I interrupted my Sarah J. Mass reread bonanza on a whim to pick up Iron Flame—it was sitting right there in the bookshop, I promise, it’s not my fault. How dare it look so tantalizing!
And you know what? It was a great ride.
This review is spoiler free. Want to read my review of Fourth Wing first?
“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson
Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.
Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.
Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.
But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.
Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.
A PLEASANT SURPRISE
@hatchatwork
Was this really just two books? Yes. Absolutely. But were they pretty good follow-ups to Fourth Wing? Also yes. In the midst of everybody’s reactions to Iron Flame, everyone seems to be forgetting that there were a ton of things that weren’t the best about Fourth Wing either, and we still loved that, for the same reasons I loved Iron Flame:
Now, is it a little, er, stupider in Iron Flame? Well, they’re already together, so yes, like any other romance author dealing with a couple that’s already gotten together, Rebecca Yarros had to get creative. But to her credit, I don’t know if I’ve ever read maintained tension between a couple that knows they love each other. Ever.
It could easily have been edited down at least 50k words, you might argue. Xaden and Violet have the same argument at least seven times.
But when you don’t look at the book from a fantasy perspective (which I’ll do also, no worries), it’s kind of fun to wallow in those arguments and that tension. My favourite parts of these books are scenes with Xaden in them, so I appreciate the liberal sprinkling of Xaden vs. Violet scenes throughout the book.
And may I just say, Rebecca Yarros had an ace or two up her sleeve when it comes to that relationship in any case.
BUT WAS THE FANTASY ANY GOOD?
Surprisingly, it was better than it was in the first book, which is to say it was there. It still felt a little colt-getting-its-legs-for-the-first-time, but I’ve read Jennifer Armentrout, so I know what lazy, bad worldbuilding and fantasy writing looks like. I also know what good fantasy and worldbuilding looks like, and this isn’t necessarily that either.
I get the sense that Rebecca Yarros was really set on making the second book cover Violet’s second year as a rider (student?) at Basgiath. Which would have been fine, if she didn’t fit literally two books’ worth of plot into one.
Maybe she is becoming more of a fantasy writer, now that I think about it, because this is something I moan about my favourite fantasy writers all the time (cough cough my Brandon Sanderson volumes with books so long they have to be printed in two volumes staring at me from the shelf).
Honestly, it feels like the ‘academy’ plotline and vibe is totally clashing with the actual fantasy plotline, and while I appreciate that for new fantasy readers it can be a helpful signpost, to me it felt like the actual war going on had to fight for center stage in the plot. Which is silly, because it’s an existential war. There’s a whole subplot I feel is indefensible…unless you circle back to my points about the romance, and then look at the scene that subplot produces…whew. The only place they met gracefully in the middle was a really rough scene towards the middle (middle-end? I’m trying to be vague) where an academy villain is also a fantasy villain…and well, I promised I wouldn’t spoil.
What about our favorite Violence?
Still kind of the worst, but I tolerate Feyre, so I’ll survive. Apparently the people want an everywoman who everyone inexplicably likes.
And Xaden?
Still hot.
Is it worth it?
I’d say so. But take your time—while it’s written in easily digestible language that makes you want to read fast, linger for the interpersonal drama. The fights and fantasy are nothing to write home about. And I maintain that Violet’s relationship with her dragons is unearned. Leave a comment if you want to read about dragons that don’t read like they’re straight out of How to Train Your Dragon.
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ejbookblog 
I am so so so glad to see a review that isn’t all “AMAZING! ASTOUNDING! SHE’S REINVENTED LITERATURE!” when they spend so little time on the actual war they’re supposed to be fighting?? The writing is weirdly modern too, I almost died when someone said “in my [whatever] era”.
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I think Yarros used the term “in _____ era twice”. I was also so baffled…
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