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00:00:00 – 00:28:42
The video review, hosted by Carrie the Snail, centers on Rebecca Yarros' popular fantasy romance novel "Fourth Wing." The story blends elements of dragons, magical powers, friendship, and romance in a militaristic setting, primarily focusing on the protagonist, Violet Sorrengale. Despite physical disabilities and familial tensions, Violet is thrust into a rigorous dragon rider training program at Baz Gia War College, where survival is fierce. Major characters include Zaden Ryerson, who initially resents Violet due to her mother's actions against a rebellion led by his father, and two dragons, Andara and Taran, who bond with Violet, symbolizing her dual nature.
The reviewer offers a mixed critique, praising Rebecca Yarros' adept character interplay and visceral fight scenes while pointing out the writing's juvenile aspects and limited world-building. They highlight key narrative dynamics and intense character relationships, marked by humor, tension, and evolving bonds, especially between Violet and Zaden. The reviewer also addresses the story's unique magic system and telepathy between dragon riders and their dragons.
Spoilers are discussed, revealing twists involving venin and wyverns, significant threats to dragon riders. Although the book elicits strong polarized reactions, it is recognized for its engaging character dynamics and action. The reviewer suggests potential for improvement in future installments, such as "Iron Flame," expressing overall enjoyment and encouraging viewer engagement.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, the host, Carrie the Snail, introduces a book that incorporates elements such as dragons, powers, friendship, and romance. The book, a recent best-seller by Rebecca Yarros titled “Fourth Wing,” blends romance and fantasy genres and gained significant popularity shortly after its release in April 2023. Carrie mentions that despite the genre’s typical association with a female audience, they decided to read and review it from a male perspective to offer their thoughts.
The segment outlines the plan to discuss the book’s plot, characters, and general atmosphere before moving into a spoiler-laden section focusing on key developments, character growth, and notable plot twists. Carrie highlights Rebecca Yarros’ experience with romance novels and shares personal details about the author that influence the book’s narrative, such as her military family background and personal connection to physical disabilities.
The plot centers around Violet Sorrengale, the daughter of a commanding general who is thrust into a dragon rider program despite her small frame and intended path as a scribe. Her mother’s reputation and actions against a past rebellion create a hostile environment for Violet at the war college, where she faces animosity from the children of the rebels. This setup is a mix of familiar and unique elements, providing a backdrop for Violet’s challenges and growth in a militaristic dragon-riding world.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses key characters and the setting of a story involving dragon riders. Zaden Ryerson, part of an uprising led by his father Fen Ryerson, faces severe consequences. The dialogue touches on Zaden’s resentment towards Violet’s mother and the dangerous, competitive environment of Baz Gia War College, where students face life-or-death scenarios and can even kill each other to get ahead. The bond between dragons and their riders, which grants telepathy and magical powers, is highlighted. However, the speaker criticizes the writing for being juvenile and unimaginative, particularly the overused dialogue and the lack of descriptive world-building beyond basic dragon descriptions. They suggest the fantasy world feels more like a backdrop rather than a fully immersive setting.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, the reviewer discusses their mixed feelings about a book, highlighting both its strengths and weaknesses. They note that the book has a very practical and no-frills writing style, focusing more on characters than the world-building, unlike other fantasy novels. The reviewer praises the interplay between characters and their dragons, which they found humorous and charming. Additionally, they commend the author, Yaros, for her excellent and visceral fight scenes, contrasting them with less impactful ones in other fantasy series. The review acknowledges the book’s unique dragon and magic systems and entertaining character banter but also points out instances of goofy writing. They caution that it is not a young adult novel due to some intense scenes. Overall, the reviewer describes the book as polarizing, generating strong love or hate reactions among readers, and notes that although it might not be their favorite, they found it memorable and thought-provoking.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, the speaker transitions into discussing spoilers about a book, advising viewers who haven’t read it to do so before continuing. They delve into the unexpected nature of “dragon sex” and its significance in the narrative. The focus then shifts to character development, particularly that of Violet, who starts with ambitions of becoming a scribe but ends up training as a dragon riding cadet despite a vague physical disability that makes her weaker and smaller than others. The speaker reflects on how Violet’s disability might resonate more broadly due to its general nature but also wishes it were more distinct for greater impact. Violet’s struggle includes dealing with an overprotective and doubtful character named Dane. Additionally, Violet bonds with two dragons, Andara and Taran, symbolizing her dual nature of perceived weakness and inherent strength. The speaker invites comments from viewers with disabilities to share their perspectives on Violet’s character.
00:12:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the humorous and engaging relationship dynamics between characters Darna and Taran, highlighting their contrasting personalities. Darna is depicted as an excited child, while Taran is more jaded, leading to amusing interactions.
The speaker then shifts focus to Zaden, a character who is initially meant to hate the protagonist, Violet. Despite this, he avoids killing her and even helps her early on. Zaden is portrayed as a complex, non-cliché character, adding mystery to the plot. The storyline involves Violet surviving intense trainings, bonding with two dragons, and unraveling Zaden’s motives.
The speaker appreciates the plot’s pacing and action but notes a desire for clearer overarching conflicts or threats, comparing it to the structure of Harry Potter, which layers immediate and larger threats effectively.
00:15:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses the plot structure and emerging threats in a fantasy story. They focus on the main character, Violet, whose daily survival at school is initially the primary conflict. However, a twist reveals that Zaden plans to hand Violet over to mysterious figures, creating anticipation for a larger conflict. The last 100 pages introduce venin and wyverns, presenting them as formidable adversaries to dragon riders. The venin forcefully extract magic from the land, creating wyverns, monstrous creatures that oppose dragon riders. The venin are immensely powerful and can only be killed by stabbing their hearts, raising the stakes and ensuring that even the protagonist, with her significant powers, faces major threats. The speaker appreciates the plot’s development at this point, finding it engaging and well-crafted. The discussion then shifts to the impact of “smut” in the story, described humorously with a hyperbolic comparison to a critical literary pillar. Finally, the speaker prepares to eat a notably spicy hot sauce, “The Bomb,” from the Hot Ones lineup, describing its immediate and intense physical effects.
00:18:00
In this part of the video, the speaker vividly describes the intense, almost overwhelming sensation likened to being kicked in the neck or hit by dragon fire, emphasizing Violet’s and their shared sense of burning urgency. They discuss the palpable sexual tension between Violet and Zaden, highlighting Violet’s immediate and shameless attraction to Zaden despite recognizing him as a danger. The segment also covers their sparring session where Zaden disarms and throws Violet to the ground, leading to a close, heated moment where their faces are inches apart, intensifying the attraction. The speaker humorously acknowledges the folly in being drawn to toxic individuals, yet admits to feeling the same pull.
00:21:00
In this part of the video, the fight between two characters becomes more intimate and suggestive. The protagonist, VI, is caught in a mix of physical combat and underlying sexual tension with her opponent, Zade. As they spar, Zade demonstrates his dominance without physically hurting VI, making the situation both frustrating and alluring for her. An audience is present, intensifying the scenario.
VI’s growing attraction to Zade is evident, and despite his apparent disinterest, she fantasizes about him. The scene shifts when VI is attacked in her sleep, prompting Zade to lead her to safety. They navigate their escape while bickering, showcasing their dynamic. The narrative then humorously explores the metaphor of VI’s desire to “climb him like a tree.”
As the story progresses, VI experiences a surge of powerful emotions linked to her bond with a dragon, causing her to act erratically. This condition, humorously referred to as “dragon horniness,” is tied to their shared thoughts and emotions, indicating a deep, primal connection between her and the dragon.
00:24:00
In this segment of the video, the discussion focuses on the characters Zade and VI who, through their connections with their dragon partners T and S, can read each other’s minds. This leads to a comedic and exaggerated situation where residual energies from the dragons impact their emotions and actions. Zade and VI struggle with intense physical attraction and mental resistance, leading to moments of passionate restraint and eventual surrender to their feelings and powers. Their inability to control their powers while succumbing to their desires causes chaos around them, highlighting a unique blend of fantasy and romance. The segment emphasizes the originality of the scenario and praises the author’s creativity in merging fantasy elements with romantic intensity.
00:27:00
In this part of the video, the speaker humorously discusses the impracticality of living in a studio apartment using “spicy scenes” as a metaphor, rating the concept high for intensity but low for practicality due to constant repairs. They then review the “fourth ring” with positive feedback on its enjoyable character dynamics, dragon magic system, and pacing, suggesting it’s not groundbreaking but well-executed. The speaker believes “iron flame” has potential for improvement, similar to the way another series improved significantly. The segment ends with the speaker getting emotional and playfully encouraging viewers to engage with the content and subscribe for more updates.