Great video and no disrespect to the creator. 44:06 this moment looks like a mercifully cut scene where an autistic kid from the capitol is explaining the 74th games to their parents or as like a class project, and frankly, I love it that way.

Hey! Sometimes things happen and I am forced to put the book down in the middle of a chapter 😂😭😤

I personally don't think she's going to go multi pov in the next book/books, I think Rhi and Imogen's pov were there specifically for Xaden's! I saw a theory that his new brother is neither Garrick nor Bhodi, and the reason is because we have Imogen's pov, which is happening simultaneously to Xaden's, showing that both Garrick and Bhodi are wherever Imogen was during that battlle. I'm not entirely sure why Rhi's was there but maybe it was to show us what was happening in the pass? but also to show where Ridoc and Sawyer were as well. Whoever turned was someone Xaden never expected it from, and they knew what he was going through for the 5 months he was venin before they told everyone else. But my one question for the end is why would Andarna say she isn't going to let them burn Violet? is Violet the reason the eggs went missing and the three elders were killed? did Xaden do what she said her boundary was and kill riders and dragons so she would let him go? I'm so excited already for the next book to expand on everything that happened in the last few chapters.

I don't think that Glinda is a 'villain'. She is spoiled, yes. And utterly selfish. And shallow as heck. But deep down she's not a bad person, just incredibly insecure and in need of a lot of validation. Can we stop throwing around the word 'villain' for once? People are usually more complex inside and don't always fit in the typical 'good' or 'bad' category box. And yes, I know that this is a story and the characters are fictional, BUT even fictional characters are written with at least some amount of depth.

25:11 if she had disagreed she might have lost the opportunity to kill coin It’s how I understand it

I’m going to be honest I think the way the book frames Talia and the like. Actual things we are Told about her situation are very fundamentally at odds. Because the information we have from the book is 1. Talia was put into this contract marriage Young, like it’s pointed out she was very young when xaden was born and she was *still* young 10 years later. 2. Fen Riorson didn’t care about her, like at all. It was clearly not a happy or good marriage from the way he talks about her and the concept of marriage in general. 3. She was aware that staying in tyrrendor was essentially a death sentence for her no matter what, the war was coming and she knew she was going to die. 4. She didn’t just want to take xaden she was actively stopped by his father, and seemingly also would’ve faced major consequences in the isles is faris’s reaction is any indication. And 5. Her current husband seems to be no better, clearly treating her poorly based on her obvious discomfort with him that violet points out and the outright lack of care whether she lives or dies. She reads like a tradwife or a more traditional portrayal of a noble woman. The book presents the situation with what seems like a lack of awareness to how much it really just seems like this woman is experiencing traditional misogyny in a world where that is supposedly not a thing. Maybe yarrows will double back and give us a rug pull about the fact violet and xaden are both unreliable with this due to their own personal feelings but right now it just feels uncomfortable the way she’s treated.

Katniss and Haymitch very much embody "I am all you could've been and you are all I might become"

46:03 she would, in fact, not link that in description

I think its so funny to hear how other people pronounce things when you've only read them in your head I really don't like the perspective changes. Write in third person!! Seriously lol

I'm relieved to not be alone in my frustration with this book. The first half of the book is very slow and drags on like a revolving door. The side characters lack personality, idolize violet and rarely challenging her for growth. Jack Barlow's return added nothing to the story. The girl drama was so unnecessary especially since Xaden/Violet's life or death bond is so locked in there's no threat or suspense for the reader to get invested in. And can we please stop pitting women against each other over a man? Some chapters seemed choppy, like what's seemingly a cliffhanger suddenly the next chapter begins in the morning briefing. It could have been edited and cut 200 pages easily. I'm beginning not to like Xaden and Violet's relationship, it's sexual chemistry is strong, but lacks romance and depth. I liked cute Andarna much better in the first book. Every character is the same note, teenage angst. Like grow up already there's a war coming! Lol I doubt I'll read the third book unless it has amazing reviews. I'm going to explore some of Holly Black's darker romantasy 😊

harrow the ninth (second in the locked tomb series) is written in majority second-person perspective and I think messes with POV in a very fun/clever way the whole series really enjoys messing with expectations, but it is hands down my favorite series i’ve read as an adult!

How did i not know right away the mormon lady was making biblical references 😭😭 rip

Not you describing the antman story arc in the middle of this haha. That would have been cooler than a lot of what we ended up getting honestly. (him getting trapped in the other realm and coming back to the snap five years later) I also LOVED the Sil, Kal relationship building.... I like R&R together BUT I did feel like it was silly having them build their relationship while the world is ending. I was like... WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS GUYS THE WORLD IS ENDING. I felt like they should have had their own novella before the release & we came into this book not having them fully established but knowing where they are headed. ALSO- I 100 % agree with the ending. I gave the book 3 stars on Goodreads. I felt like there was A LOT left to be desired. You didn't mention the Jasna & Odium showdown---- I hated it. Jasna did not deserve to go down like that. I think you could have still have had the exact same outcome with her losing the partnership and the overall argument WITHOUT having her basically just freeze and retreat into herself. She could have still made an argument that she made the mistakes of a princess but now she was a queen--- and still had her lose and feel like a failure. I would also like to say Hoid has done nothing wrong ever and is the best part of every book haha. I loved every minute of the Szeth background building and actually found myself wanting Kal to give me less of his inner monologues at times. But yes--- this felt like two books smashed into one but somehow he still forgot to add the ending. I will 10000000000 percent read the next one as soon as it drops but I was very disappointed when we got to the end of this.

To echo a comment I saw on the video talking about empathy in the hunger games, I will never forgive the media for being obsessed with trash and teen movies because the romance elements hunger games is so layered and complex it is not just a love triangle and the first 3rd of catching fire proves it

Rollercoaster of emotions finishing this. You inspired me to reread the series (or in this case listen ie audiobooks). I first downloaded the Twilight/Life & Death combo. Then before finishing this video returned said purchase because wtf life & death sounds like a waste of time sort of lol. All this to say I overall enjoyed this series you put together. Also thanks for reading life and death so I don’t have to.

I’ve really tried to keep my opinions to myself about the characters and their issues. I’m just gonna have to say it though. Bella is just as problematic a character as the boys in this “love triangle”. She disrespects Jacob and his boundaries constantly. Not saying there aren’t major problems with the guys. This and other behaviors that people either excuse or simply gloss over with her really bug me. Jacob was never going to be end game so other than a plot device I don’t know why SM gave us this none sense. Jacob was shit for kissing her without her permission.

I’ve really tried to keep my opinions to myself about the characters and their issues. I’m just gonna have to say it though. Bella is just as problematic a character as the boys in this “love triangle”. She disrespects Jacob and his boundaries constantly. Not saying there aren’t major problems with the guys. This and other behaviors that people either excuse or simply gloss over with her really bug me. Jacob was never going to be end game so other than a plot device I don’t know why SM gave us this none sense. Jacob was shit for kissing her without her permission.

I’ve really tried to keep my opinions to myself about the characters and their issues. I’m just gonna have to say it though. Bella is just as problematic a character as the boys in this “love triangle”. She disrespects Jacob and his boundaries constantly. Not saying there aren’t major problems with the guys. This and other behaviors that people either excuse or simply gloss over with her really bug me. Jacob was never going to be end game so other than a plot device I don’t know why SM gave us this none sense. The part about jerking it was 😂

I hated the second book. It didn't feel like the same author wrote it- it felt like a decent fan fiction. I have no plans to even pick up the third.

Month late to the party, but very valid points. I _do_ hope you do Mistborn. It may be in the and universe, but is a wildly different kind of story, and the books are shorter! Also, there is no Earth in the Cosmere, intentionally. That's an easy differentiator - if Earth is mentioned, it's not a cosmere book. If you like the creepy sword, read Warbreaker (think the pdf might still be free on the Author's website) it's a single Cosmere novel (though it will eventually get sequels, the ending stands on its own).

I disliked overall fourth wing and liked the second one. But I think it was because the majority of fourth wing felt like the wisdom island interactions. I also liked the other characters perspectives because it made it more like a real war or battle. Maybe it's because I was listening to the audiobook and they got other narrators.

I know in the books that her father left her, he had studied the customs of the iles. And that each one had their own trials. So, she knew going in that there would be a test. I am going to look at this more, but when xadens mom sent her sons away, violet knew they weren't safe, and something was going to go down. And that's what prompted her to act first. She knew something was going to happen beforehand, she didn't know what. But since she knew certain things about the isle, there is that exert we see from the books her father left about the fruit the birds would eat, and how the birds all died with their beaks stained blue. So. She also knew some of the potential poisons on that particular isle. Since violet doesn't just read the books, she studies them in depth.

the narrator can be personal or omniscient, and be in first person, second person (not common), or third person perspective yeah we talked about that in lit class this year lol

isn't she a zionist? don't think i'll bother lol

There is nothing wrong with Iron Flame. Anyone who claims Iron Flame is different in anyway than Fourth Wing exposes herself as a liar who never actually reads any of the books. She either is a liar or too stupid to actually know how to read.

Wow! Now I am tempted to go buy the book at b&n just for that sunrise on the reaping sticker 😂 Buying books on release day takes me back to the good old days 🥰

I loved the unhinged rant at the end! Seriously such a great video. ❤

Og thought: 4:35 Everyone is good nor bad. Just some lean more to one side. No one will ever be perfect in everything they ever do their entire life. When defending yourself and staging a rebellion: try to have mercy when possible, like less drawn out murder and not killing a bunch of innocent people just because you hate the people who represent them. Murder is not ethical but it can be less unethical, it can serve a purpose, it can save you, it can send a message, it could help many people though there is a line when it comes to these, the first one being the most ethical, the other two be a darker gray area. Of course there is the no question unethical murders and that’s just not ethical, no matter the circumstances that caused them to kill excessively

I literally just watched your Iron Flame review so this is immaculate timing

In the movie the end scene shows a statue reminiscent of the statue of liberty 🗽 but she holds 2 sords crossed above her head . But she still has the spiked crown. On the statue of liberty the crown is made of 7 spikes representing the 7 oceans and the 7 continents.

"Sorry I poisoned you let's negotiate a treaty tehehe♥" is crazy

I'm not googling it, but I'm pretty sure the book thief is probably written in second person because if I'm not mistaken, it's death addressing the reader. There's a handful of books that do that. Am I wrong?

We love a comeback story

My copy is still in the mail!!!

43:13 gotta read the Broken Earth trilogy to see a really good example of the exception that proves the rule on tense :)

I'm glad to hear that this book was better than the second one! 😊🎉

I really wanna watch this but I haven’t read the book yet (and I know I said iron flame was so bad that I won’t read this one, but fomo has me in a chokehold). I will be back.

❤

Violet was being such a pick me in the iron flame, it was freaking annoying. I DNF at 90%

I think the cover design references the beautiful but deadly arena of 50th HG. Birds were as venomous as snakes, all the greenery was poison. I think the spikes are not crown but simply grass

This audiobook is TWENTY EIGHT HOURS. TWENTY. EIGHT. HOURS. REBECCA WHY.

so it wasn't just me....I enjoyed fourth wing but for some reason could not finish iron flame I'm like half way through the book and I want to dash it out the window

This explained so well why I did not like Iron Flame despite enjoying Fourth Wing. I did not even finish Iron Flame. She raised the stakes sooo much at the end of Fourth Wing and then Violet just… goes back to school? And has the same repetitive thoughts and arguments over and over again? Why? I thought Fourth Wing was good and showed potential for a series. Iron Flame showed me it is just another bloated SJM adjacent cash grab. Sad.

i need meredith’s version of a jacob/renaissance book as a multichapter fic on AO3 STAT!!!!

I get that the book certaintly WANTS us to think Violet is an underdog who has to use her wits to keep up with her peers who have more raw power than her, but this is gaslighting. Apart from a couple of instances in the beginning where the book has to make Violet look far smarter than she actually is by making the people around her far dumber, the book's solution absolutely is just giving her more power than the rest of her peers. And the main reason for this seems to be that Yarros really has no interest in doing anything resembling proper worldbuilding or more specifically developing a proper magic system. On the face of it the book's magic system works like most shounen magic systems where each individual has their own power with its own system of weaknesses, limitations, and hidden depths tied loosely together by a set of rules that govern all of these powers. While the overarching rules are adequately developed (or rather they're developed insofar as to say any character can have any power for any reason so long as they're bonded), the actual powers themselves are often not with the exception of maybe Dane. Because of this, the story deprives Violet of the most obvious and interesting way to not only work within her limitations and simultaneously show her studiousness by having her observe and understand the powers around her.

I think the problem you're running into is that Yarros is really bad with details. She can say "this character is a good negotiator" but can't actually write a negotiator or "This book has a magic system" but appears to have no interest in expanding the magic system or even "Violet is super smart for serious" and never make her look smart. At the end of the day, this book isn't really all that different from the first one because the first one was also really bad. They're both collections of ideas that Yarros has no idea how to execute and worse seems to have no real interest in executing.

I haven’t watched this video but Iron Flame and Fourth Wing are exactly the same quality. If you didn’t think so it because you didn’t actually read either book. Most book influencers are pretending to read and this Iron Flame slander is just one thing you can use to prove it.

I'm obviously soo.. late to this comment, but i think it's interesting that the Kaladin parts through the middle also dragged for you. I think the problems and resolutions for Kaladin were supposed to be the thing that carried the reader through all of the Shallan exposition, so i can see how if that doesnt hit for you how the middle would seem even more of a slog than it would otherwise.

22:38 the reason they want to kill andarna is that they want tairn or another dragon to bond with them. They are told that dragons bond for strength and think that a dragon would bond them if they remove the weak dragon

6:41 I also think maybe wanted a longer book so she added some more chapters that go nowhere