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amschelly153's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
3.75
It feels sometimes tropey or traditional YA, and also, I appreciate the representation the author presents in the book and the character development.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, War, and Injury/Injury detail
eabecker05's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.75
Oh. Boy.
This was a ride and I have book hangover.
I wrote down theories and questions as I was reading and I might as well throw all those away now. They don’t work with the way the story has turned.
Poor baby girl Violet. The past year had been rough to say the least but the past 7-8 months has been cruel. First you find out your country has been lying for centuries. Then you fight in a battle that you are not trained properly for. Lose one of your best friends. Almost die. Find out your dead brother is in fact not dead. Go back to school and you are now suspect number one. Nonstop hounding by a cruel high ranking official. Torture by said official. Becoming a “traitor”. Researching ancient texts. Activating an ancient wardstone—incorrectly. Going to an even bigger worse battle. Losing your mother to correctly active a wardstone. And then your boyfriend becomes the very creature you’re trying to destroy.
I thought I was having a bad year.
I loved that part one was at Basgiath. I loved seeing how the structure of the lie the Navarrian government was crumbling now that Violet knew what to look for. We can all agree that Varrish was the worst. He shouldn’t have been allowed to work with students. That man should’ve been on desk duty. But hey, how do you successfully hide information from a whole nation? Threats and torture. Varrish did his job well but he was a bad, bad guy.
Jack Barlowe. He came back!? I guess he never actually died since apparently he was VENIN!? Since last year!? WTF!? Obviously we wouldn’t have seen the signs when we didn’t know it but we also missed it on rereads? Damn him. F* him. But also brilliant.
Lilith died. General Sorrengail sacrificed herself for the wardstone to save the dragons, Navarre, and, most importantly, her children. I can’t scream redemption louder for this woman. She did want she was told. She did what she thought would protect her family. She failed but that’s human nature. Her sacrifice cut me. When she said she’d get to see him, her husband, I cried. I’ll tear up in books occasionally but not cry.
I loved seeing more of the world. Going to different parts of the continent was very interesting. War torn and warded Navarre seems to keep everything bland and basic. What’s the point of making it pretty when you’ve been at war for four hundred years? Provinces in Poromiel do not think the same despite the proximity to the venin. Cordyn was beautiful and majestic and colorful.
This book was such a wild ride and I had the best time.
The emergence of the First Six did bother me a bit. To my knowledge they were not referenced at all in the first book but were very pertinent to the plot of the second. Maybe they’ll be more important here out. I’d very much like to learn more about the others and their ideas of closing Navarre.
The fact that both Violet and Xaden were tempted by the earth magic is very intriguing. Desperate to live Xaden fell for the pull but Violet also felt it. She nearly gave in but her mother and brother stopped her. At first I thought it was poetic that Violet, the weak and fragile of the two, was able to resist the pull, while Xaden, the sterotyoical strong one, fell for it. But it makes sense. Violet has always known how to adjust and accommodate for her faults. Xaden has always needed power and strength and when he was waning he did what he needed to do to stay strong.
All in all I throughly enjoyed this book. I couldn’t stay still at parts. I yelled at the audiobook. I cried.
All in all I throughly enjoyed this book. I couldn’t stay still at parts. I yelled at the audiobook. I cried.
I’m still numb.
I’m scared but so, so ready for book three.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder, and War
Moderate: Torture, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
booking_along's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, War, and Injury/Injury detail
booksdogsandcoffee's review against another edition
1.75
There were some good lines and some sassy dragons, and some bad ass women side characters. But overall this books wasn’t what it could be. Fourth wing had potential, but reading this book…. I will say this without spoiling. Because I STRUGGLED through this book.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS
don’t read if this next part of you don’t want to know, but I don’t personally think it is a spoiler
Yarros seems to (from my knowledge of other books I have read) pulled heavy “inspiration” from books that came out in the 200’s & 2010’s. From HP, Twilight, Divergent, City of Bones and even Vampire Academy, then yeeted dragons and a few spice scenes to call it something new. Yes most fantasy isn’t whole heartedly original, but the way she portrays each of these plot points in Iron Flame is a little too close to the original idea from the other series (imo).
Even the ending is wayyyy too close to a major plot point in one of the series I listed above and it was blatantly obvious if you had read that series.
At this point I feel, with 3 more books ahead, that this won’t be a great. I hope Yarros and Red Tower going forward go through a few more edits and if ideas from other series are used, that it isn’t so similar to the original content.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS
don’t read if this next part of you don’t want to know, but I don’t personally think it is a spoiler
Yarros seems to (from my knowledge of other books I have read) pulled heavy “inspiration” from books that came out in the 200’s & 2010’s. From HP, Twilight, Divergent, City of Bones and even Vampire Academy, then yeeted dragons and a few spice scenes to call it something new. Yes most fantasy isn’t whole heartedly original, but the way she portrays each of these plot points in Iron Flame is a little too close to the original idea from the other series (imo).
Even the ending is wayyyy too close to a major plot point in one of the series I listed above and it was blatantly obvious if you had read that series.
At this point I feel, with 3 more books ahead, that this won’t be a great. I hope Yarros and Red Tower going forward go through a few more edits and if ideas from other series are used, that it isn’t so similar to the original content.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Gaslighting, and War
Minor: Chronic illness