As Much As I Love Fourth Wing, These 6 Criticisms About The Book Are Hard To Deny

There’s a reason Fourth Wing is one of the most popular books on BookTok, and it’s because Rebecca Yarros’ romantasy sensation is a fun and engaging novel offering high stakes, dragons, and even a steamy romance. But as much as I love Fourth Wing, there are some valid criticisms of the book. Fantasy books that are 10/10 are incredibly rare, and even the best ones tend to have at least a few flaws. When it comes to the first book in The Empyrean Series, there are several common complaints that crop up in reviews on Goodreads and elsewhere.

I don’t necessarily agree with all of them, as I find Violet Sorrengail a likable enough heroine and don’t think the characters are dry, especially as the series continues. However, there are a handful of criticisms that I can’t deny. I find these issues easy enough to overlook — I’ve enjoyed Yarros’ 2023 novel both times I’ve read it — but I can see why they bother some people diving into Fourth Wing for the first time.

6

Xaden & Violet Don’t Have A True Enemies-To-Lovers Romance

Fourth Wing’s Main Couple Isn’t Marketed Properly

Fanart by @XenaFay

Fourth Wing is often pitched as having an enemies-to-lovers romance, but many readers are critical of that description of Violet and Xaden’s relationship. A frequent complaint I’ve seen is that Violet and Xaden aren’t truly enemies in the first Empyrean Series novel, and they become friends and lovers far too quickly for this trope to be a draw. I’m inclined to agree with this perspective, especially since Iron Flame‘s ending reveals that Xaden was actually protecting Violet from the beginning — further proof that they were never actually at odds.

10 Great Romantasy Books Where The Protagonist Falls For The Villain

The best romantasy authors understand that sometimes the protagonist has to fall for someone bad for them, even if it’s the story’s villain.

Violet perceives them as being enemies, but it quickly becomes clear that Xaden doesn’t have it out for her as much as she believes. And as soon as their lives become tethered after the Threshing, it doesn’t really matter whether they like each other. This lowers the stakes of their dynamic a bit, but I don’t think it’s the worst thing that Violet and Xaden aren’t really enemies to lovers. The fact that the book is categorized this way is the bigger issue, as it gives readers false expectations, leading to disappointment.

5

Some Of Fourth Wing’s World-Building Just Doesn’t Make Sense

Navarre’s Whole Military Setup Seems Counterproductive

Fourth Wing has been accused of having shoddy world-building, and while I don’t necessarily think it’s lacking in detail, I do find that elements of Yarros’ world don’t make much sense. In particular, Navarre’s approach to recruiting new soldiers and dragon riders always strikes me as counterproductive. Basgiath War College seems committed to killing as many of its new recruits as possible, which is absurd when you realize what they’re up against — and that they’re seemingly short on soldiers.

The cover of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and a background featuring books and fire

Two Years Later, I’ve Realized This Minor Fourth Wing Death Was So Much More Important Than It Seemed

In hindsight, there is one character death that really sets the tone for the Empyrean Series, and it happens in the very first chapter.

While I can buy that challenges like the parapet and the Gauntlet serve as proof that the first-years are worthy of their dragons, I’m not really sure why Basgiath allows them to kill each other if they’re in different squads. It seems like an unnecessarily cruel policy that wastes the promising fighters Navarre has. Onyx Storm acknowledges and fixes this problem, but it’s still bizarre that it lasts for so long, especially since Navarre’s leaders know the venin and wyvern are out there.

Placing those who have every reason to hate you in the highest positions of your military seems like an obvious recipe for disaster.

Additionally, I’ve never understood the logic of forcing the children of the rebels that Navarre executed to become dragon riders. Placing those who have every reason to hate you in the highest positions of your military seems like an obvious recipe for disaster. This gives Xaden and the other marked ones an opportunity to start their own rebellion, which is needed for The Empyrean Series‘ plot. But it seems too convenient, and I’m dubious Navarre would take such a risky approach.

4

The Modern Language In Fourth Wing Feels Out Of Place

Some Of The Book’s Lines Can Be Jarring

Fourth Wing cover with glowing background next to Fourth Wing cover with red background — Custom image by Nick Bythrow

The writing itself sometimes comes under fire in Fourth Wing reviews. I don’t necessarily have an issue with simple and snappy prose, but there are definitely bits of dialogue and parts of Violet’s internal monologue that take me out of the story. This is becoming increasingly common in romantasy books across the board. Many of them utilize slang and phrasing that feels too contemporary to show up in a fantasy narrative. It can feel jarring if it’s not handled well, and there are times throughout Fourth Wing where it doesn’t land.

Custom image of the special edition Fourth Wing book with a silhouetted dragon and fire in the background.

Amazon’s Fourth Wing TV Show Can Fix The Series’ Most Ridiculous Twist Earlier Than The Books

Amazon’s Fourth Wing TV show can fix The Empyrean Series’ most ridiculous plot twist, ensuring it’s handled correctly from the very beginning.

I don’t mind a few F-bombs scattered throughout my fantasy stories, and I’m not saying Fourth Wing needs to sound overly serious or medieval. Certain lines do stick out, however, like when Violet uses the phrase “for the win” or describes Xaden as “gets-you-in-trouble-and-you-like-it-level-hot.” These read differently than the majority of the story, and they make the characters feel younger than they actually are. There are few enough examples that they don’t get too frustrating, but I understand why this aspect of the writing gets so much backlash.

3

Fourth Wing’s Turns Are Predictable

This Is Especially True Of Its Dain Twists

The Fourth Wing book cover — Custom Image by Simone Ashmoore

Fourth Wing gets flak for being predicable, and I see this when it comes to Dain. The novel initially feels like it’s pushing a love triangle, and I think we’re supposed to be shocked by Dain’s actions at the end of the book. However, the end of Fourth Wing doesn’t feel like a huge twist to me, as the book is heavy-handed in its depiction of Violet’s friend. It’s hard to believe he and Violet ever stand a chance of being together, even from page one, as Dain does nothing but make her feel inadequate and argue with her.

Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm book covers

I’ve Changed My Mind, Dain Aetos Really Is One Of Fourth Wing’s Best Characters

Yarros made it really hard to like Dain as a character throughout Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, but after reading Onyx Storm I’ve changed my mind.

It’s no surprise, then, that she ends up with Xaden. And it’s not just the direction of the romance that feels predictable in Fourth Wing. Dain’s betrayal is often made out to be a bombshell revelation, but I just don’t see it as much of a shock. Dain repeatedly demonstrates that he values rule-following and doing “right” by his kingdom more than his connection with Violet. I’m glad he turns around in the later Empyrean Series books, but there are enough red flags in the first one that it’s easy to see his back-stabbing coming.

2

Fourth Wing Doesn’t Need To Be As Long As It Is

It Didn’t Bother Me Much, But It’s A Fair Point

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros book cover — Custom image by Kiersten Hall

Another criticism of Fourth Wing — one that extends to both of its sequels — is the suggestion that it doesn’t need to be as long as it is. This is another detail of the book that doesn’t bother me, personally, but I do understand where such complaints are coming from. Fourth Wing clocks in at over 500 pages, and although its fast-paced plot makes those fly by, there are probably parts of the middle that could be edited down further. This is a more noticeable issue in Iron Flame and Onyx Storm, but it’s a fair argument for book one as well.

While the middle of Fourth Wing contains scenes that flesh out day-to-day life at Basgiath and make Violet’s transformation into a dragon rider more believable, the story may not need all of them to get its points across. I don’t think most of these moments totally cross over into being superfluous, but I can see why other readers might feel that way. Fourth Wing is definitely strongest at the beginning and the end, which makes its middle feel slower by comparison.

1

Fourth Wing Does Have A Lot In Common With Other Popular Fantasy Books

The Darkling from Shadow and Bone and the book covers for A Court of Thorns and Roses

Criticisms of Fourth Wing accuse it of having too much in common with other popular fantasy books, and the novel does seem to draw inspiration from a few beloved titles. Shadow daddies are a common archetype in romantasy, and lightning powers aren’t unheard of either. But with these contrasting powers, I understand why people are quick to accuse Fourth Wing of borrowing from Shadow and Bone — even if they’re different enough that it hardly matters. I can also see the similarities between Fourth Wing and ACOTAR, which explains why they’re both viral BookTok hits.

The fantasy and romantasy categories are currently saturated with similar stories, which inevitably leads to reader frustrations.

Divergent is another book that Fourth Wing is frequently likened to, and there are countless other stories that feature similar tropes and archetypes. Fourth Wing puts its own spin on them, so this complaint feels more like a critique of the overall genre than the book itself. The fantasy and romantasy categories are currently saturated with similar stories, which inevitably leads to reader frustrations. It says something that Yarros’ 2023 novel still manages to stand out among all the similar fare currently on the market.