I was really looking forward to starting the buzzed-about book Fourth Wing. The premise seemed promising, and with all the glowing reviews on TikTok’s BookTok, I thought I was in for an unforgettable read.
The first few chapters were okay, and I kept reading, anticipating that things would pick up. But my goodness, they did not.
Actually, the further I got, the more I found myself wondering if I was crazy for not liking this book and dreading the possible TV adaption from Amazon Studios.
Let’s start with the characters. There is absolutely no depth to any of them. The protagonist, Violet, feels like a cardboard cutout of a “special girl” trope with no real substance. Supposedly, she is “the smartest cadet,” but her intelligence is reduced to reciting random facts from books. Her inner dialogue is tedious and repetitive, making it hard to connect with her. Instead of feeling like a fully realized character, Violet comes off as a vehicle for predictable plot points. Also the villain? So vanilla.
The book’s flow is fragmented and has little buildup to anything. Important elements of the worldbuilding are glossed over or left vague, making it hard to get immersed in the story. It feels like the author wanted to create a sprawling, high-stakes fantasy world but did not take the time to flesh it out properly.
Then there is the romance. The chemistry between Xaden and Violet is lackluster and basic, and their eventual relationship feels rushed and unearned. When they finally get together, the payoff is underwhelming. It is the kind of romance that is supposed to make your heart race, but instead, it left me rolling my eyes.
Some readers have pointed out the lack of character development, and I could not agree more. Side characters are one-dimensional and forgettable. They are introduced as if they will play significant roles, only to fade into the background or serve as convenient plot devices. Violet herself barely changes or grows throughout the story. By the end, I felt like I had read hundreds of pages only to end up exactly where I started.
At the end of the day, Fourth Wing feels like it was written to check off every box on a fantasy bestseller list—a strong female lead, a brooding love interest, a high-stakes setting, and a dash of forbidden romance. But without depth or good storytelling to back it up, the book falls flat. In my opinion, Fourth Wing is a perfect example of how buzz does not always equal brilliance.
All that said, maybe a proper TV adaptation or even movie from the right team could make it all work? You never know.
