Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

137 reviews

nickileal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.0

It was so hard to get into this book and took me a whole month to finish. Violet isn’t really the most loveable character. Also I was very tired of hearing how small and fragile she was repeatedly throughout the book. Riorson really saves this book for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Body horror, Child death, and Sexual content

Minor: Cursing

scutler's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Child death

saramoser's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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

5.0

A world building fantasy based in a college for dragon riders, intimate relationships, war and everything in between. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Cursing, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Blood, Sexual content, and Child death

Moderate: Toxic friendship

lizsanford's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

SO GOOD. I haven't read a book of this size this quick in a very long time. It's one of those books where you know the narrator is going to be okay because they're the main character, but also you're really worried that they're not gonna be okay. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Child death, Animal death, War, and Violence

It's about a country embroiled in a centuries-long war, and young people attending a military academy that is preparing them for said war. There is gratuitous violence, and numerous scenes with deaths that are talked about.

andmingmingtoo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This book reads like the novelization of a blockbuster action movie. There are pros and cons that come with that.

Pros:
-The general premise is really fun. I was excited to learn more about the dragon, magic, and government systems of the world
-The action sequences actually felt tense, and they definitely felt like they would be cinematic if in a visual format
-The side characters were really fun (and often eclipsed the main character in likeability)
-Xaden is an interesting and actually respectful male lead

Cons:
-A lot of Violet's inner monologue feels jarring and sometimes detracts from a tense vibe in a scene
-A lot of scenes that would be interesting and would add to the characters' growth are left offscreen, like they were cut for time, despite this being an original work where the author could decide what did and didn't exist. For instance,

most of Violet's hand-to-hand challenges occurred offscreen, even the ones where she finally wins without tricks. Like, that's a big moment for her character! I want to hear more about that!

-A lot of visual descriptions of settings were left out, like

the Parapet or what the hell a chimney formation is

-For the most part, we have to take Violet's word for it that characters, including herself, have experienced growth. The growth seems to happen offscreen and is not substantiated by their onscreen actions 

Additionally, this book is screaming to be part of a series (I am aware that the sequel is out and a series is in the works, as is a movie). In my opinion, there is no finite conclusion of the book's overall plot quest at the end, mostly because there is not one unifying plot quest. The extent of the book is defined temporally, not from a plot perspective, which can give the book the feel of a series of episodes, rather than a unifying experience.

Obviously, this book is popular! I did enjoy it, and I can see how others may enjoy it more than me. That being said, it is not a polished experience, but if you know to expect that, it may help you brace yourself and enjoy it more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Vomit, Torture, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Stalking, Blood, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Chronic illness, Classism, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, and War

Moderate: Sexism, Toxic friendship, Child death, Ableism, Child abuse, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol and Drug use

abibliophobiah's review against another edition

adventurous tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

so the famous fourth wing -  it was good, the story was interesting. 
i feel like the story progressed slowly but the plot twists - worth it
the writing at the beginning is very basic, she wouldn't stop using ADJECTIVES!!! but it got better as the book continues
poor violet has been turned into a pick me - i could not stand her for the first half of the book, but then she stops. It's not her fault though, because she doesn't behave pick-me she just keeps on saying she's tiny and WHY DO THE OTHER CHARACTERS HAVE TO CHIME IN LIKE "you're so small", "he's so big" ugh. it stops but then randomly at the end of the book it is mentioned again like GIRL? i thought we were past this...

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Content Warnings

Minor: War, Death of parent, and Child death

hnovak12's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is like two stories of vastly different quality stapled together. On one hand, there is the interesting dragon lore, deadly academy plot, and military intrigue. These chapters are good. The characters are well written (for the most part), and the dragons in particular are a joy to read about. 

On the other hand, there is high-school level swooning from the constantly horny main character (omg Xaden is so beautiful and lethal. He totally wants to murder me but I'd rather he murder my hymen) blended with cringe-inducing graphic sex scenes. 

If you have the fortitude to wade through the YA trash, it's an engaging story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Child death

erkietheturkey's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Cursing, Death, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Chronic illness

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Sexual content, and War

Minor: Body shaming, Death of parent, Child death, Vomit, Grief, and Drug use

summerbummer's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and War

Moderate: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content

Minor: Child death

c_dmckinney's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Bullying, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Animal death, Child death, War, Death of parent, Confinement, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Abandonment, and Death