Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
⭐⭐⭐⭐✰ 4/5
Synopsis
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.
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One of the first things I loved about this book was that it continued right after Fourth Wing ended; that made it very easy to get into the story. One thing I didn't really like was that at first it was a bit slow, even though it was to get Violet into context of what had happened, it affected the pacing for the first few chapters.
Right of the bat we can see Violets internal turmoil, I could feel her feelings of betrayal from everyone she cared about. Not that long ago her mother forced her to be a rider, her dragon forced her to be closer to a man that wanted to kill her, Dain forced information out of her and put her life in danger and took the other 2 lives. Now she knows one of Xaden's big secrets, and suddenly her brother is alive. That is a lot to handle, too much trauma.
-Basgiath
When they decided that they had to go back and graduate to be able to protect the other students, that's when the book actually got good and got back into its normal pacing. I'm not going to lie when I say that I feared that this was going to be the end of the revolution. I wish I could've seen Colonel Aetos face when he saw that they were back—the ones he sent to die—came back against all odds.
The system that was made after Xaden graduated was a nice touch because we were able to see Violet on her own during the days they were apart; we could see her uninterrupted by his presence and how she developed in the school. Even though she was now trying to stay away from her group of friends, it was a different air that she had to herself.
I thought it was crazy forcing the dragons to be so far from each other. I feel like in that situation more could've been done to avoid them any discomfort, but it just seemed they kept their heads down and let Varrish control them as he pleased.
WTF Jack Barlow WTF
Lets talk about the torture scenes. OMG, my soul shattered when she saw Liam again. Regardless that it was just a hallucination, I just love being able to see him once more. At the back of her mind, she knew what he would say and how much he would root for her to keep going strong.
When Dain came into the room, having orders to read her memories, I thought everything was done; the hard work, lost friends, was all gone, but as soon as he saw what she allowed him to see, I was shocked by his reaction. When he grabbed the dagger and took Varrish down, I could see that he did have an opportunity of redeeming himself, and I guess he was also a victim of his fathers and Varrish's plans, but I'm glad they let Violet kill Varrish, give the last blow to his heart, and see how his evil soul leave his body.
-Aretia
After Tairn let everyone see the Wyvern and Venin, I got goosebumps reading about all the riders who joined them; unknown of what the future could hold, they knew that this was the right way. Eventually, when they made it there, it was a hard adaptation for them, but it felt like a new home, a world of possibilities. When Mira showed up, OMG, I was lowkey glad she punched Brennan. Haha, he deserved it a bit.
One of my favorite things about this book was Violet being able to use her signet. Reading about her learning more and more about her powers was amazing since everything happened so fast it seemed she was always on extra fuel and not being able to be herself. It's refreshing to see her research with Jesenia and Dain, seeing her in her natural habitat amidst the chaos.
Cat: The worst ex in literature history, like not only is she royalty, beautiful, and strong, the fricking signet is to stir people's emotions, like she is the spawn of Satan for real. I'm glad that even though she wanted Xaden, it was made clear that she only wanted him for his power. They never cared for each other; it was only an arrangement. I feel like Xaden can only love 1 person in his lifetime, and that was Violet. They are endgame... they have to be.
The chair scene. Oh, my Lord!
“My house. My chair. My woman.” - Xaden
This scene made me fall apart and put me back together. The meaning behind it is making Violet feel that he loves her, he wants her to be happy, he wants her satisfaction, and that she will be the one standing next to him at the throne, no one else.
In this book, the readers are meant to fall in love with Xaden, and honestly, it worked. I truly enjoyed learning more about him, his life before Violet, the sacrifices he made, his scars, and his home. To make this man even better, he is royalty too, like he can't get any better than this. Until it goes bad, really bad. Once Violet realizes he has a second signet, I could feel a pit in my stomach. Even Tairn was shocked by the fact Sgaeyl had kept it a secret too.
‘Less than a minute’, Xaden whispers as Sgaeyl moves toward him—toward us. ‘That’s how long it took for you to fall out of love with me.
My heart was destroyed!!!! But honestly, Xaden being an Inntinnsic but not being able to fully read people's minds but instead just their intentions, is not that bad. I feel Violet definitely overreacted here, but I also see why, like she has felt lie over lie, and it seemed this was going to be the last drop, but I'm glad she stuck through it because I believe Xaden when he says he didn't use it on her once they fell for each other; he always let her make her own choices and decide her fate.
-Basgiath
Once they realize the enemy is trying to take all of Basgiath wards down, I was rooting for them not going and just focused in Aretia, but I guess Violet is a better person than me, because truly I would've let them all die there.
Seeing Violet and her mother work together using their signets was really cool; she would move the storms and clouds so Violet could shock everything underneath it with her lighting. What a strong duo. I wish her mom would have been better, and even though we know now how little she knew of what was going on, I can't help but wonder how much involvement she had or what she would've done if she knew earlier on the attacks that Violet was going through. When her mother sacrificed herself to get the wards up, I was BAWLING, I couldn't control the tears. That was the ultimate sacrifice for her children, those who she hurt the most.
Andarna and Tairn, Oh, how I love them.
“Your scales aren't really black."
"No." Even now, her scales are changing, taking on the grayish hue of the stone around us. "But he is, and I so badly want to be just like him."
"Tairn.”
MY HEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't wait to see more of her in Onyx Storm. I know she spent most of the time of Iron Flame in hibernation, but ugh, she is my favorite forever and ever. Plus, I love her new attitude and how she is more snappy now and tried to get Violet to be more reactive and hurt Cat.
“Scratch her eyes out,” Andarna suggests. “Really. The eyes are the softest tissue. Just jab your thumbs in there—”
“Andarna! Use some common sense,” Tairn snaps. “The kneecaps are a much easier target.”
Hahah, I LOVE them so much.
-The ending
Why, Xaden, why? WHYYYYYYYYY
He knew his love for Violet was going to be the end of him, but becoming a Venin was never what I thought would happen. He ruined it all. What is going to happen now? How is his relationship with Sgaeyl going to change? How are they going to work through this? Is Violet going to have to kill him? So many questions and no answers until Onyx Storm is out.
In conclusion:
Even though the beginning of the book was slow, once they go back to Basgiath, it becomes crazy again. I loved every aspect of it, and I know I left out some other parts of the story, but maybe I will go in depth more about it after I reread it (sometime soon). I have been having withdrawals after I finished Iron Flame. I miss Violet and Xaden; they were part of my everyday for 1 week, and now they are gone. I need them back.
fav quotes:
“You’re my gravity. Nothing in my world works without you.” “Gravity,” he whispers, a slow, beautiful smile curving his mouth. “The one force we can never escape,” I tease.”
“My house. My chair. My woman.”
“You must save yourself," Tairn demands. "I chose you not as my next but as my last, and should you fall, then I will follow.”
“I love you,” I whisper. “You could throw my entire world into upheaval, and I would still love you. You could keep secrets, run a revolution, frustrate the shit out of me, probably ruin me, and I would still love you. I can’t make it stop. I don’t want to. You’re my gravity. Nothing in my world works without you.”
“My heart only beats as long as yours does, and when you die, I’ll meet Malek at your side.”
