Pete's Log: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Entry #2466, (Books, Writing, n such)(posted when I was 45 years old.)
I just finished Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros. It is the sequel to Fourth Wing. I did not enjoy Iron Flame as much as Fourth Wing, but it was still an entertaining page-turner. I think the most telling thing about Iron Flame is that Jamie did not read over my shoulder (to check which plot twists she could talk to me about) as often as she did when I was reading Fourth Wing. Although once I hit the last 100 pages, she started hovering again.
First, some of what I didn't like. One, the narrator was too whiny. I learned a new term today: New Adult Fiction. I wrote that Fourth Wing "reads a bit like young adult fiction, but with a lot of violence and sex." I guess "New Adult" is like "Young Adult" but with less restraint on the violence and sex fronts. Pretty apt description of both Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. Our narrator is a young 20-something, so I guess we should forgive her for being so emo. It was just a bit much at times. Two, it felt repetitive, both in terms of plot points but also in terms of phrases. Nobody smiles in this book, everyone just has the corner of their mouth curve up. Three, it was probably 100 pages too long. I suspect maybe this sequel was a bit rushed.
But it was 600+ pages that put up little resistance. And I really like the dragons. And I will definitely read the next in the series. Whenever it comes out.
The best part about having finished Iron Flame is that Jamie can now share with me all the fan theories she's read up on. Hopefully Rebecca Yarros can finish the next book soon. But not too soon. I'd rather it feels less rushed than this one did.