(4.5/5 Stars)
Fourth Wing was my very first Romantasy read — something I only picked up after my girlfriend finally convinced me to give it a chance. And honestly… I didn’t expect this at all, but I ended up liking it a lot. I went in with pretty low expectations and was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining and addictive it turned out to be. From start to finish, this book kept me engaged.
I did need some time to adjust to the romance aspect of the story. As a straight male reader, reading frequent descriptions of “how attractive this man is” from a female POV felt a bit uncomfortable at first. That said, I eventually got used to it. This is not meant as criticism — I fully recognize that this is a me thing. I also understand how empowering and enjoyable this perspective can be, especially for women reading the genre.
The character development was solid, but not outstanding. Not bad, not amazing — it was okay. I liked Violet’s character, but at times I felt there was a bit too much inconsistency in her characterization. She shifts quite often between being very weak and suddenly very strong, then weak again, and then back to being this powerful woman. Those transitions occasionally felt a little abrupt to me. That being said, there were a few characters I found genuinely likable and engaging.
The worldbuilding is fairly limited, but I didn’t find that to be a major issue. Since most of the story takes place at the Basgiath War College, the narrower scope worked well enough and never really held the story back.
One thing that genuinely surprised me: I almost never cry while reading — and this book actually made me cry. If you’ve read it, you probably know exactly which part I’m talking about.
Another standout for me was the way Rebecca Yarros writes war and battle scenes. They felt intense, immersive, and emotionally grounded, making those moments hit especially hard.
Overall, this book was a true page-turner. After the first chapter, I was completely hooked and ended up finishing it in a week — which is extremely fast for me.
If you’re curious about Romantasy or hesitant like I was, Fourth Wing might be a great place to start.
