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rowstream's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, War, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Blood
Moderate: Vomit and Blood
Minor: Chronic illness
amy_in_the_city's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book was such a slog to get through. It was like a third-act breakup stretched across hundreds of pages because Violet and Xaden spent most of the book fighting. They were hardly ever together and when they were, they were having the same argument over and over. It was extremely tiresome, and I felt this romance novel was missing the romance. A lot of their issues seemed very contrived, like Violet was just looking for things to be mad or insecure about. She makes a whole issue about Xaden not saying he loves her, only that he's fallen for her. What does she think "fallen for" means exactly? I understand she was still upset with him for not telling her some big secrets in the first book, but I think it was way overblown and drawn out. It was also a bit hypocritical of her to be upset at Xaden for not telling her all the super-secret mission details while she was also not telling everything to her loved ones and was going behind Xaden's back on her own mission. All of the internal conflict was exhausting, and I kind of just wanted them to break up already so I wouldn't have to read about it anymore.
I also really didn't like that they had Violet and Xaden's ex fighting over him. It was childish, and I'm just done with books pitting women against each other because of some guy.
Xaden was just kind of there, without much personality. All of the side characters were also lacking development. I couldn't remember much about the friends and professors from the first book despite reading it only 4 months ago and was always mixing the characters up in my mind, but it didn't matter much as they weren't very present in this book.
I did like the non-relationship parts of the book, for the most part. I thought learning about the wards and more about Andarna were both interesting, as was the final part of the book. Even during the really exciting plot stuff happening, I was still easily able to put the book down and not feel the need to pick it up again for another day or two.
Just when I thought I was ready to give up on this series, that cliffhanger ending happened. I might give the next book a chance, but I'm really not interested in reading 3 more long books if they're like this one.
I also really didn't like that they had Violet and Xaden's ex fighting over him. It was childish, and I'm just done with books pitting women against each other because of some guy.
Xaden was just kind of there, without much personality. All of the side characters were also lacking development. I couldn't remember much about the friends and professors from the first book despite reading it only 4 months ago and was always mixing the characters up in my mind, but it didn't matter much as they weren't very present in this book.
I did like the non-relationship parts of the book, for the most part. I thought learning about the wards and more about Andarna were both interesting, as was the final part of the book. Even during the really exciting plot stuff happening, I was still easily able to put the book down and not feel the need to pick it up again for another day or two.
Just when I thought I was ready to give up on this series, that cliffhanger ending happened. I might give the next book a chance, but I'm really not interested in reading 3 more long books if they're like this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Murder, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Bullying, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and War
Moderate: Ableism and Animal death
skyfluff's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Bullying, Death of parent, Gore, Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
sicemsinger's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow what a ride! Fast-paced, action packed, thrilling bits of new information all the way through, and just enough steamy sex.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Death, War, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
ko_rax's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Confinement, Cursing, and Torture
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, War, and Blood
Minor: Animal death, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
chloe_acceber's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
What an amazing follow up! Rebecca Yarros is an incredibly talented writer. The world she's built here is so fleshed out, the characters are interesting, and I'm really here for seeing disability so well represented in fantasy. Not just for the protagonist but for other supporting characters. Really refreshing to see!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, War, and Injury/Injury detail
annenichols's review
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Incredibly enjoyable adventure fantasy. The characters and the plot twists are extremely compelling. So many of the characters have depth which is revealed in this book more than the last. The relationships feel real, bu the physical intimacy does not overpower the book. I reread the last 15 minutes to understand the final plot twist, which I haven't done since Harry Potter. Such an exciting read in a magical world sufficiently rich in detail to delight the imagination.
The voice is still somewhat young, but less so than the last book. The prose is good but not great.
The voice is still somewhat young, but less so than the last book. The prose is good but not great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
teatunesandtales's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This series is intense! I think I may have loved Iron Flame just as much, if not more than Fourth Wing. I thoroughly enjoyed more of the lore and history of Navarre and Basgiath, along with dragon lore. There were many times the plot made me want to throw the book out of frustration, so it definitely had its claws in me.
Be ready for more secrets and some shocking revelations. No spoilers. But let's talk about that cliffhanger??! 😱ðŸ«
I wanted to rate this 5 stars, but knocking it down to 4.5 (4 stars on Goodreads, 4.5 on Storygraph), just for the sheer length of this tome (882 pages??!). I feel like there were several chapters in the middle that could have been edited down or deleted completely due to not much really transpiring, or that this could have been two separate books.
Despite that, I did enjoy marathoning my way through this book. I've already pre-ordered book three!
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Classism, Death, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
woodweird's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Murder, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, Physical abuse, Death, War, Violence, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Death of parent
hollymileham's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
HOW DID PEOPLE NOT LIKE THIS???? its a masterpiece i fear. i gasped audibly at the ending xaden my beloved....
as a law student it takes a lot to keep me up at 2am reading so hats off here. something about this series just scratches my brain in the best place. i love xaden and violet soooo much, and violet is very personal to me as a fellow hypermobile girlie it means a lot to see her be a fucking badass. personally i disclote from picking a bag up so shes braver than meat least youre xx
i have to say how much i love xaden and violet again irs been a while since a couple did this to me. that ending is sooo frustrating as a xaden lover (as a lesbian hes in my group of acceptable men) but i know its going to make SUCH a good third book. i definitely made the right decision buying the hardback and not waiting for the paperback to come out because this was everything i needed and more. people said this was bad???? i truly loved it so much.
when xaden said "the world does not exist for me beyond you" it gave alec lightwood and people who know me know that that is the highest compliment i can give to a character.
fuck me i am destroyed
as a law student it takes a lot to keep me up at 2am reading so hats off here. something about this series just scratches my brain in the best place. i love xaden and violet soooo much, and violet is very personal to me as a fellow hypermobile girlie it means a lot to see her be a fucking badass. personally i disclote from picking a bag up so shes braver than meat least youre xx
i have to say how much i love xaden and violet again irs been a while since a couple did this to me. that ending is sooo frustrating as a xaden lover (as a lesbian hes in my group of acceptable men) but i know its going to make SUCH a good third book. i definitely made the right decision buying the hardback and not waiting for the paperback to come out because this was everything i needed and more. people said this was bad???? i truly loved it so much.
when xaden said "the world does not exist for me beyond you" it gave alec lightwood and people who know me know that that is the highest compliment i can give to a character.
fuck me i am destroyed
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail