If you know anything about anything when it comes to reading, then you have heard of the new adult romantasy book that is sweeping the nation: “Fourth Wing,” the first book of the Empyrean series.
With the third book, “Onyx Storm,” having been recently released, I figured it was finally time to satiate my curiosity. Between my interest, peer pressure and the temptation of the book being included with my Kindle Unlimited subscription, I cracked open “Fourth Wing.”
“Fourth Wing” is a 2023 romantasy novel by Rebecca Yarros, a graduate of Troy University. The novel follows the story of 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail living in the kingdom of Navarre (yes, like the beach town) and trying to survive Basgiath War College, where she’ll learn how to be a dragon rider.
Her only goal? Don’t die -- which is a lot easier said than done. She must survive obstacle courses, students that are trying to kill her and bonding with a dragon. Not only that, but she’s placed under the leadership of super-evil but also super-hot Xaden Riorson, who has every reason to hold a grudge against Violet’s mother.
A grudge that might just be worth killing Violet over. No pressure, right?
I went into this book with no expectations, and I mean that. I heard so many mixed reviews. Lots of people loved this book, but a lot of people also seemed to despise this book. I, however, found myself as a part of the former.
The more I read, the more involved I became in the world of Navarrian politics and Violet’s story. I found myself saying “one more chapter” and feeling like I had to hide my Kindle because my mom would barge into my room to catch me reading past my bedtime. (Mind you, I recently turned 21, and my mother has not cared about me reading past my bedtime for many years now.)
However, the sheer fact that this book made me feel this way is enough for me to give it flowers, as I’ve been chasing that high since middle school.
I will not say that it is perfect. There were some lines that made me want to put the book down altogether. The stubborn reader that I am, I persisted. I’m glad I did.
The main character, Violet, exceeded my expectations. The first few pages of the book, I was scared. Main characters can be iffy for me and I’d heard contrasting opinions about Violet.
The book is told in first person, so we see all of Violet’s thoughts, and I was pleasantly surprised by her demeanor.
She spends the whole book telling herself not to get killed (relatable), but at the same time, she also never takes things too seriously. This is what makes the book enjoyable and it is what makes Violet likable. She is serious only when she needs to be, but even then, some silly thoughts break through, which, I’ll admit, happens to the best of us.
Another main part of Violet’s character that I was surprised to see is that she has a disability. They do not have a name for it in the book, but in our world, it is called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. I was very surprised to see this in a fantasy novel.
This is a disease Wis not very well-known. Although it can manifest itself in many ways, Ehlers-Danlos traditionally causes bones and joints to break and tear easily, which is what Violet has to deal with. It is an inherent part of her character and it is brought up at appropriate times.
While it is not the main focus of the book, it is not like her disability was mentioned at the beginning of the book and then never seen again. We see how it affects her life as she trains to ride a dragon. I think this makes Violet a much more admirable, realistic character.
As for the overall story, I enjoyed the pacing and the setting. The college setting is the perfect setup to see Violet grow into herself and become more confident as the training goes on. At what I believed to be an appropriate time, Violet realizes not only just how much she’s grown, but what else she still has left to learn.
It shows her maturity as a character from the scared girl we see at the beginning of the story. “Fourth Wing” is also very ensemble-heavy, with a great supporting cast. These characters are fleshed out enough to complement Violet in her journey, but some of them had me, personally, rooting for them more than Violet herself.
Overall, between cast, setting and pacing, Violet’s story feels fleshed out, and it makes “Fourth Wing” an enjoyable book from beginning to end.
If you’re wanting to get into fantasy, or if you’ve heard about this book but aren’t sure if you want to take the leap, I say go for it. “Fourth Wing” keeps your attention and immerses you in a world you’ll want to revisit to see what happens next.