Book Review – IRON FLAME

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Narrator: Rebecca Soler
Series: The Empyrean #2
on November 7, 2023
Length: 28 hours, 16 minutes
Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy & Magic, Romance
Pages: 640
Format: Audiobook
Goodreads

“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.

Here we are again with a joint review! This time, IRON FLAME. Read our Fourth Wing reviews here!

 

Lynn’s Review:

The ending of this book REALLY pissed me off. I can see the reason behind the internet uproar. But let’s leave that aside for the moment and actually focus on the review.

Writing: Yarros continues to excel with writing. Violet’s emotions are palpable – from peril, to insecurity, to love. I reacted to every one of the emotions along with Violet. I continue to enjoy the dragons, from Tairn’s grouchiness to Andarna’s adolescent stubbornness. There is action aplenty, from battles in the sky to battles of the mind. (Though, no answers to my questions of how the riders go 8 or more hours without a bathroom or meal break.) The romance between Violet and Xaden heats up here. I appreciate that they are trying to have an adult relationship, working out their issues by actually talking. 

Plot: Ok, yes. The ending pissed me off. I saw it coming from a mile away and it STILL pissed me off. I also saw Andarna’s secret from a mile away. And I’m not really sure why Violet didn’t? But other than those two points, I devoured this book. It certainly qualifies as one of those books that I didn’t want to put down. And I’ll probably be suffering from the book hangover til the next book is published. 

Narration: Soler continues to excel at narration, this time adding even more characters. Distinct voices. Emoting with the characters. Personally, I’m glad to have a narrator I enjoy when listening to books this long! 

General thoughts: My only real complaint is why aren’t these books told from multiple POVs? Sure, sticking with only Violet’s POV keeps us in the dark as to what’s happening when she’s not in a scene. But imagine if we have Xaden’s POV? Or the dragons? We are missing out! I also didn’t really enjoy the whole jealousy storyline. I guess I get it – Violet certainly has the right to be jealous over Xaden’s past. But why not have Violet be more confident, and accept that the past is the past? Am I in for the next book in the series? You bet. Will I be scouring through fanart while I wait? Also, yep. 

---

Julie’s Review:

Oooh wow this one was a doozy. And a hell of a cliffhanger.

This book was so a long! I had to listen to most of it at double speed to get it read in time for book club and this joint review, and I’m glad I did cause some of those scenes (like the torture scenes) were too cringe as it was. I don’t think it needed to be quite so long, did it? I also feel like I might have missed quite a bit just due to the listening in double time while working, but how else am I expected to even read it?

I was wondering if we’d have more of the will they won’t they like they did in book 1, and for a while we did. Violet struggles with trusting Xaden and it pulls them apart a bit, but I liked their character development that they eventually talk things through instead of just assuming and getting mad at each other. Cause I hate that trope and I’m glad it didn’t linger here. But that throne scene OMG. It definitely could have come after some more heart to heart instead of some let me show you love with actions but not with my words after you got mentally abused by my ex. I gotta keep reminding myself they’re super young.

I have so many mixed feelings about the book, though. The ending was painful, but, to be honest, with a series this intense and this epic, it wasn’t unexpected. Book 1 taught me to expect lots of surprises and emotions. So much love and desire. And so much more pain and fear. So book 2 upped the ante. Quite a bit, I would say. I enjoyed the character development of Andarna, the baby dragon, now an adolescent dragon.

Loving the audio narration. This has to be Rebecca Soler’s best performance yet. The writing continues to be fabulous. The emotions are real and you’re right there with Violet as she experiences them. The action was plenty and a lot of it fast and dangerous. This series pulls no punches. This is definitely a must read for fans of fantasy, dragons, complicated character relationships, and books with twisty plots.

So what do I do now that the next book doesn’t come out until early next year?

Subscribe to Chapter Break posts.