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A review by mejisilliterate
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
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? It's complicated
5.0
The day has come. I finally, genuinely loved a beloved booktok book. the ease of reading it, the fantastic characters, the amazing plot. TO DIE FOR.
i think what this book does most successfully is violets whole character. too often in fantasy books like these the female main character is written to be a whiny mary-sue whose struggles are almost entirely stemming out of their own self-victimization. what i love about violet is from the very start she knows deep down what she wants, and always believes she has the strength and cunning to do it, yet she also goes on a real journey to overcome doubts (both external and self-imposed) and realize her power. she’s never whiny and frustrating to read; shes in touch with her emotions and makes healthy realizations at the perfect times about the relationships around her; her character journey is self-imposed, with her knowing what she needs. xaden isn’t the one to ‘unlock’ her badass self, he simply is the one who reinforces what she already knows about herself, and what she knows dain is holding her back from. it’s too good. i also, for once in my life, didn’t mind the fact that violet was constantly described as tiny and fragile, yet could still be powerful. for one, i appreciated the representation of her disability, not because i myself have one, but because i know how much it means to people who do. her whole mindset towards her disability is almost always positive, and the accommodations that are made for her (and that she makes for herself) are never seen in a shameful light.
also, the twists in the last 20% of the books were SOOOOOO good. i was HOOKED.
i found that the world building of this book was actually, contrary to some opinion, very easy to get into and understand on a basic level. perhaps once things start getting a bit more complex is where my understanding of the magic system and all those details starts to fall apart, and that’s certainly a valid critique many have had, but i find my enjoyment of the book was pretty much unimpeded by it.
this book had the perfect balance between actual plot and romance for me. violet and xaden’s relationship and it’s development is integral to the novel, but at its core is violets own journey and her experiences in this fantasy world. for the people who prefer a romance subplot instead of a coplot, this one probably isn’t for you.
overall i absolutely cannot wait until the next book comes out, and i hope it’ll be just as good as this one (which i think it will because we were FED with a hugeeee storyline.)
i think what this book does most successfully is violets whole character. too often in fantasy books like these the female main character is written to be a whiny mary-sue whose struggles are almost entirely stemming out of their own self-victimization. what i love about violet is from the very start she knows deep down what she wants, and always believes she has the strength and cunning to do it, yet she also goes on a real journey to overcome doubts (both external and self-imposed) and realize her power. she’s never whiny and frustrating to read; shes in touch with her emotions and makes healthy realizations at the perfect times about the relationships around her; her character journey is self-imposed, with her knowing what she needs. xaden isn’t the one to ‘unlock’ her badass self, he simply is the one who reinforces what she already knows about herself, and what she knows dain is holding her back from. it’s too good. i also, for once in my life, didn’t mind the fact that violet was constantly described as tiny and fragile, yet could still be powerful. for one, i appreciated the representation of her disability, not because i myself have one, but because i know how much it means to people who do. her whole mindset towards her disability is almost always positive, and the accommodations that are made for her (and that she makes for herself) are never seen in a shameful light.
also, the twists in the last 20% of the books were SOOOOOO good. i was HOOKED.
i found that the world building of this book was actually, contrary to some opinion, very easy to get into and understand on a basic level. perhaps once things start getting a bit more complex is where my understanding of the magic system and all those details starts to fall apart, and that’s certainly a valid critique many have had, but i find my enjoyment of the book was pretty much unimpeded by it.
this book had the perfect balance between actual plot and romance for me. violet and xaden’s relationship and it’s development is integral to the novel, but at its core is violets own journey and her experiences in this fantasy world. for the people who prefer a romance subplot instead of a coplot, this one probably isn’t for you.
overall i absolutely cannot wait until the next book comes out, and i hope it’ll be just as good as this one (which i think it will because we were FED with a hugeeee storyline.)