Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros, 2023
(Spoilers)
We start by flipping open the hefty hardcover and seeing a gorgeous map of The Continent. Consider my pleasure at meeting not only this one page of exciting typography but then flipping to the next and seeing A SECOND MAP (being of the college campus in which Fourth Wing is set). Imaginative worlds girlies, you know the satisfaction of seeing a map and knowing they’re just symbols for the meantime but after a few hours of reading they’ll be your greatest reference point. Needless to say, Yarros and I had a great start.
Fourth Wing begins on the day our protagonist, Violet, and hundreds of others are set to enter their “Quadrant” at Basgiath War College. The Quadrant you enter is kind of like picking a major, except there’s only 4: Riders, Scribes, Healers, and Infantry. Violet was raised at Basgiath War College where her mother is a General and her father was a Scribe in the archives. She had spent her life at Basgiath studying to be a Scribe like her now-deceased father, while her older brother (deceased 5 years earlier in war as a Rider) and sister (a recent Graduate of the Riders Quadrant) trained to be a Rider like her cold-blooded mother, General Sorrengail.
Unfortunately for Violet, the lifetime of training her hundreds of fellow Rider inductees have spent for combat was spent for Violet in books. She makes a real point of her lacking height and muscles in the few hours before ‘Parapet,’ the first challenge needed to complete in order to enter the Riders Quadrant—a test of wind and balance against a long beam looming above a rocky death. Exciting.
Here we are first shown Violet’s kind heart, when it starts raining and she lends her new friend, Rhiannon, one of her non-slip shoes to help her cross Parapet. This kind heart of hers is something quite repudiated in the Riders Quadrant, as, and I can’t stress this enough, Basgiath is essentially a murder college. All first years who successfully cross Parapet are thrown in immediate competition with one another to make an impression on the limited supply of dragons—DRAGONS!—who will each choose a first year inductee to bond with.
I’ll be honest, and I’m sure this isn’t the case for all readers, but the whole dragon/bonding/war lore was a little wonky for me, at least to begin. From what I gather, outside of Navarre territory (which, in my understanding, is the extent of Dragon Territory), is Poromiel and The Barrens, two territories where there are Gryphons, the archenemy of the Dragons. These territories are in a sort-of cold war with Navarre, and the point of the Rider’s Quadrant is to build Dragon Riders to fight when necessary. Oh, and the Dragon’s need Riders as a vessel to channel their powers (powers have a large range; sight-seeing, speed, metallurgy, time, reading memories, yielding shadows, lightening, etc.).
Unrelated to this tension with the territories outside of Navarre is a sort-of civil war within Navarre, called the Tyrrish Rebellion (Violet’s brother Brennan was killed defending Navarre during this rebellion). One of the Navarre’s Territories, Tyrrendor, revolted, and, at their loss in the end, all of the children of the rebellion were made to watch their parents (the leaders and fighters) be executed, and were forced to enter the Riders Quadrant to prove their loyalty. They each have a mark tattooed on their skin to show their Tyrrish identity.
Among the kids of the Tyrrish Rebellion is Xaden Riorson. Babe. Xaden’s father was the Rebellion leader, leaving Xaden known as a bad-boy symbol of Tyrrendor. Violet’s mother, of course, oversaw Mr.Riorson’s execution (politics😒). We can therefore understand why Xaden isn’t Violet’s biggest fan; in fact, none of the Tyrrendor kids are. Violet walks around Basgaith with a target on her back, as it’s been made very clear to her that the Tyrrish kids plan to kill her at any chance they get. It becomes the unofficial job of her childhood best friend, second-year Rider Dain, to protect her.
A little bit about Dain, he is not a bad-boy charmer like his foil Xaden. Dain is a rule-following, coward of a best-friend, and he’s very untrusting in the capabilities of women, if I may add. He plays the feigned role of being Violet’s biggest supporter, while simultaneously being her biggest critique. See, Violet knows she is not built for the Rider’s Quadrant. In fact, she is ubiquitously known as the weakest link. But Violet pushes, pushes, pushes through all of the challenges she “isn’t” cut out for, SUCCESSFULLY, while Dain shakes his head and stays consistent in telling her it’s best she runs away.
How she doesn’t tell him to suck a fat toe is beyond me.
There’s a stilted childhood friends to lovers trope which brews between Violet and Dain (despite his utter, blatant lack of faith in her ability), but as soon as Xaden sets his eyes on her, which is initially only to let her know he’ll wait for her death with patience of course, Violet finds her interest in Dain is null to her interest in the dark-boy shadow-wielding nemesis she has.
The banter is immediate. It’s almost unbelievable that these two are living in this false pretense of hate with chemistry so strong. Like, come on, they must know. Especially since it’s quite quick after his initial promise to kill her that he lays off. Like, bro, we see right through you.
When it’s time to bond with the Dragons, there’s a bit of a scuffle (lol) between some weakling boys and Violet, which ends in Violet bonding the strongest dragon (Tairn) and a little whittle cutie dragon (Andarna)—truly unheard of because no Rider in history has bonded two dragons.
This outcome is real sucky for all of the Riders who ended up not bonding, and makes Violet an even larger target. Now people want her dead because 1) her mom is General Sorrengail 2) she’s the weakest link and 3) she has 2 dragons.
This outcome is also sucky for Xaden, whose life is now linked with Violet’s, as Violet’s dragon who is feared by all (Tairn) is bonded to Xaden’s dragon Sgaeyl. And a dragon bond is the strongest thing in the world, right above the bond between a dragon and their Rider. The way it goes is this: if Tairn’s Rider (Violet) dies, so does Tairn, and if Tairn dies, Sgaeyl dies, and, oh yeah, if a Rider’s dragon dies, so does the Rider, so then Xaden dies too. At this point in the story is when Xaden officially switches from wanting to kill Violet to wanting (needing) to consistently save her. And let me tell you, girls and boys, I, too, would set myself up for needing constant saving if I could also have Xaden Riorson as my patented protector; however, Violet somehow sort of despises this fact.
Xaden hires his foster brother, Liam, as her personal bodyguard (though this is sort of nonsensical since it’s Xaden who saves her life on multiple occasions). Ultimately, through Xaden’s efforts to keep her alive, the two fall in love.
Them getting together is steamy and very anticipated, but I will say, it is kind of randomly placed. They’re just super turned on one evening and give into the long put-off sexual urge. Oh, oh, oh, and then the funniest thing in the world happens. After they’ve slept together, they’re laying together and Xaden hits her with the “don’t fall for me.” *Insert eye-roll here* WHATTTTT!! We were doing so good, Rebecca, at staying unique and staying clear of the clichès of a typical romantic fantasy novel, and then all of a freaking sudden we’re given the biggest clichè of all romance! That moment was hands down the worst part of the novel for me.
What’s weird, too, is it almost didn’t even become anything. Usually, following the clichè, the story becomes a tension-filled push/pull where they’re each silently falling for each other, but here it kinda falls flat. Violet very quickly tells him (essentially) “I’m gonna end up falling for you so let’s not sleep together anymore.” And, yeah, there’s some sexual tension in the chapters that follow, but I don’t know, call me toxic, there could’ve been MORE!
My favorite scene is not long after, right about at the climax. There’s a banquet styled party to celebrate “Reunification Day,” the 6 year anniversary of the end of the civil battle between Tyrrendor and the rest of Navarre. This is the day which marks Violet’s brother Brennan’s death as well as the execution of the Tyrrish children’s parents. I LOVE a good fancy ball gown party, so the vibes here are immaculate, though not much happens except Liam and Violet’s friendship strengthens, as Liam (remember, a Tyrrish child) escorts her to the party, despite being despised by all the celebrants. Violet sympathizes with Liam for the rude glares he gets, and she admires his stoicism. Xaden, by the way, is nowhere to be seen.
Xaden, in fact, has escaped to Parapet on this lonely, windy night. He sits on the beam to look off into space and honor his father in the most broody, tumblr-boy way possible. We love every second of it. Violet takes this opportunity to show she cares and walks the parapet to him in her flowy dress and high heels (let it be noted I’d probably have waited for him to just get down, since, like, if she falls she’ll die). They confess their feelings for one another (though Xaden doesn’t say I love you back…sketchy) and then have crazy sex back in his room. They wake to an urgent knock on his dorm room door, told that the War Games are beginning, the launch of their final challenge before Graduation.
For War Games, Xaden and a large group of his most trusted Tyrrish buddies are stationed in Athebyne, the farthest station from Basgaith and, from what I gather, the most dangerous. My understanding of War Games isn’t so clear since it’s something set up by the college but ends up being not so collegial at all. Apparently them being stationed in Athebyne is a huge deal (Dain throws a fit), and completely unmonitored (weirdly, since Dain’s father Colonel Aetos has set this up as part of their final test). Anyway, Xaden, Violet, Liam, and a few other Tyrrendor kids leave for Athebyne with their Dragons, and once they’re there, all hell breaks loose!!
As it turns out, the Tyrrish clan were aiding “the enemy” all along. Violet is completely blindsided by this bit of information when she watches an unheated interaction between Xaden and a Gryphon Flier, and finds out they’ve been feeding the Fliers information and weapons.
I can’t imagine the sudden realization of that disillusionment. All this time Xaden has been lying to her by omission and actively betraying Navarre, and she’s miles from Basgaith so she can’t run from this man who she now fears.
You wanna know what got me though? Had me crying like a little b*tch? After she finds this out, she turns to Liam before turning to Xaden, and you know what she says? I’m telling you, I could not handle this. She says, “‘you watched me train with him!’” I shove at Liam’s chest, and he stumbles backward through the grass. “‘You stood by and watched me fall for him!”
That scene broke me. Utterly and completely broke me.
You know what then broke me a second time? When Liam DIES!!
Okay, so bear with me here, I know this won’t make much sense.
It comes to light that there’s 2 other brutal, mythical death creatures alive outside the world of Navarre: the Venin (red-eyed skeletal human things) and Wyvern (their dogs)(lol, I don’t know, they’re the things the Venin ride, competitors for the Dragons and Gryphons). These soulless killers have apparently been known to the Navarrian leaders (Violet’s mother included) but are being kept on the down low because the Navarrian leaders don’t want to use their armies to fight them. So people are being killed outside of Navarre but Navarre is turning a blind eye to it, and the Tyrrish knew about this which is why they had revolted in the first place. So, essentially, Xaden’s been the good guy all along and the Rebellion leaders were murdered in vain.
Anyway, in the midst of this dramatic revelation—the end of trust between Xaden and Violet—the Venin and Wyvern attack, and Xaden & his crew decide to fight the creatures alongside the Gryphon’s in a full out battle. Liam, my bud, is collateral damage for Xaden’s attractive but maybe inconsiderate show of heroism.
To put this in perspective, this is like finding out Big Foot and dinosaurs are undoubtedly real, and then within that same day they’re journeying up a valley on their way to murder you. Oh and your boyfriend and mom (and bonded dragon) and everyone else who loves and cares for you have known all along.
These COLLEGE STUDENTS somehow win the battle (which is pretty crazy because legend has it whole armies have fought against, like, 2 Venin and lost), and Violet is badly injured. She wakes in Xaden’s Tyrrendor, childhood bedroom after being healed, and, in the last line of the book, it’s revealed that she wasn’t in fact healed, she was mended by her dead brother who actually isn’t dead at all, Brennan! (anything else you wanna tell us, Xaden?)
The end. Oh, and Xaden finally admits he too was falling for Violet (without actually saying the words I love you still…I better hear them in Iron Flame) and vows that he’ll win her back, as she is obstinate in her position that she won’t ever trust him again.
Highlights of this book are the fun dragon lore, and I think the college setting is unique for a fantasy novel (or do I just not read enough fantasy?). I also loved the banter between Xaden and Violet before they get together. The chemistry is especially potent and fun in one scene after Xaden has saved her from murder yet again and she’s in a nightgown and he gently checks her ribs to make sure they aren’t broken. See, it’s that subtle sensuality which I FEEN for!
Also, I don’t know how I feel about Xaden lying to her the entire time. I understand it’s all on the pretense that he’s trying to protect her, but where’s the line between being someone’s protector and being someone’s partner? He really did keep her in the dark, and considering both her mother and brother are involved in the mess, it seems even more deliberately sordid.
For weaknesses, I’d say the side characters. There are a lot of them, which stays authentic to a college experience, but it definitely took me a majority of the book to learn how to differentiate them correctly. Same with the professors. Just too many characters with trivial roles that they all sort of felt like one.
Another weakness is that I wish Violet had more of a backstory. We know her mother has a reputation of being heartless and that she had a good relationship with her father, but were she and her mother ever close? Did she and her siblings get along? What was that like? Did her parents have a good marriage? We don’t really get anything about where she comes from except that she now has a bad relationship with her mother and a good relationship with her sister.
I will say, also, this took me a lot longer to read than I expected. Granted, I have a lot of homework right now and I’m busy with a bunch of things, but it took me nearly 3 weeks. I couldn’t stay focused reading for more than only a chapter or two at a time. So I wonder if that, too, says something about whether I enjoyed it or not.
Here’s a general note about fantasy—maybe even literature in general—but the thing I most love is how we learn new ways to understand the world, or understand our place in the world in ways we wouldn’t have access to on our own. The bond between a dragon and a rider, for example, is a bond so strong it is unequivocal to any love here on earth. And boy, how much I needed to read that—to be reminded there are kinds of love which I just don’t know about yet, but they’re still here!
My final rating is 4 out of 5. I’m somehow not dying to read Iron Flame. I definitely will, and I’m excited to, even, but I definitely don’t mind waiting until I cross a few other novels off my TBR.
I don’t believe there are many trigger warnings for this one; just some misogynist characters and, well, war and murder.
Quotes:
Beautiful. Fucking. Asshole.
He folds his arms across his chest and studies me in the moonlight.
“Here’s the thing, Sorrengail. Hope is a fickle, dangerous thing.”
Ouch. It takes all the willpower in my body not to reach for my chest and make sure he didn’t just rip my heart out from behind my ribs.
“It’s all right,” I force out, touching his shoulder, but it isn’t.
He smiles again, and I feel it as a caress.
His breathing changes, and there’s a war in his eyes that I’m determined to win.
He looks as shocked, and as enthralled, as I feel as we lay there, staring at each other, our chests heaving in the aftermath of what can only be described as complete and utter madness.
We can shred every piece of furniture in this room and then move to his. But where will that leave us in the morning?
But the longing that holds my heart hostage, this driving need to be at his side because I know he’s suffering, no matter if it means throwing myself head first into uncertainty…I can’t deny what he is to me.
It hurts to rearrange everything you think you know.
“You’ll feel the moment when you’ll know that there’s nothing to leave. And it might break your heart, but when you feel it, you fly. Promise me you’ll fly.”
