🔥 Book Review: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
An emotionally charged sequel that deepens the lore, raises the stakes, and tests the limits of love, loyalty, and survival.
Following the explosive success of Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros returns with Iron Flame, the second installment in The Empyrean series. With over 2.3 million ratings and a strong 4.36/5 average on Goodreads, this romantasy continues to dominate bestseller lists and BookTok feeds. If you thought Violet Sorrengail’s first year at Basgiath War College was brutal, you haven’t seen anything yet.
🐉 Plot Overview
Violet survived Threshing, bonded with two dragons, and fell in love with Xaden Riorson, the brooding rebel with secrets. But her second year at Basgiath is even more dangerous. A new vice commandant has made it his mission to break her spirit, and Violet must decide whether to betray the man she loves to protect the rebellion—or risk everything to stand by him.
As war looms and ancient secrets unravel, Violet’s physical limitations are pushed to the brink. Her intelligence and iron will are her only weapons in a world where dragon fire might not be enough to save them.
⚔️ What Readers Love
- Expanded Worldbuilding: Iron Flame dives deeper into the politics, history, and magic of Navarre, answering many of the mysteries left hanging in Fourth Wing.
- Emotional Depth: Violet’s growth is central—she’s more strategic, more conflicted, and more powerful than ever.
- Xaden’s Devotion: His “I’d destroy the world to save you” energy is turned up to eleven, making him one of the most talked-about morally gray heroes in romantasy.
- High-Stakes Action: From brutal training to dragon battles and rebellion strategy, the pacing is relentless.
🧠 Critiques & Highlights
- Some readers felt the middle dragged with repetitive emotional beats and slower plot development.
- The final third of the book delivers a massive twist and sets up book three with jaw-dropping revelations.
- Dialogue and prose remain accessible, though some fans hoped for more complexity in the writing style.
⭐ Final Verdict
Iron Flame is a satisfying, emotionally intense sequel that builds on the foundation of Fourth Wing while setting the stage for an epic continuation. If you love dragons, rebellion, and romance that burns as fiercely as battlefields, this book will leave you breathless—and desperate for the next chapter.
