@@crystalsnow-fh4ec that's true! I still think the author was overexaggerating the number of people dying at this school but you are right they do mention that.
Exactly!!! The fact that other unbonded students are just allowed to target and try to kill the riders who have been chosen by dragons so as to try n take their place and get that dragon makes NO sense!!
I'm glad someone else mentioned the military academy being off. I went to a military academy, so I know I have a unique perspective, but it felt insane to me
Interesting! From your perspective, what was different from your academy and this book? Like structurally, minus the whole dragons and magic stuff. I know it's really different, obviously, but an insiders perspective would be cool
Something I gotta say about the whole rider quadrant experience is that they’re giving Dauntless. That’s what I thought throughout both books. They pick out the weakest so that they will have more chances, and if they don’t, the dragons do, because the dragons only want strong humans to bond with. As for the deaths, say there are 300 cadets (after parapet) to about 150 dragons willing to bond, that leaves half cadets unbonded or dead 🫤. But not all willing to bond dragons choose to bond, so that leaves less than 150 bonded cadets. And the only way for the cadets to be taken to the frontlines is for them to manifest powers, which requires a dragon. So if they don’t bond, they die or redo the parapet. I’m not sure if that makes sense but it does to me. It’s like survival of the fittest 🤗
Iirc, it was only 101 drsgons willing to bond, but that's not really the point. As for the deaths, yeah sure survival of the fittest, but those that don't Bond are still, in theory, capable warriors. They could be sent to the Infantry to help with the war effort. Killing them takes away from the safety of Navarre. And encouraging cadets to murder each other doesn't get you the strongest Riders, it just gets you the most ruthless and the least trustworthy.
@@brentmason4338I 100% agree that encouraging cadets to killing each other isn’t a greatest solution. I understand that the unbonded cadets could protect Navarre, but when they are trying to protect Navarre from beings other than human, it’s just adding to the death toll. But when it comes to cadets becoming riders, it all comes down to the dragons choosing, no matter if the cadet was a ruthless killer or someone who stayed away from violence.
@@allypagleyI think it has less to do with what the humans are thinking and more to do with what the dragons are thinking. Remember, in this society dragons are at the top, so unless the dragons just let the humans do what they want, the dragons are the ones bossing humans around. They made it very clear how ruthless dragon culture is, how much they value strength, and how much they only tolerate humans because they need them to make wards. From the dragon's perspective, the people who aren't strong enough to bond have no worth and are better off dead because they can't tolerate weakness. They tolerate humans so little they typically roast a human that isn't their rider if they try talking to them. It has less to do with what the humans want to do and more with how dragons look down on humans.
I NEVER CRY during books like ever and but when liam died I teared up bc I got so attached I guess it was a once in ever 5 star like I've never cried during other five stars either but this WOW
I overall enjoyed it, but it is definitely not above critisism. My friend just read it and it was a stuggle for her. The last 100 pages saved it for her. I am hoping that because the book is now more established, the 2nd will jump into that pacing.
My issue with the second book is that the "romance" between Xaden and Violet is incredibly toxic on both sides and takes away from the story. RY did a lot more world building and added a lot of interesting elements, but every time Xaden and Violet are on the page together, I audibly groan because I know it's not going to add to the story, but take away from it.
@@brentmason4338Violet not forgiving Xaden for not telling her about the Venin was the worst. Like, it's completely understandable why he did what he did, and she wasn't mad at anyone else that kept the secret from her, but she was so pissed at Xaden for half the book. And she said so much stupid shit, like "He said he fell for me, but he's never said he loves me like I did for him, he doesn't feel the same way I do" DUDE IT MEANS THE SAME FUCKING THING!!! I had to take a couple day break from the book when I read those lines, it's like Violet is reduced to having a single braincell after she learns the truth. And then she does the same thing Xaden did to her friends, but she's still mad at him. I also dont understand why she wants full disclosure about every little thing in the rebellion, or she'll break up with Xaden. I don't understand what it has to do with their relationship, why she wants to risk the entire rebellion like that. It just makes her come off as very selfish and cares more about knowing everything than the safety of the entire continent. I loved her before, but I couldn't help but hate her in the second book because of how stupid and petty she became. I don't understand why Xaden still wanted to be with her after that, honestly. I think the author did it for dramatic romance stuff, and I think a lot of people live for that shit, and that's fine, but at least make it make fucking sense, because I wanted to rip my eyeballs out whenever there was a scene with Violet and Xaden together.
The thing that confused me was that how tf were the people able to keep their seats without the saddle. They were like sliding and jumping from one dragon to another and not falling???? That was truly unrealistic!!!!
It's described that the dragons have a natural seat "pommel" that riders are trained to sit in before Reaping. Tarin comments on Violet's lack of ability to sit in the pommel correctly (because of her disability) thus comes in the saddle. Dragons do have a natural seat(it's especially described after tarin chooses Violet) but it's easy to miss.
I was just reading this, the beginning is so slow. Just climbing the stone steps, it was dragged out and I got bored not too short after getting into this book
I meaaaan, Violet is only 20-21, her father died when she was 15 and her mom is the ice queen. Her immaturity makes sense to me. Not many people are just born with the ability to build maturity on their own without proper guidance. So her inner monologs made sense to me, specially considering how stuck and marked she is by her insecurities of being short and weak (with the pressure of becoming a dragon rider or die) Idk😅
The reason they allowed so many to die was because of the downfalls of the riders. They might not have been trained enough so that led to so many deaths. The academy needed the best of the best so that they would survive longer and have better skills than the riders before
I would say no not at all. If you’re looking for a good young adult fantasy book I recommend books by Stephanie Garber, Victoria Aveyard, or Taherah Mafi
Did Rebecca Yarros think dropping an f word every other sentence made this book edgy??? Also, Violet foaming at the mouth with desire EVERY SINGLE TIME she saw Xaden or when anyone so much as mentioned his name was so irritating it was just too much. Cut all that silly bullshit out and I'd bet the book wouldn't even be over 400 pages It didn't need to be that long I didn't like any of the characters. If they'd all died I wouldn't have cared. Getting through this book was a real chore I'm definitely NOT reading IRON FLAME I've heard it's even worse
This response 😂 you’re not wrong at all! And I (unfortunately for the greater good) read Iron Flame (so you don’t have to) and can confirm it was worse than book 1!
Omfg THANK YOU lmao I was really beginning to think that I was irritated by the many theme and character inconsistencies in the book because I was trying not to like it because of its popularity.
@@allypagley agreed. I finished the book felling like it was a good story before realising I only really liked the last 100 pages. I didn’t have ridiculously high expectations to begin with, and like everyone, have a particular style of author and literature that I prefer, but I kept an open mind. I feel the foundation is there for a really good story. I would’ve loved for Yarros to lean really heavy into the lore of the continent and really build up the intensity of the war, the histories of the land and how it came to be, legendary warriors and figures of Navarre etc.. I feel like when the author builds a really solid foundation of knowledge, it gets the reader far more invested because it feels more real and being that our heroine spent her whole life in training to be a scribe, there was an opportunity for the reader to see Navarre through her vastly educated eyes. The overarching character theme for Violet is brains and strength of character over Braun, and I feel like we could spend a lot more time exploring the “brains” part that were more than just a few smart answers in class and knowing how to poison people. I feel Yarros could have done a far better job of building the suspicion and suspense around what was really going on and use Violets cunning and wits to build the plot up more steadily. I feel like every time we got hint of what’s really going on, it just gets dropped immediately and goes straight back to some unnecessary passage to describe how hot she thinks Xaden is. Like, they stole the actual war map from General Sorrengail’s office, literally how did we not get anything more out of that? Idk I also realise i have to curb my bias and understand that this book was written as a fantasy romance with heavy emphasis on the romance and I’m a dude so probably not exactly the demographic she was aiming to appease. She just has a good base for potentially a really great fantasy series I feel, and I feel like the books good easily do away with some of the constant unnecessary romance fluff and spend more time building the fiction around Navarre. Anyways apologies for the novel lmao just don’t really come across many people who agree with my feelings about the book
@@kainoizking first off WOW I appreciate you taking the time to write this so much! Everything you said was so spot on. We may have misinterpreted her intentions with this book as we both wanted something other than hot and heavy romance and more lore and world building. I do think Violet was severely flawed in her decision making skills and I have not seen an improvement in her character since reading book two. Which makes me think the author really is not focusing on that and instead wants to emphasize her relationships (fam, friends, xaden, etc.)
MINOR SPOILERS FOR IRON FLAME: I think the amount of people dying was part of the reason why many were upset with the college system. Like in the second book Violet talks about how so many other fliers are shocked by how many of them die and also how intense their training is. Many times Violet tried to see a way to make sense of it but in the end it’s just plain brutality. Honestly it shocked me too but it also shows the holes in their government that they are aware they have to change wit this rebellion. Not meaning to start any arguments just giving my theory’s and stuff.
They don’t kill in the other groups just the Riders Quadrant. BECAUSE they have to make sure that the riders would be qualified, and there aren’t enough dragons willing to bond…
I would not recommend for under 18 personally. If you are looking for a great fantasy for Young Adult I ABSOLUTELY recommend the Once Upon A Broken Heart series by Stephanie Garber, or Powerless by Lauren Roberts 💖😍
Dragons and Dragon Snark - Yay! V and X- shut up already and enough with the silly posturing Villains- cartoonish (at least until ridiculous plot points when grudging respect is earned?) Dialogue- juvenile and repetitive, excessive unnecessary f bombing ( like little kids repeating something “naughty” they heard their parents say) World Building- so much potential….. I rarely quit books but left this one at about 800 pages. No interest in the outcome. Very happy that I did not pay for it YMMV
