You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
jonlucbthompson 's review for:
Fourth Wing
by Rebecca Yarros
Before I get into my personal review, I think it's important to discuss 'hype' and how it affects our perception of books, especially in this age of social media. This book was hyped to hell, heralded as a new masterpiece, groundbreaking, hot, and pretty much the second coming of the Messiah. When seeing stuff like this, it's easy to get your hopes up. I think that's where a lot of the negative reviews are coming from. They judged it harsher simply because their hopes were so high. I don't think that it's particularly wrong to do so, as perception and personal experience are completely valid for one's evaluation of a piece of work in an entertainment sense. But the way I've seen people rag on the book and crucify it simply because it was not as perfect for them as the tiktoks said they'd be is quite disconcerting. That's not to say that the book is perfect, I clearly don't think so based on the rating I've given. I just want to stress that the book is not as bad as some of the bad reviews say. There is also something to be said about those like me, who went into the book with very low expectations. It's certainly possible that I gave the book too much slack because the bar was essentially on the floor, but I hope that notion will prove untrue by the end of my review.
Now onto my thoughts about the book. (Spoiler Free)
I listened to the book on Audible. Take from that what you will. I believe it enhanced the reading experience, but may have eliminated some personal interpretation of dialogue delivery.
I went in without many expectations. Frankly, most other recommendations from BookTok and the booksphere throughout the internet have really let me down. (looking at you [b:Lightlark|60310757|Lightlark (Lightlark, #1)|Alex Aster|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1647950042l/60310757._SY75_.jpg|91614404] ). So I went into this experience expecting schlocky nonsensical fun with some smut sprinkled in. Thankfully, I got an engaging experience instead. The world of Fourth Wing is one of dragons, gryphons, and death. The story follows Violet Sorrengail, who is forced by her mother to join the Riders Quadrant in an attempt to continue the family legacy by becoming a dragon rider. The problem is that Violet had been training to be a scribe, not a rider, and her body is more frail than most. Considering that the process of becoming a dragon rider is extremely deadly, Violet is in for immense trouble.
The premise was certainly interesting to me, and I was genuinely hooked in the first half of the book. The world Rebecca Yarros built is not as robust as the worlds of other fantasy writers, but it was deep enough to have me wondering more about the world without feeling that crucial details were missing. The supporting cast of characters is somewhat interesting, though quite shallow in most of their cases. Despite this, Yarros does well at creating tension when characters are in peril, even through the predictability of the plot (more on that in the spoiler section). Speaking of tension, the sexual tension between Violet and her main love interest was palpable, though a little unrealistic at points. The book dips its toes into the 'mates' trope, but doesn't do it to an annoying extent like the ACOTAR books ([b:A Court of Thorns and Roses|50659467|A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)|Sarah J. Maas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1620324329l/50659467._SY75_.jpg|21905102]). Yes, I'm well aware that is a personal preference. Toward the end of the book, Violet became a little annoying, but not in a way that ruined her character. The book managed to keep my attention to the end, even though the plot twists could be seen coming from a mile away. Overall, the book was a perfectly serviceable experience.
I give a rating of 3/5
NOW ONTO THE SPOILER SECTION
FIRST OF ALL. What the hell is Violet's obsession with Xaden's mouth? Like I can't be the only person that found it a little weird. Listen, I've read smut and erotica before, so I'm no stranger to a character's odd fixation on a part of the body. But, by the umpteenth time I had to listen to Violet talk about this dude's "perfect mouth", I wanted to rip my ears out.
But onto something more important. I feel like the predictability of the story might actually be one of the driving forces that kept me reading. The moment Violet started to talk about her love for Dain, I was like "He's not going to be the main love interest at all", and when we met Xaden, I immediately knew that he would be instead. That wasn't a problem. If you've read any number of books like this, you'd be able to see that from a mile away. I also knew from the first meeting of the rebellion kids that they would be working with the Gryphons. I actually was a little frustrated that Violet essentially stopped worrying about them altogether by the midway point in the story.
Dude, I cannot tell what Violet ever saw in Dain. He was an overprotective buzzkill from the first moments of the story. Xaden was also protective, but he at least respected Violet enough to not go behind her back and try to get her in the scribe quadrant. No means no, man. He's the world's wettest blanket, and frankly a terrible friend. Like, you didn't believe your CHILDHOOD BEST FRIEND when she said who she'd been attacked by? C'mon, man.
The sex scenes were alright, but if I had to hear the word 'c**k' again I might cry. God I hate that word. Idk I just appreciate it more when authors use different words like "member, length" etc. Which Yarros did, but not nearly enough in my eyes.
Also quick note, when Violet felt Tairn's lust for the first time, I genuinely thought she was about to go to town with Liam. I kinda wish she did, because that would've caused extra drama.
Speaking of Liam, dude is my favorite character. Such a bro.
Anyway, that's all I have to say about the book. Patiently waiting for Iron Flame in October(?) November (?)
~ J.L. Benjamin
Now onto my thoughts about the book. (Spoiler Free)
I listened to the book on Audible. Take from that what you will. I believe it enhanced the reading experience, but may have eliminated some personal interpretation of dialogue delivery.
I went in without many expectations. Frankly, most other recommendations from BookTok and the booksphere throughout the internet have really let me down. (looking at you [b:Lightlark|60310757|Lightlark (Lightlark, #1)|Alex Aster|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1647950042l/60310757._SY75_.jpg|91614404] ). So I went into this experience expecting schlocky nonsensical fun with some smut sprinkled in. Thankfully, I got an engaging experience instead. The world of Fourth Wing is one of dragons, gryphons, and death. The story follows Violet Sorrengail, who is forced by her mother to join the Riders Quadrant in an attempt to continue the family legacy by becoming a dragon rider. The problem is that Violet had been training to be a scribe, not a rider, and her body is more frail than most. Considering that the process of becoming a dragon rider is extremely deadly, Violet is in for immense trouble.
The premise was certainly interesting to me, and I was genuinely hooked in the first half of the book. The world Rebecca Yarros built is not as robust as the worlds of other fantasy writers, but it was deep enough to have me wondering more about the world without feeling that crucial details were missing. The supporting cast of characters is somewhat interesting, though quite shallow in most of their cases. Despite this, Yarros does well at creating tension when characters are in peril, even through the predictability of the plot (more on that in the spoiler section). Speaking of tension, the sexual tension between Violet and her main love interest was palpable, though a little unrealistic at points. The book dips its toes into the 'mates' trope, but doesn't do it to an annoying extent like the ACOTAR books ([b:A Court of Thorns and Roses|50659467|A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)|Sarah J. Maas|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1620324329l/50659467._SY75_.jpg|21905102]). Yes, I'm well aware that is a personal preference. Toward the end of the book, Violet became a little annoying, but not in a way that ruined her character. The book managed to keep my attention to the end, even though the plot twists could be seen coming from a mile away. Overall, the book was a perfectly serviceable experience.
I give a rating of 3/5
NOW ONTO THE SPOILER SECTION
Spoiler
This is going to be kind've an unintelligible and crude rant, but please bear with me as I go through some of the things that caught my attention during the story.FIRST OF ALL. What the hell is Violet's obsession with Xaden's mouth? Like I can't be the only person that found it a little weird. Listen, I've read smut and erotica before, so I'm no stranger to a character's odd fixation on a part of the body. But, by the umpteenth time I had to listen to Violet talk about this dude's "perfect mouth", I wanted to rip my ears out.
But onto something more important. I feel like the predictability of the story might actually be one of the driving forces that kept me reading. The moment Violet started to talk about her love for Dain, I was like "He's not going to be the main love interest at all", and when we met Xaden, I immediately knew that he would be instead. That wasn't a problem. If you've read any number of books like this, you'd be able to see that from a mile away. I also knew from the first meeting of the rebellion kids that they would be working with the Gryphons. I actually was a little frustrated that Violet essentially stopped worrying about them altogether by the midway point in the story.
Dude, I cannot tell what Violet ever saw in Dain. He was an overprotective buzzkill from the first moments of the story. Xaden was also protective, but he at least respected Violet enough to not go behind her back and try to get her in the scribe quadrant. No means no, man. He's the world's wettest blanket, and frankly a terrible friend. Like, you didn't believe your CHILDHOOD BEST FRIEND when she said who she'd been attacked by? C'mon, man.
The sex scenes were alright, but if I had to hear the word 'c**k' again I might cry. God I hate that word. Idk I just appreciate it more when authors use different words like "member, length" etc. Which Yarros did, but not nearly enough in my eyes.
Also quick note, when Violet felt Tairn's lust for the first time, I genuinely thought she was about to go to town with Liam. I kinda wish she did, because that would've caused extra drama.
Speaking of Liam, dude is my favorite character. Such a bro.
Anyway, that's all I have to say about the book. Patiently waiting for Iron Flame in October(?) November (?)
~ J.L. Benjamin