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A review by mitzee
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Generally I liked it but the sex and mentally described desire was really cringey and there was SO much in the second half that I only gave it a 4.5 because it was so cringe.
Summary for myself:
Violet is the primary character. Author makes her out to be so weak and mid at the start that you’re supposed to be impressed that she can creatively problem solve. The fact that she can solve problems and had a mild sense of doing what’s right makes her a very special person in this world. So much so that TWO dragons bond with her - the strongest one and the tiniest one (which most people don’t know is actually a baby dragon).
Riders develop mental connections with their dragons and otherwise the dragons can’t speak vocally. There is also no logic as to why intelligent dragons would even want to do this with humans (form a life bond - if the dragon dies so does the rider but I don’t think it works the other way around, dragons just get depressed)
There’s a lot of angry mental flirting between Violet and Zaiden (which gives cringy Millennials naming their kids with unique names vibes but he’s supposed to be insanely hot - much eye roll) then they finally have very detailed sex. Like the entire sex scene is written out and I don’t know how long it is in pages but it feels like I was listening to it for 15 minutes.
Anyway Violet is shunned by her former best friend Dane - but he gives “I’m a nice guy” vibes which, you know, good riddance. He likes her and supposedly wants to fuck her but it’s all from her perspective and she seems to fall for a lot of lies so what does she know? He ends up betraying her by reading her memories/mind with his (signet - everyone who bonds with a dragon has a special power) and uses it to try to kill Zaiden and the kids of people who tried to rebel against whatever this empire led by humans is. The rebels were killed but their children were allowed to either choose death or to be conscripted into their Air Force.
Book ends with Violet, Zaiden, and Zaiden’s crew of rebel babies (formerly thought to be bad) going back to their hideout town (that was thought to be destroyed) and Violet being greeted by her only brother (thought to be dead and died fighting these rebels)
Oh and also magic wizards called Venem? and their wyverns ( which they created and control using powerful magic) are real and not just stories that Violet was told by her father.
Summary for myself:
Violet is the primary character. Author makes her out to be so weak and mid at the start that you’re supposed to be impressed that she can creatively problem solve. The fact that she can solve problems and had a mild sense of doing what’s right makes her a very special person in this world. So much so that TWO dragons bond with her - the strongest one and the tiniest one (which most people don’t know is actually a baby dragon).
Riders develop mental connections with their dragons and otherwise the dragons can’t speak vocally. There is also no logic as to why intelligent dragons would even want to do this with humans (form a life bond - if the dragon dies so does the rider but I don’t think it works the other way around, dragons just get depressed)
There’s a lot of angry mental flirting between Violet and Zaiden (which gives cringy Millennials naming their kids with unique names vibes but he’s supposed to be insanely hot - much eye roll) then they finally have very detailed sex. Like the entire sex scene is written out and I don’t know how long it is in pages but it feels like I was listening to it for 15 minutes.
Anyway Violet is shunned by her former best friend Dane - but he gives “I’m a nice guy” vibes which, you know, good riddance. He likes her and supposedly wants to fuck her but it’s all from her perspective and she seems to fall for a lot of lies so what does she know? He ends up betraying her by reading her memories/mind with his (signet - everyone who bonds with a dragon has a special power) and uses it to try to kill Zaiden and the kids of people who tried to rebel against whatever this empire led by humans is. The rebels were killed but their children were allowed to either choose death or to be conscripted into their Air Force.
Book ends with Violet, Zaiden, and Zaiden’s crew of rebel babies (formerly thought to be bad) going back to their hideout town (that was thought to be destroyed) and Violet being greeted by her only brother (thought to be dead and died fighting these rebels)
Oh and also magic wizards called Venem? and their wyverns ( which they created and control using powerful magic) are real and not just stories that Violet was told by her father.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Violence