Fourth Wing

To everyone who has read Fourth Wing… I have a massive problem with you. Why didn’t you make me read this book sooner because oh my god.

I’m in love. Like actually, in love.

From the very first page, I was captivated by the story and by our main character, Violet. We experience the story in her eyes and feel the very same things that she does. The story is written in a way that makes you feel like you’re feeling exactly what Violet is.

Let’s talk representation - in this book, we have representation for the chronically ill people, specifically our EDS peeps. Violet struggles with muscle strains and joint dislocations seemingly every chapter. It’s a new form of representation in popular media that I haven’t seen before, and I love it. At first, I was annoyed by the story being interrupted with seemingly irrelevant scenes of bandaging a knee or popping a shoulder into place, but as the read continues, you learn to appreciate the determination and resiliency of our main character for doing exactly what everyone else when it’s much harder for her.

She’s empathetic, tough, and values sisterhood. She’s kind and clever, physically and mentally strong. Live love Violet.

Moving on to our male main character, he has me giggling and blushing right along with Violet. It’s not often where I read a book and I wish that I could have the love interest in real life. Give me an Aragorn, or an Aaron Blackford (my #1 book boyfriend), or even a Cullen and I’m happy. But Xaden? So. Well. Written. He has the bad boy vibe down perfectly, minus the toxic behavior that makes the reader want to throw their book against the wall.

But on to the plot… she’s new and she’s fun.

Traditionally, dragon fantasy books tend to be dark and gory, set in a time before indoor plumbing and filled with peasants in taverns. Fourth Wing isn’t giving us any of this, instead Rebecca Yarros paints a picture of a land where it’s not modern but not quite Middle Ages either. Picture modern day, but without internet or cell phones.

The dragons are viewed as intelligent and wise creatures that are also deadly battle weapons. This isn’t necessarily a new take, but it’s not an overly tired one either. At a certain age, adolescents are allowed to choose a career path that can include being a scribe, a rider, a healer, or an infantry soldier. Our story starts with Violet being forced onto the riders. After a Divergent Dauntless type of vibe, our supporting characters, including female best friend, male best friend, love interest, and Book One enemy are revealed.

if you haven’t read Fourth Wing and want to, skip this next paragraph to avoid spoilers :)

The rest of the book covers the first year out of three of Violet’s training as a rider, where she faces physical and mental challenges that require her to toughen up and create friendships that withstand the stress of life or death events. Eventually, Violet does the most badass thing ever and bonds with two dragons. From there, she’s inextricably bonded with Xaden and thus begins our slow-burn, enemies to lovers.

No more spoilers, but if you know me, then you know that a slow-burn, enemies to lovers is my favorite trope.

When I say that I gobbled this up and keyboard smashed for the first time in years reading this book, I mean it. jahfiahdsjkhafds. This book did it for me in every way and I would highly recommend for anyone who wants to get into fantasy or who can tolerate a side of dragons with their romance.

Talk soon,

Mary