WORDVOMITSPACE
“Lies are comforting. Truth is painful.”
– Fourth Wing
Fourth Wing
Outline
01
Plot Summary
Will go through a brief book summary. Describing the book’s setting and talking about the main characters.
02
Personal Opinions and Analysis
Highlight what I did and didn’t like about the books characters, narrative, and predictability.
03
Impact and Recommendation
Will dissect the emotional impact, who should read the book, and whether or not I recommend it.
Plot Summary
Author and why I chose this book
Fourth Wing is a fantasy novel written by author Rebecca Yarros. Rebecca is a 43 year old American author from Washington DC. Best known for her most recent literary works ‘The Empyrean’ series, of which Fourth Wing is the first installation.
I chose to read and review this book as I am a sucker for any fantasy novel with dragons and magic involved. This book was all over my ‘For You’ page on Instagram with people raving about it. So naturally when I caught wind that the premise of the story revolved around dragon riders, I was intrigued and bought it immediately to see if it would live up to the hype.
Basic Synopsis
This novel is told from the first person perspective of the protagonist Violet Sorrengail. Following her as she tries to survive her first year at the death courting school for dragon riders, Basgaith. It explores the relationships, history, and mounting conflict within and without the Navarrian province. Details the angst and emotional turmoil of the relationship between Violet and Xaden Riorson, the son of her nations notorious traitor.
Settings and Context
The book is mostly set in the training school for riders called Basgaith, nestled in the mountainous region of Navarre. Basgaith is a vast citadel made of stone, to ensure it is impervious to dragon fire, creatures who are prone to burning things when vexed, or bored. Navarre is the main setting in this novel, with descriptive mentions of Poromiel and Tyrrendor, two other prominent kingdoms.
Basgaith is the school that trains those apart of the treaty to bond a dragon, and become a weapon of war. The treaty was made under King Reginald. To bind lands together under one rule and alliance during a time of great war centuries ago. Anyone who didn’t move to the right side of the boundary line was considered an enemy. To this day the gryphon riders of Poromiel and the surrounding lands are at war with Navarre. Both sides training their citizens from the ages of 20 to be either dragon or gryphon riders.
Students are split into groups, the riders, the infantry, and the scribes. The scribes are taught the history, economy, and makeup of the land. They provide invaluable council to leadership with their vast knowledge and understanding of everything from magic to dragons, to navigation. The infantry are the foot soldiers of the army, trained in hand to hand combat. Riders are taught to fight on dragon back, and on the ground. Trained to wield and develop their signets to brutal efficiency. Coached in history, physics, and battle strategy.
Those who survive threshing and become bonded to dragons will eventually develop what is called a signet, a unique power channelled from their dragon. Though the dragon provides the power, the signet speaks to the character of the person, their nature and being. Examples of signets include shadow wielding, mending (healing), astral-projection and more.
Main Characters
Violet – Violet is the daughter of General Sorrengail, the Kings third in command. She is small in stature with a physical condition that leaves her in constant pain, ensuring she is continually underestimated. Violet fights to survive and live up to the expectations placed upon her by her mother. She possess the analytical mind and knowledge of a scribe, ingrained in her by her father before his death. We see her start to unravel the lies of Navarre’s forefathers with her bonded dragons Tairn and Andarna. The explosive results that follow the answers she finds and the relationship she pursues with Xaden.
Xaden – Xaden Riorson is the son of a traitor and considered to be one himself by birth. Xaden is an exceedingly powerful shadow wielder and rider, his bonded dragon Sgaeyl is vicious, cunning, and unrelenting the same as her chosen rider. He is a leader by birth and character, with a morally grey aptitude. Himself and the other children of the officers and nobles who rebelled against the kings’ rule all have rebellion relics tattooed on them to ensure everyone knows their lineage.
Violet’s posse- Rhiannon, Ridoc, and Sawyer.
Xaden’s posse – Garrick, Bodhi, Imogen, and the other marked ones.
Personal Opinions and Analysis
What I Liked
I enjoyed how the author created a new land and timeline for the novel, and a plot that reached throughout history to the present in the storyline. How you’re able to track it and understand how little breadcrumbs have been scattered throughout the novel that later build to a breakthrough in the plot that’s intensely satisfying. I appreciated how the author showed the connection between politics and war. I liked the different trials that the students had to endure to even be considered worthy of trying to bond with a dragon. Feats of strength, intellect, and agility. It helped to paint a picture of the brutal way of life at Basgaith for readers. I’m fond of the image that dragons are creatures of temper and instinct, yet also supremely intelligent beings. I enjoyed the cockiness and confidence that the dragons exude, while also having individual personalities.
It benefited the story how the author ensured the gradual unravelling of secrets. Historical, political, and emotional. The turmoil this unleashed within friendships, but especially within Violet herself as she wrestled through some very hard truths about those dearest to her. How she had to learn to stand on her own intellect and ability, to make decisions contrary to those her mother would wish, but on the basis of her own moral code. I loved that Violet was already a woman with skill, that she wasn’t a damsel in distress in need of saving or protecting. I loved that Xaden also never tried to do that; he actually spent more time goading her to ensure she pushed herself harder. That he never babied her, but recognised her intelligence, and her true violent spirit that matched and called to his own.
What I Didn’t Like
Reading this novel felt very similar to reading Divergent by Veronica Roth, just with the addition of dragons. The training montage for Violet Sorrengail, the build from weak but intelligent, to feared warrior is a direct parallel to Tris Prior, the protagonist from Roth’s novel.
I also found that the enemies to lovers’ trope that this novel was marketed by wasn’t really strong enough in my opinion. There wasn’t nearly enough angst and hatred between Violet and Xaden at the beginning to be classified as enemies. They gave solid enough reasons for them to hate each other, with their parents each killing a member of the others family, creating that immediate tension and suspicion. However I feel the author didn’t dig into this as much as she could have.
This animosity between them could have been expanded upon more than just the brief mentions of the deaths of their family members. Could have dug deeper into how that each made them feel, the complex feelings of hatred, satisfaction, as well as guilt. Hatred over the violence and injustices of war, instilled from years of carrying pain, loss, and grief. Hatred from years harbouring anger towards each other’s families. Perhaps at the beginning satisfaction that the other has also been hurt and lost someone. Satisfaction that their family dealt the blow. The later guilt that could gradually grow and intensify the more they get to know each other and familiarise themselves with each other’s stories. Guilt over the pain they’ve each been caused at the hands of one another’s family members.
I also feel like there wasn’t nearly enough information and focus on the dragons in this novel. They felt more like background characters instead of fundamental pieces of the storyline. There was no real look into the dragon’s history or backgrounds, especially Tairn and Sgaeyl as mates. Not enough on painting them as intelligent beings and not just snarky commentators in the minds of their bonded riders. Would love to have read more about how the dragons and humans came together. More about how dragons live, how they think, a real focus on their age and intelligence, especially in Tairn’s case.
Impact and Recommendation
Emotional Impact
This novel had me interested in the plot, and semi-invested in the characters. I enjoyed the premise of the novel and how it is high stakes in the way the narrative is entirely centred around them being trained for war. How they have all lost someone they’ve loved as casualties of the conflict. I definitely would have loved to have the author explore how losing her brother shaped Violet.
I felt like there where some aspects such as the relationship between Xaden and Violet that they could have developed and delved into more. Such as how their emotional connection gradually built, and not just their physical attraction. I think the friendships as well such as the ones between Rhiannon and Violet, or Violet and Sawyer or Ridoc could have played more centre-stage. The narrative had them more or less instantaneous friends. I would have loved to see more of the initial distrust being overcome, how they learn to get over themselves and work together. To be able to read the mental journey for Violet, and witness how the other characters demonstrate it in their actions and dialogue.
I did, however, enjoy the companionship between the group from fourth wing, I enjoyed the fun and determination they each carried and brought in different ways to their unit. I appreciated the building of one friendship only for it to implode dramatically and the widespread consequences of that. The level of anger and frustration that it evoked as a reader, I loved.
Who should read this book?
This book is for those who love fantasy, angsty relation drama, and action all packed into one magic filled world. Definitely for young adult readers due to explicit scenes. I wouldn’t recommend for young teenagers.
Recommendation
I would recommend this novel if you’re just dipping your toe into fantasy for the first time, or returning, for an easy, but enjoyable read. Suited for readers if you’re also just a fan of novels with angsty romances at the forefront of the plot.
Would give it a 6/10.