Book review: Forged by fire, bound by truth: A world where truth is treason
Muskingum student Cuylee Troyer reviews Rebecca Yarros’ book “Fourth Wing”
By Cuylee Troyer
This winter, The Journal is kicking off a brand-new book review series led by Muskingum student Cuylee Troyer. Cuylee is a biochemistry major from Millersburg, Ohio, with a passion for writing impactful stories. She is interested in investigative reporting, social issues, and book reviews. Outside of writing and studying, she enjoys attending church, spending time with her son, and reading– and will die on the hill that paperbacks are superior to hardcover.
In a world full of stories, it is rare for one to seize both heart and mind like Rebecca Yarros’s high-stakes romantasy Fourth Wing, where every character, moment, and emotion lingers long after the last page. Amid a world ruled by dragons, political turmoil, and deadly trials at every turn, Violet Sorrengail uncovers truths others want to stay hidden and faces challenges she was never meant to survive.
Yarros weaves romance and fantasy together to create a heart-pounding, action-filled world that keeps readers on their toes with every flip of the page. Her ingenuity in foreshadowing and compelling characters makes “Fourth Wing” an unforgettable read for everyone who picks it up.
Following Violet Sorrengail, a small, physically frail 20-year-old woman who is forced to join the Riders Quadrant by her mother, General Lilith Sorrengail the story is set at Basgiath War College in Navarre, where only the most resilient cadets dare survive deadly challenges to prove they are worthy of becoming dragon riders. Raised as a scribe, focused on books and facts, Violet’s attention to every detail shapes her every action. Throughout her first year, she must survive nonstop, grueling trials to test her endurance, strength, and abilities – all while bonding a dragon and learning to control her signet, a power that will either save her or destroy her.
Violet has a long line of enemies in every shadow and corner of the college, intent on watching her fail. Jack Barlowe, a fellow first-year cadet, is obsessed with killing her because he labeled her as weak immediately. Her lifelong best friend, Dain Aetos, a second-year cadet, seems to be an ally at first. However, every chance he gets, he doubts her abilities to survive and intervenes when he isn’t needed. Even with good intentions, with every word uttered against her, he pushes himself closer to being an enemy rather than a friend.
Aside from Jack and Dain, Violet has her biggest enemy: Xaden Riorson, a third-year cadet with immense power. His father led a rebellion against Navarre, and Violet’s mother killed him and all the other rebels. Marked by the Rebellion Relic, identifying him as a child of a traitor to Navarre, Xaden and all the other marked cadets want to exact revenge against General Sorrengail by killing Violet. This places her in an ever-present danger, knowing her fellow cadets are more determined than anyone else to see her dead.
However, as much as Xaden should want to kill her, he doesn’t. Instead, they are drawn together at every opportunity initially by chance but then seemingly, by fate, because their bonded dragons are mated, linking their lives irrevocably. They try to resist their unwavering attraction, but the real question is whether they can avoid killing each other or resist each other entirely.
It is clear from the beginning of the book that this is a high-stakes, fast-paced fantasy world, and Yarros conveys this flawlessly.
Throughout the entire book, there wasn’t a scene that needed to be skimmed or felt drawn out to reach a word count. Every chapter, page, paragraph, sentence, and word had a purpose. Yarros foreshadows cleverly, leaving hints throughout the book that, when viewed together, reveal the intricate puzzle she was weaving with every word. Violet, feeling like a scribe still, recites information aloud to calm her mind and racing heart. Yarros uses this to her advantage, building the world as complex as possible. It never feels stagnant or forced; instead, it flows smoothly and adds to every little detail, making it as real as possible.
Throughout Violet’s journey, her identity is a focus for Yarros. When Violet dons her rider leathers for the Riders Quadrant, she looks in the mirror, not recognizing herself, “I look like a rider. I still feel like a scribe.” This encompasses the mental struggle Violet has throughout her first year, having to reconcile who she thought she would be with who she is becoming. The tension between Violet and Xaden is pivotal to her personal growth. Being warned against him for her safety and yet encountering him in tense situations leaves the reader wondering, When will the tension snap? It leaves you craving more encounters, wanting to see their banter and understand Xaden through Violet’s eyes instead of the persona he plays for everyone else.
Every person Violet knows and trusts believes she is incapable of surviving, and they never fail to remind her. It seems the only person to believe she is capable is Xaden, the one person who shouldn’t. In the woods, after throwing warning shots with daggers at him, Xaden says, “Fascinating. You look all frail and breakable, but you’re really a violent little thing, aren’t you?” Only encountering Xaden a few times before, he already sees something in her that those closest to her don’t. Violet, seen as a delicate flower as her name suggests, is understood and seen as capable and violent enough to survive by her enemy. He later gives her a name fitting for who she is becoming. From the beginning, he encourages her to become who she is meant to be. He is the only one who does, which draws Violet to him beyond her physical attraction. He is focused on who she is, not on her past or any expectations, wanting only for her to be herself.
As she tries to survive, figure out who she is, and what she is capable of, she is also slowly uncovering truths others want to keep hidden. Those in power are hiding a deadly secret from the public that, if it gets out, Violet could be killed for treason. As though everything else wasn’t enough, she has yet another threat to her life. After Violet uncovers the truth that has been hidden for years, her dragon tells her, “It only takes one desperate generation to change history – even ease it.” Her identity as a scribe is crucial to the story because truth matters not only to her but also to riders who understand the importance of knowledge. In the end, discovering what has been hidden will put every reader reeling in the revelation.
For readers seeking a mixture of romance, thrilling adventure, and a world built in fantasy, “Fourth Wing” will be an unforgettable experience. Yarros invites the reader to immerse themselves in a dangerous yet deeply human story. With quick-witted characters and thick tension, the story is impossible to put down.
As Yarros writes, “We can live as cowards or die as riders.” The only question left is which will you choose?
