Review | Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Review of Fourth Wing (The Empyrean #1) by Rebecca Yarros. BookTok’s popular book of the month!

“A dragon without its rider is a tragedy.
A rider without their dragon is dead.”

– Fourth Wing
Rebecca Yarros

Exploring BookTok’s favourite book of the month: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Synopsis

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

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Review

This book has become incredibly popular. I find myself encountering it everywhere I go online. It seems to be omnipresent, particularly on BookTok and Bookstagram. Did I enjoy it? I did. Did it completely blow my mind? Not exactly. There were certainly areas that could have been improved. Now, without further ado, let’s delve into the finer details.

The plot of Fourth Wing held promise, with its intriguing premise. However, I couldn’t help but feel that the depths of the tensions in Basgiath, the story’s setting, were left unexplored. I longed for a deeper understanding of the intricate politics that shaped this world. While we caught glimpses of the underlying issues, they remained elusive, leaving me craving a more profound exploration.

The characters, on the other hand, left me with mixed emotions or should I say no lasting emotions. Neither particularly likable nor dislikable, they existed in a realm of neutrality. Violet and Xaden, the central figures in this romance, had their fair share of steamy moments that ignited sparks between them. However, as the story neared its conclusion, I couldn’t shake the feeling that their romance overshadowed the overarching plot. I longed for a more harmonious balance, where both elements received equal attention and development. I think my favourite character from this series is Andarna and I can’t wait to see more of her.

“There’s nowhere in existence you could go that I wouldn’t find you, Violence.”

I really liked how Violet and Xaden’s relationship developed slowly. It was interesting to see them getting closer and the tension between them growing. Their story was captivating and I was excited to see what would happen next. Was it unexpected? Not at all, but it didn’t make me enjoy it any less.

The dragons, an important part of Fourth Wing‘s world, were the main attraction with their captivating presence. Learning about the special connection they had with humans was a highlight, as it added an interesting element to the story. Watching the complexities of these partnerships was enjoyable and made me appreciate the author’s creative ability.

The ending was really good though, it leaves the reader absolutely stunned and wanting more. When thinking about it, I should’ve seen it coming but I actually didn’t, which proves that I was so immersed in the story and in the moment. I was hanging onto Yarros’ words.

I am really looking forward to the next book in this series. The way Yarros ended Fourth Wing has absolutely driven me crazy and I just can’t wait to see what will happen next.

Would I recommend it?

I would recommend this book, especially if you love dragons or if you want to be up-to-date with the latest BookTok book of the month. Fourth Wing is a fantasy romance novel that immerses readers in a world of dragons and an enemies-to-lovers romance. While it did not reach the mind-blowing heights of its viral reputation, it offered an enjoyable reading experience that blended the allure of fantasy with the intricacies of romantic entanglements.

Rating

6,25/10

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Details

Trigger warnings
Ableism, animal death, blood, chronic illness, death, death of a loved one, fire/fire injury, injury/injury detail, murder, sexual content (explicit), violence, vomit, war.
Representation
Bisexual main character
Genre
Fantasy, romance
Pages
528
Publication date
May 2, 2023
Publisher
Entangled Publishing, LLC (Red Tower Books)
About the author
Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and coffee addict. She is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing, The Last Letter and The Things We Leave Unfinished. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward. Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for over twenty years. A mother of six, she is currently surviving the teenage years with all four of her hockey-playing sons.