I have a bad habit that I realized recently that I need to stop ASAP. As soon as I finish a book, I recommend it to Goodreads. The problem is that I’m being generous with these posts. Books I hate will still get a 2 or 3 star rating (I can always see. something like and understand that not every book I find is for me). While my favorite books might get 4 or even 5 stars, I’ll finish a book I like and be convinced it’s the best thing I’ve ever read, and rate it as just forgetting what it was. anything about it. days later. All this to say, I need to stop handing out 5 star reviews for nothing and save them for the books. of course worth it. Why this epiphany? I recently read a book that was so cute that giving it a five star rating is not enough, because it is miles and miles ahead of any five star book on my Goodreads shelf. Friends, I am here today to share a book that made me rethink everything: The fourth wing by Rebecca Yarros.
Rebecca Yarros
The fourth wing
20-year-old Violet Sorrengail spends her life preparing to join the Scribe’s Quadrant and live a quiet life among books and history. His mother, the commander-in-chief of Navarre, had other plans. Violet finds herself competing with hundreds of candidates to become one of Navarre’s chiefs: a dragon rider. Although his competitors have spent their lives training for this season, Violet is the team behind them and, on top of that, has a chronic illness that makes it easier for Basgiath, the college deadly war he is forced to enter. All he has on his side is his wits, which are better than most, and the frustrated Xaden Riorson, who can’t decide whether to kill him or help him survive long enough to join his own dragon.
Why The fourth wing is my favorite book of the year… So far
World Building Makes It Feel Like You’re Watching A Movie
One of the biggest problems with the fantasy genre is that it can be strength to enter a new book. It’s a completely new world, with new magic techniques, and words, names and places that you must first figure out how to pronounce and then remember what they mean. Even as someone who considers himself an expert fantasy reader, I have to be as strong as it can be. The fourth wing, however, is a masterclass in world building. From the first page, the world is laid out well and clearly.
I find myself turning to a glossary or a map to remember what a word or place is, but it The fourth wing, this is not important at all. Yarros creates a vivid and easy-to-understand magical world that I rarely see in the genre. When you fall into the world of The fourth wingit feels like you’re watching a movie that draws you in from the first clip.
Heroine is Badass & Confused
When it comes to enjoying books, I can only look back at the vague world building (which isn’t even a case of it. The fourth wing), a sketchy magic formula, or even a meh plot. One thing will turn me off like no other, though? A main character who is completely failed or annoying (no, I won’t name names).
Violet is multidimensional and Yarros makes you root for her from the start. He wanted a quiet life—it was what he was prepared for as a child. But when he was forced to enter the dragon rider training, where hundreds of his peers would surely die, he was not silent on the challenge. Instead, he rises from it. Watching him grow into a strong hero in this book is a truly satisfying experience.
I can’t stand the main characters who are flawless and are somehow destined to save the world. Violet is complicated, makes mistakes, and learns from them—and she’s 100% the wrong person in Basgiath. What Yarros does well here is that Violet makes incredible mistakes… instead of being dumb. I’ve read more than a few books where the protagonist makes choices that make me want to bang my head against the wall. And Violet, even when she makes questionable choices (and believe me, she does), you can’t help but root for her and realize that if you were in her shoes, you would did the same thing.
Source: Garry Chaverst
Non-romantic relationships
I’ll get into the main love story in a minute, but what really got me excited about the first two chapters was the strong power of Violet’s family. With his father and brother dead, Violet’s sister and mother were the only family left. Violet’s mother is the commander-in-chief of Navarre’s dragoons, and her sister is the perfect daughter living up to their mother’s legacy. When Violet’s mother forces her to join the Riders Quadrant and Violet abandons herself to her fate, you get a clear picture of the strong mother-daughter relationship that continues to be a theme throughout the book. the whole body. Violet does what she does because she’s forced to, yes, but she also wants to prove herself to a mother who doesn’t love her or, at least, believes she will. survive his first year. . Along the way, Violet realizes that not only can she do what her mother expects, but even more, she can surpass them and prove her wrong.
I immediately liked Violet’s relationship with her sister. With the girls’ mother distant and seemingly uncaring, older sister Violet looks up to her and does everything in her limited power to set her up for success. well—after all, he had progressed with Basgiath when he was a student a few years ago.
The girls’ brother, even though he died in the past, is also in the book in a way that shows that the three of them have always been thieves. We have no other choice but to stand by Sorrengail sibs.
This is all without even starting to get into Violet’s friendship with Basgiath. Each part presented is almost as physical as the main ones—something that all free books try to do but rarely land. In every book I read, there is always at least one character or part of the plot that I have absolutely no interest in and will force myself to read through. It is not like that The fourth wing. Instead, Yarros does a wonderful job making every character and relationship important to the story’s grand scheme. It also adds spice to the humor and happy moments (but not cheesy), making even the most unpleasant parts of the book fun and enjoyable to read.
…And lovers, too
For me, a strong romantic relationship is a must have for a good adult fantasy book The fourth wing has a love that, I say, is there and the people in it Garden of Thorns and Roses for me (and maybe even better? Alert press). The romance is The fourth wing is a slow fire that does well. By the time I got to our first real romance between the characters, I was rooting and waiting for it to happen for years.
Often, however, the love story comes out of nowhere and you are left wondering how the hell we got here when there is no chemistry to speak of and no hints that something deeper is go between characters. Or even worse, the characters have something undeniable and indescribable about each other the first time they meet, and their relationship doesn’t really develop beyond that. Yarros has created a love story that is believable and that you can’t help but root for. I still get goosebumps thinking about it and I will read this book again just for love.
The plan
It’s been a rare time where I’ve invested more in a book’s plot than its romance or characters. The fourth wing truly enjoyable from start to finish. Will Violet survive the deadly military college? Will one of her classmates have it in for her downfall (our daughter has survived several assassination attempts)? Will Violet get along with the dragon? Why are fights and conflicts on the border of Navarre increasing? Can Violet really trust everyone she meets in Basgiath? There’s a lot going on The fourth wing and each subplot is as interesting as the main one. And there’s no shortage of twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. However, when the scrolls are revealed, you’ll notice that Yarros has left you with no food whatsoever. Not in a way that makes the conversion tangible, but in a way that makes the reward satisfying.
The plan was so intense that when a story came together, I cried tears of joy and ran to my husband all about it. And this is the time I know The fourth wing is the famous room where I read books and books that I will never forget.
Head down
I had zero expectations going into this book, but every page blew me away. As I read it, I said several times out loud “I love this book.” Even weeks after I finished it, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and would give anything for the chance to read it for the first time again. That’s the good news The fourth wing is the first book in a new series so I’ll get more of this story, but the bad news is I’ll have to wait who knows how long until then. In the meantime, you can find me listening to audio books and reading my hard books on repeat.
I urge everyone in this world to run to the nearest bookstore or library and get this book from them. Reading it was an experience I will never forget and if it was up to me, it would win all the awards. You did well, The fourth wingbravo.
Rebecca Yarros
The fourth wing
20-year-old Violet Sorrengail spends her life preparing to join the Scribe’s Quadrant and live a quiet life among books and history. His mother, the commander-in-chief of Navarre, had other plans. Violet finds herself competing with hundreds of candidates to become one of Navarre’s chiefs: a dragon rider. Although his competitors have spent their lives training for this season, Violet is the team behind them and, on top of that, has a chronic illness that makes it easier for Basgiath, the college deadly war he is forced to enter. All he has on his side is his wits, which are better than most, and the frustrated Xaden Riorson, who can’t decide whether to kill him or help him survive long enough to join his own dragon.
