*spoilers ahead: If you haven't read "The Fourth Wing*, skip this book review*
Time.com
Synopsis
"Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves. Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules. But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year. Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end" (Goodreads.com)
Barnes & Noble Best Fantasy Book of 2023 (Fourth Wing and Iron Flame)
NPR “Books We Love” 2023
Audible Best Books of 2023
Hudson Book of the Year
Google Play Best Books of 2023
Indigo Best Books of 2023
Waterstones Book of the Year finalist
Goodreads Choice Award, semi-finalist
Newsweek Staffers' Favorite Books of 2023
Paste Magazine’s Best Books of 2023
Length
623 pages
Favorite Quote
"The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity. - Xaden Riorson
Review
Iron Flame was a very strong sequel to the Fourth Wing. The excitement level of this book equated to the excitement of the first book. Following Violet along connected her intense journey made me feel more connected with her. On the topic of that, I think Violet's character development throughout the journey was intense yet worthwhile to read. It is as if Violet is going on both a physical journey and a spiritual one. Something small that I liked about this book is that it leaves off where the first book ended. There were no time jumps or any skipping. Time jumps can be confusing sometimes and have plot holes, so I like how this is a continuous story flow.
The most challenging part about this book was the length of it. This is probably the longest book that I have yet to read. With that being said, my attention was getting strained a little from the book. Additionally, due to the action and worldbuilding that this book has to do, I got lost in the story. There was one point when I just had no idea what I was reading since so much was going on. What I learned from this is that less can be more with writing. The terminology of the world of Basgiath is also a layer that made me get muddled in my mind. The suspense for the action was written well, but the actions are described themselves. On top of that, Violet came off as whiny a lot more in this book. She complained a lot, especially when it came to her relationship with Xaden. I know that is a common thing that teenage girl's, however, Violet is stronger than that and she should not let herself get annoyed with Xaden.
This book had more heart and more plot twists than the other book. It leads up to a very important plot twist that is going to further elevate the story. I hope that Yarros writes another book in the series because I want more of these characters!
Rating
I give this book 4 out of five stars. A lovely follow-up!
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