Fourth Wing Novel Review
Let me start by saying I have never read a fantasy novel in my life. Yes, I know I’m 31, and this seems impossible, but it’s true. When I was younger, I never got into the whole Harry Potter thing, and I never even glanced at The Hunger Games series (even though I’m a lover of the movies). Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is my first fantasy novel ever.
You may be wondering, “Okay, you weirdo, how did you like it?” I FREAKING LOVED IT! I’ve always been a fan of fantasy shows and movies, so I should have guessed I’d love one of the most talked-about fantasy novels of our time. I went into reading it with a “why the hell not” mentality. This year, I’m determined to try new things, and reading non-fiction is something new. And wow, I loved this adventure.
Fourth Wing Book Summary
I’m sure you’ve read the summary of this book many times before, but in case you haven’t, or you’re just enjoying my writing, here’s a rundown of Fourth Wing with very few spoilers.
Fourth Wing is about a 20-year-old girl named Violet Sorrengail. She is the youngest daughter of Lilith Sorrengail and sister of Mira Sorrengail. Lilith is the General of Basgaith War College, which is as intense as it sounds. Lilith has reached this esteemed position not by being sweet and kind but by being fair, cold, and calculating. This becomes shockingly apparent in one of the first scenes where we discover (okay, here’s a very light spoiler) that she is forcing Violet to become a cadet in the Rider’s Quadrant of the college. This is known to be a practical death sentence for someone like Violet, who trained all her life to be a scribe.
The story revolves around her time at the college as she tries to survive the dangerous surroundings, revenge-seeking peers, and temperamental dragons. Oh yes, there are dragons. Big, beautiful, scary-ass dragons!
My Opinions on Fourth Wing (contains spoilers)
Okay, what did I like about this book? I’m going to state the obvious: the love story between Violet and Xaden—downright addicting. At first, I was confident I would be on Team Dain, but that faded quickly. After the 100th time of Dain trying to get Violet out of the rider’s quadrant, I knew he would be one of my least favorite characters. Like, stop being so annoying and help the girl out.
The dragons, oh my gosh. Tairn was the exact dragon she needed for her character development. Violet needed a dragon that was stern yet patient since she was starting in such an underdog position. Could you imagine if she got a dragon that didn’t catch her when she fell? The book would turn from a 600-page novel to a 50-page short story. But Andarna…cute, little, sassy Andarna. When we found out she was only two years old, I literally cried. She was so young and hopeful when she went to Threshing, and Jack plus his broke-ass gang of friends tried to kill her! OMG, it was so sad to think about.
Her friendship with Rhiannon and Ridoc was terrific. It helped bring a level of humanity to the story. Even in a place where violence and aggression were rewarded, Violet was still about to make genuine friends. Side note: I love how unhinged Rebecca wrote Ridoc. As all this insanity is happening around them, Ridoc is cracking jokes like his life isn’t constantly being threatened.
When we found out that Violet was a lightning wielder, it solidified my love for this story. For a character written as physically weak, I just knew she would have a badass power, and I was not disappointed. I do wish that she was able to use the power more accurately. I kept thinking about how amazing it would be if she could use her eyes and direct lightning wherever she wanted. I know—utterly crazy thought, but I had it.
I must say, I was nervous to see how the book ended. This was the book that made me fall in love with fantasy novels. I was crossing my fingers that it didn’t leave off ridiculously or heartbreakingly. Thank God those worries were squashed.
Brennan…he’s alive. What does this mean for Violet? Does this mean she will stay with the resistance? Will him being alive change her in any way? And how the hell did he manage to fake his death?
Ah, I can’t wait to pop open Iron Flame and get the answers to my questions!
