Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Synopsis:
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail, who is aspiring to be a part of the Scribe Quadrant where she will be at peace among books and papers, is ordered into joining the Riders Quadrant by her hard-hearted commanding general of a mother, to become a dragon rider.
At Basgiath War College in Navarre, a small and brittle Violet faces a multitude of challenges. These involve going through trials designed to root out the weak, proving herself worthy enough to find a dragon who will bond with her, and protecting herself from cadets who are out to kill her, especially the Riders Quadrant's most merciless wing leader - Xaden Riorson.
Thoughts:
"Fourth Wing" was undeniably my favourite read of 2023. It has been dubbed the "it" book of 2023 by the book community and for good reason. It is an enthralling fantasy novel that transports readers to a spellbinding world filled with creatures you'd only hear about in folklore or mythology. The author's witty writing and captivating descriptions provide a thrilling reading experience from the first page to the last.
The novel has a steady pacing, with each chapter having just the right amount of suspense to keep readers hooked. Despite the off-putting length of the chapters - I tend to prefer short chapters - I absolutely could not put this book down.
With all the fantasy books I have read in the past year or so, Violet Sorrengail was a refreshing aura I was glad for. Unlike in a lot of the books I have read, Violet, despite being the daughter of a respected personage and the "chosen one", was not privileged. She had unrealistic expectations to live up to, she was not handed everything on a silver plate and she most definitely was not the flawless female lead some books tend to portray. She was realistic - she was a strong female lead but she had her moments of vulnerability which made her character so much more exhilarating and relatable.
The romance was worth it. This was a classic enemies-to-lovers but it was so wonderfully depicted that it's easy to forget that this is a commonly used trope in books. The chemistry between Xaden and Violet had its safe development, but the tension was so much better. The addictive attraction between the two will leave you wanting to be Violet Sorrengail during the entire time you're reading.
Yes, I loved Violet's and Xaden's characters. I loved the romance, the tension, the world-building, the action and so on. However, my favourite part of this book was definitely the dragons. They were amusing to no end, with their witty and sarcastic remarks (yes, they talk). Dear reader, I assure you that at least 90% of "Fourth Wing" fans fell in love with the dragons more than the human characters.
❝A dragon without its rider is a tragedy.
A rider without their dragon is dead. ❞
To all those who are planning to read this book, be warned. I was not prepared for those plot twists and neither will you be. Also, the book ends on a cliffhanger so good luck.
Note: Fourth Wing is not a standalone book. It is the first book in a 5-part series called "The Empyrean". The second book of this series is called "Iron Flame" and it will be out in November of this year.
