My Review: Iron Flame (Empyrean #2): by Rebecca Yarros

***Warning! This review will contain spoilers from the previous book in the series, so continue reading at your own risk! You’ve officially been warned!!***

To see my review of book #1 – Fourth Wing – Click HERE

To see my Fancast/Dreamcast of the series SO FAR – Click HERE

Total Star Rating: 2.75 Stars

Because love, at its root, is hope. Hope for tomorrow. Hope for what could be. Hope that the someone you’ve entrusted your everything to will cradle and protect it. And hope? That shit is harder to kill than a dragon.”

— Rebecca Yarros, “Iron Flame”

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

“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.

~~~

Now I know what you’re thinking…Nick, WTF is that rating?!

I know, I know…but I’m going to be completely honest, I struggled with this book, much to my own disappointment. There were just some things about this book that frustrated me and really took me out of it and at one point I considered dropping it. It just couldn’t keep my attention in some parts, it felt dragged out, and I’m a HUGE hater of the miscommunication trope, and it was felt in this sequel.

You’re brought right back to where Fourth Wing ended, where we discover that Violet’s brother is actually NOT Dead, he’s very much alive and is helping the rebellion out in this secret war that is brewing against the Venin, who are also VERY much alive as we found out too last book. Without giving too much away, the rebellion is very much happening, but they’re learning that the leaders are also trying their very best to make sure it stays contained or a secret…and that they’re willing to silence those who are trying to show the world the truth.

Danger is literally squeezing Violet and everyone from multiple sides!

Things definitely took a huge turn from book 1 with the character development of A LOT of the characters, and dynamics and impressions have also shifted too, Like you can’t get too comfortable with the cast dynamics because there’s some definite change either already happening or is being hinted at…

~~~

I do. I’m sorry if you expect me to do the noble thing. I warned you. I’m not sweet or soft or kind, and you fell anyway. This is what you get, Violet— me. The good, the bad, the unforgivable. All of it. I am yours.” His arm wraps around the small of my back, holding me steady and close. “You want to know something true? Something real? I love you. I’m in love with you. I have been since the night the snow fell in your hair and you kissed me for the first time. I’m grateful my life is tied to yours because it means I won’t have to face a day without you in it. My heart only beats as long as yours does, and when you die, I’ll meet Malek at your side. It’s a damned good thing that you love me, too, because you’re stuck with me in this life and every other that could possibly follow.”

— Rebecca Yarros, “Iron Flame”

~~~

What I Liked:

1. Xaden & The Spice! I mean…”My House, my Chair, my woman” is officially iconic and now considered one of the best lines in the romantasy genre *swoon* and Shadow Xaddy is GOALS! This should come as absolutely no surprise to anyone!
2. The Found Family/Friend Group! I love the side characters like Rhiannon, Imogen, Ridoc, Garrick, and I was super glad to see some of them begin to feel more fleshed out this time around. I felt like I could really begin to distinguish them more and more the more they appeared.
3. Great New Characters! Varrish was a great villain, he was annoying AND vicious and you hated him every time he appeared…he was like a male Dolores Umbridge! Arric and Liam’s sister, Sloane, were also great additions to the cast and its great that they’re addition had MEANING, they weren’t just filler content or someone who lasted a chapter then was brutally killed off right away.
4. The Danger and Unpredictability of Character Fates! It’s what I loved about Game of Thrones, the high-octane excitement and nonstop action and how it really felt like the cast of characters were really in danger. Like I’m really questioning whether some of the bigger characters are going to make it to the end of this series, and that both makes me very anxious and very excited!

What I Didn’t Like:

1. The Miscommunication/Secret Keeping…The drama with Violet and Xaden got on my nerves with all the secret keeping and the miscommunication that seemed to happen with them…like I feel like the book was so much thicker because of this alone. Violet being all “I can’t trust him if he doesn’t tell me everything” then doing the same thing BECAUSE he’s doing it too…I was just so UGH about it at a certain point. It felt like some high school BS mind-games and THERE ARE PEOPLE DYING, KIM!
2. The Lack of Andarna…I know Andarna’s absence was for a good reason and is setting up for her later in the series, but I was surprised to feel like her absence was really noticed and felt in this sequel. Like, part of the magic of book 1 was missing because of this.
3. Could’ve Been Condensed…This book did NOT need to be as long as it was. I feel like with some more editing like a 100 pages or so could’ve been taken out? Some of the side conflicts happening and just the immature drama really killed a lot of the momentum…this book could’ve definitely done without most of it in my opinion.
4. The Drama Seemed Very Childish…Like I mentioned with Xaden and Violet and their lovers quarrels and communication issues, and the issues with Violet and Cat over Xaden too, like I know they’re still young adults 21-26 years, but again….like c’mon guys, there’s a war going on…get your shit together.

~~~

Conclusion:

Overall, I was disappointed how much a drop the series was with this book compared to book 1, which I ADORED! I just really struggled with this book and wasn’t feeling it as much based off the reasons I’ve listed.

It has me worried if I’ll keep going with the series? I’m a part of the group of folks who it’ll really depend on how Onyx Storm goes on whether I keep going or not…I don’t WANT to discontinue the series, but I’m also not going to keep going if I’ve flown the coop or fallen off the fandom for the sake of following the bandwagon of a really popular series. I have too many other books to read to stick with a series I’m lukewarm about…

I REALLY hope I love Onyx Storm and that it hooks me back into the series, fingers crossed!

Thanks for Reading

— Nick Goodsell