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A review by shewriteswithknives
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
2.0
SPOILERS ** SPOILERS ** SPOILERS - Still actively reading, but I need to rant.
I am about halfway through this book but wanted to start writing a review now so I don't forget anything.
First off, I think it is a little funny that when the group of cadets is discussing the unity of Navarre they're discussing how a language was lost among groups of people. That the unification only benefited three particular provinces. It has been irking me since I first read Fourth Wing that Yarros was using Gaelic incorrectly...and of course by now, I'm sure you've seen all the videos of true Gaelic speakers bringing awareness to this. Yet, she actively chooses to be ignorant by mispronouncing not only the language entirely, but the dialect. And she literally put it in her book. So, she knows what she is doing.
Second, Violet has got to be the most obnoxious character I have ever read. The way she is so mad about Xaden keeping things from her is outrageous. If we look at the big picture, the two hardly know anything about each other. Why she thinks she has earned the right to know all of his secrets is beyond me. And same, that he doesn't deserve to know any of hers outright. But she is behaving like a spoiled brat. Thousands of lives are at stake and she's pissy that he won't tell her this info, knowing she can slip. (Which she does. She spills the beans to all of her friends. It is a good thing he didn't trust her to keep her mouth shut, because she can't. I don't care the intentions.) And when she does spill the beans, she gets irritated that her friends aren't blowing up and furious at her the way she is at Xaden. (You'd think she would realize that makes her the problem, but no.)
Third, this book is absolutely filler. I'm at page 274 currently and at least 100 pages could have been cut out. The whole back and forth of Violet and Xaden arguing, but not really making any progress is redundant. Why this wasn't condensed is beyond me.
Fourth, ward keys? Really? She couldn't come up with any thing else? Couldn't try to call them something even a little different? Previously a lot of readers mentioned there were parallels to SJMaas's ACOTAR books. I didn't catch it in Fourth Wing (and maybe that's because I was listening to the audiobook on double the speed so I wouldn't have to hear how stuffy the narrator was) but there are significant elements that stand out to me now in Iron Flames. I can see several from ACOTAR and TOG.
As of right now this book is getting two stars and that is being generous.
UPDATE:
Wow, now Violet has siphons just like the bat boys. And listen, I know in some books there will be similarities. It happens. The Fourth Wing story is an easy read. It doesn't deep dive into fantasy the way most books do within its genre so maybe I should have expected this. But there are too many similarities from Maas's work that are blatant. Again I'm wondering where a proper editor was so something like this could have been avoided.
So far, I have not read anything unique in either of these books. So far, there is nothing original. Nothing has wowed me. I do like Xaden. I think he is a fun and strong character. It is really hard to root for Violet. At this point, I would be happy if she was written off (and somehow the dragons and Xaden live) and someone else take the spotlight.
Ok, we are around page 500 and things have started to pick up. This book is all drama. As if we didn't have enough of it already, insert Cat who is a b*tch just because she can be. Just goes back to that I don't feel this is a true rep of fantasy. Fantasy is an element, of course, but sometimes I feel like I'm reading some cheap reality show. And Violet....Lord have mercy. Violet is still a loose cannon and not in a Rin type of way from The Poppy War. She's a loose cannon because she continues to act like she is thirteen years old and can't take accountability for her own actions. And the rare occasions that she does, she just throws a pity party.
FINAL UPDATE:
Ok I finished it and my gosh....it did not get better. I'm leaving this at a two star review and that is being VERY generous.
Now that we know Xaden turns venin...did anyone else catch this is exactly what happens to Dmitri in Vampire Academy? Where he is reluctantly turned strigoi and in Blood Promise Rose has to off him? I would not be surprised if in the third or fourth book that Xaden is written off. At the very least, this is another blatant similarity to another well established book and author.
If this comes out that any sort of AI was used to write this book, I will not be surprised. Disappointed, but not surprised. WHERE WERE THE EDITORS???? Scenes should have been cut entirely, these similarities could have been handled better (if they truly were not stolen) and rewritten, dialogue was cringe. I saw someone else mention that she wondered about the AI, if not a ghost writer. Something is up with this book and not in a good way. I believe Red Tower is pushing so hard for a money grab that quantity became more important than quality.
Violet's character development continues to go downhill. (And again, this isn't the masterpiece chaotic development that Kuang used for Rin. This is just...awful and embarrassing.) Cat is still an unnecessary character that I believe was thrown in for the reality TV lovers, the readers that crave drama. Xaden is the glue holding this story together and if she does go the same route that Richelle Meade took, then the series is in trouble. (As if it isn't already.) This was a filler book that deserved more time and effort.
Worst book I've read in a long while.
I am about halfway through this book but wanted to start writing a review now so I don't forget anything.
First off, I think it is a little funny that when the group of cadets is discussing the unity of Navarre they're discussing how a language was lost among groups of people. That the unification only benefited three particular provinces. It has been irking me since I first read Fourth Wing that Yarros was using Gaelic incorrectly...and of course by now, I'm sure you've seen all the videos of true Gaelic speakers bringing awareness to this. Yet, she actively chooses to be ignorant by mispronouncing not only the language entirely, but the dialect. And she literally put it in her book. So, she knows what she is doing.
Second, Violet has got to be the most obnoxious character I have ever read. The way she is so mad about Xaden keeping things from her is outrageous. If we look at the big picture, the two hardly know anything about each other. Why she thinks she has earned the right to know all of his secrets is beyond me. And same, that he doesn't deserve to know any of hers outright. But she is behaving like a spoiled brat. Thousands of lives are at stake and she's pissy that he won't tell her this info, knowing she can slip. (Which she does. She spills the beans to all of her friends. It is a good thing he didn't trust her to keep her mouth shut, because she can't. I don't care the intentions.) And when she does spill the beans, she gets irritated that her friends aren't blowing up and furious at her the way she is at Xaden. (You'd think she would realize that makes her the problem, but no.)
Third, this book is absolutely filler. I'm at page 274 currently and at least 100 pages could have been cut out. The whole back and forth of Violet and Xaden arguing, but not really making any progress is redundant. Why this wasn't condensed is beyond me.
Fourth, ward keys? Really? She couldn't come up with any thing else? Couldn't try to call them something even a little different? Previously a lot of readers mentioned there were parallels to SJMaas's ACOTAR books. I didn't catch it in Fourth Wing (and maybe that's because I was listening to the audiobook on double the speed so I wouldn't have to hear how stuffy the narrator was) but there are significant elements that stand out to me now in Iron Flames. I can see several from ACOTAR and TOG.
As of right now this book is getting two stars and that is being generous.
UPDATE:
Wow, now Violet has siphons just like the bat boys. And listen, I know in some books there will be similarities. It happens. The Fourth Wing story is an easy read. It doesn't deep dive into fantasy the way most books do within its genre so maybe I should have expected this. But there are too many similarities from Maas's work that are blatant. Again I'm wondering where a proper editor was so something like this could have been avoided.
So far, I have not read anything unique in either of these books. So far, there is nothing original. Nothing has wowed me. I do like Xaden. I think he is a fun and strong character. It is really hard to root for Violet. At this point, I would be happy if she was written off (and somehow the dragons and Xaden live) and someone else take the spotlight.
Ok, we are around page 500 and things have started to pick up. This book is all drama. As if we didn't have enough of it already, insert Cat who is a b*tch just because she can be. Just goes back to that I don't feel this is a true rep of fantasy. Fantasy is an element, of course, but sometimes I feel like I'm reading some cheap reality show. And Violet....Lord have mercy. Violet is still a loose cannon and not in a Rin type of way from The Poppy War. She's a loose cannon because she continues to act like she is thirteen years old and can't take accountability for her own actions. And the rare occasions that she does, she just throws a pity party.
FINAL UPDATE:
Ok I finished it and my gosh....it did not get better. I'm leaving this at a two star review and that is being VERY generous.
Now that we know Xaden turns venin...did anyone else catch this is exactly what happens to Dmitri in Vampire Academy? Where he is reluctantly turned strigoi and in Blood Promise Rose has to off him? I would not be surprised if in the third or fourth book that Xaden is written off. At the very least, this is another blatant similarity to another well established book and author.
If this comes out that any sort of AI was used to write this book, I will not be surprised. Disappointed, but not surprised. WHERE WERE THE EDITORS???? Scenes should have been cut entirely, these similarities could have been handled better (if they truly were not stolen) and rewritten, dialogue was cringe. I saw someone else mention that she wondered about the AI, if not a ghost writer. Something is up with this book and not in a good way. I believe Red Tower is pushing so hard for a money grab that quantity became more important than quality.
Violet's character development continues to go downhill. (And again, this isn't the masterpiece chaotic development that Kuang used for Rin. This is just...awful and embarrassing.) Cat is still an unnecessary character that I believe was thrown in for the reality TV lovers, the readers that crave drama. Xaden is the glue holding this story together and if she does go the same route that Richelle Meade took, then the series is in trouble. (As if it isn't already.) This was a filler book that deserved more time and effort.
Worst book I've read in a long while.