing. I would love to see more of Poromiel befayse the nobility seemed interesting, and I wonder how a kingdom that's already fully known of and been dealing with venin functions and still remains afloat. I'd love to see more of those who stayed at Basgiath and love how they framed it as more of a "stay and defend Navarre because it's all you've ever known, or take a chance and try to defend some far-away place you've never known and until yesterday thought of as the enemy because of a threat you thought was a fable until yesterday" instead of black and white, good and bad. I also feel this 100% should've been two books because after they left Basgiath I was sitting there thinking it felt like the ending and unsure how they'd handle introducing a new setting and characters. It worked, but two books would probably work better.

Content Warnings

thatswhatshanread's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Would’ve appreciated if the entire book was like the last 200ish pages but alas. A solid second installation to The Empyrean series, although there were too many characters to keep track of and somehow not much happening despite everything happening. I do love Rebecca Yarros’ characterization, even with the minor characters, I just think there doesn’t need to be so many with actual names, you know? Makes it hard to keep track of the ones that are more necessary. If that makes sense? Idk this took me awhile to finish because some of the plot devices were a little too convoluted and didn’t seem to serve the plot in general. Inevitably, yes, more will be revealed in the third book. Also—if all of the steamy scenes are going to basically be the same, can we maybe chill on that aspect of the books because unfortunately I was growing bored with them, as much as I love Xaden.

Like I said with the first one, the world building in this series could be better. But I did like the introduction of more of life outside of Basgiath and Navarre. In any case, I enjoyed it and was very invested in the final quarter of the book. Quite the interesting cliffhanger!!

Content Warnings