🖤🖤🖤🖤
I’m actually glad I waited so long to read Fourth Wing as it meant I could jump straight into Iron Flame without the agonizing wait, after that ending!
While it didn’t hold me in quite the same grip as Fourth Wing, as I actually managed to cook proper dinners instead of just snacking on cheese!, I still devoured it. The pacing is intense and again I found myself on the edge of my seat more often than not.
I’m not going to spoil anything about the plot. I wouldn’t want to ruin the experience for anyone. However, this was a far more emotional read for me. Now that I know and love Second Squad, Flame Section, Fourth Wing, their dragons, and (of course!) Xaden, the stakes feel even higher. There were a lot of moments that I had to pause and take a breath before continuing. The ability to evoke that kind of reaction speaks to the strength of the storytelling.
The world building continues to evolve, and while we get a little more backstory, there are plenty of new questions raised. I can only hope they’re answered in the books to come. There are some new characters to loathe (you will) alongside some character arcs that deepen the narrative.
I had a feeling about where the ending was headed, but it still managed to shock me. Now I’m impatiently counting down the days until Onyx Storm.
One of my favourite quotes from this book is “It’s an exercise in self control not to open every book and devour its contents.” which is so fitting because, let’s be real, self control isn’t an option with this series.