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jferguson1138 's review for:
Fourth Wing
by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
dark
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
This was a book I wanted to enjoy more, but kept tripping over red flags.
Teenage murder hobos are becoming a contemporary classic trope, and this book is full of them. In order to become a dragon rider you have to kill your competition because nothing brings a group of soldiers together more than murdering your "weakest link" friend for the good of the unit. Sound scary and want a normal life now? FIREBALL! Now you're extra crispy. THERE IS NO LEAVING HERE ALIVE UNLESS YOU SURVIVE! bleh
Also, the author is a bit of a weird horn dog. At one point the protagonist gets SUPER horny because the dragon she bonded is having sex with another dragon. When I read chapter I got confused if I was reading some messed up fantasy fan fiction and laughed. After the protagonist has sex for the first time in the book I think the last 1/3 of the book had a horny thought every other paragraph. Oh no, there is danger. But dang look how hard he looks while in danger... it was a weird tone change.
It's got a lot of ACOTAR feel to it which is both good and bad. I had similar complaints about ACOTAR. At points it was really good, at other points it read like a poor fan fiction and lost the plot entirely. The same can be said of Fourth Wing.
Despite all the child murderers, horniness, and awkward dragon erotica moments, I kinda enjoyed the book. I just really wish it didn't make it so weird to enjoy it.
Teenage murder hobos are becoming a contemporary classic trope, and this book is full of them. In order to become a dragon rider you have to kill your competition because nothing brings a group of soldiers together more than murdering your "weakest link" friend for the good of the unit. Sound scary and want a normal life now? FIREBALL! Now you're extra crispy. THERE IS NO LEAVING HERE ALIVE UNLESS YOU SURVIVE! bleh
Also, the author is a bit of a weird horn dog. At one point the protagonist gets SUPER horny because the dragon she bonded is having sex with another dragon. When I read chapter I got confused if I was reading some messed up fantasy fan fiction and laughed. After the protagonist has sex for the first time in the book I think the last 1/3 of the book had a horny thought every other paragraph. Oh no, there is danger. But dang look how hard he looks while in danger... it was a weird tone change.
It's got a lot of ACOTAR feel to it which is both good and bad. I had similar complaints about ACOTAR. At points it was really good, at other points it read like a poor fan fiction and lost the plot entirely. The same can be said of Fourth Wing.
Despite all the child murderers, horniness, and awkward dragon erotica moments, I kinda enjoyed the book. I just really wish it didn't make it so weird to enjoy it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Toxic friendship, War