In the world of Navarre, Violet Sorrengail has always considered herself small, vulnerable and weak compared to her high-ranking military family. She had always planned to become a scribe, but now she’s being forced into training at Basgiath, an elite academy for dragon riders. Violet is not a natural fighter, but she must pass a series of deadly challenges, and hopefully bond with a dragon, in order to survive the school.
Violet is a great main character. She’s completely aware that the other dragon rider cadets don’t see her as a challenge, so she’s determined to prove them wrong. She constantly thinks outside of the box and uses her extensive knowledge of history and poisons to get the better of her opponents. I found her very inspiring. The supporting cast is also fun, but the secondary lead, Xaden Riorsan, is written as your standard brooding, mysterious bad boy. I did find him stereotypical and a little over the top, but I still enjoyed his character.
Some sections are a bit slow, and for me, the story dragged in the middle. Also, the author has developed a highly complex system of dragon lore, with all the characters showing different magical abilities. This leads to a dense and complicated environment, which at times is confusing. But the highlight of Fourth Wing is the action, as I couldn’t put the book down during Violet’s trials. There is a scene at the very start that was absolutely nail-biting and even induced a feeling of vertigo! I think adventure and fantasy fans, who read for escapism and exhilaration, will absolutely love this book.
Reviewed by Rachel Denham-White
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