A review by aamna_theinkslinger
Darker by Four by June CL Tan

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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? Yes

4.5

After a long, long time of on-and-off reading slumps, I read a YA Fantasy book that gripped me. That made me turn page after page in anticipation. The pacing was propulsive and packed with action and tension. 

As I start to tell you my thoughts about the book, I want to start talking about the characters first, since that element of the book left the most lasting impression on me. 

We follow the story through the POVs of our two main characters, Rui and Yiran. 

Rui 

I was apprehensive at first because “MC who loves to avenge their parents/take revenge from someone” has become so common of a trope and I thought I’d be bored by it. But unexpectedly there were more dimensions to her character than purely revenge. That had to take a back seat due to certain events that happened in the book. 

I ended up rooting for her quite quickly in the book, along with another character who is her love interest, But I won’t name him as it would be a spoiler. 

Yiran initially seems like a spoiled and aimless rich boy. But as we get to know him throughout the story, his character gains more depth who we empathize with. He hungers for approval from his grandfather, the only living authority figure in his life apart from his half-brother. 

SPOILERS- 

As mentioned in the synopsis itself, through some strange circumstances Yiran comes into possession of Rui’s powers, and the way he dealt with the situation took me aback a bit. 

Normally I would expect some character who would feel bad about it, would feel uncomfortable with that power, and would be earnest in wanting to give it back, but Yuvraj is just a teenage boy who has been passed over all his life, be it affection or power. He only has superficial things to keep him company. 

So when he gets a taste of Rui’s immensely strong magic, he is ready to do anything to hold on to it, even if it means lying through his teeth and trying to get close to Rui. 

Even as he is seeming to build a true friendship with Rui and come to find a true friend in her, he can’t help but want to keep that power for himself. That, despite seeming selfish, seemed so right for his character. Because of course, a person who has gone through what he has would act this way. Why would he want to give up something that has finally put him in the spotlight, and gotten him the life and the friends he wanted? 

Rui sank her head into her hands. “All this time I was so sure that Hybrids existed. But now that I know it’s true, why do I feel worse?” Seurin had crouched beside her. Her warm brown eyes were frank and kind. “Because this is how it feels when your elders turn their backs, when institutions fall from grace, when the world moves on even as you’re standing still, when something you believe in turns out to be a lie. Because you’re no longer a child, and you’re realizing the world you live in operates in shades of gray. Sometimes, there isn’t a right or a wrong—there’s only doing the best you can in spite of the odds stacked up against you and forgiving yourself when you fall short. 

Ash was another side character that I didn’t expect to become pivotal to the plot of the story. If you haven’t read the book, Ash Song is the elder brother of Yiran and the grandson of the owner of a very powerful individual. Despite not getting any chapters from his perspective, he’s an incredibly well-fleshed-out character. He’s not just the perfect “golden boy” character that Yiran’s POV makes it seem. The author makes his every appearance of matter. 

“It’s been a difficult day,” Ash finally said. Both of his hands were gripping the steering wheel, knuckles white. He sighed, the sigh of someone who had seen too much but who was forced to keep his eyes open. How many people had died in front of him? How many people had he failed to save? Yiran didn’t know the ghosts that haunted his half brother. 

overall tone and atmosphere 

Most importantly, the high stakes and life-and-death moments of the plot match the writing style. It’s an immaculate balance. The writing is taut, compulsively readable, and tense. 

One of the things that stood out to me the most is, as I mentioned previously, the elements of slightly older kinds of YA books. 

It is pretty dark and gruesome, with a lingering sense of dread and urgency with the writing conveyed through the tone of the writing and violent fight scenes. The descriptions of the Underworld, the role of the reapers, and the magic and fantasy events inspired by Chinese mythology were fascinating and quite well done. 

I think fans of Fourth Wing who are okay with no explicit smut or central romance in their books will like this story a lot because of the similarities it has with it. There’s a magic school in both of them (but the one in Darker by Four is a lot more believable and sensible in my opinion, while still keeping the high stakes). 

I probably am not sounding as excited as I wanted to, because I loved this book. However, I couldn’t review it immediately afterward like I prefer to, so just know that I highly recommend trying this out, as well as other books by June CL. Tan.