The short verdict
Fourth Wing is a page-turner built for binge reading: a brutal military academy, dragons that choose their riders, and an enemies-to-lovers romance that drives much of the plot. It isn’t subtle, and its world-building is thinner than seasoned fantasy readers expect. But it’s hard to put down, and for many readers that’s the whole point.
Rating: 3.9 / 5
Why everyone is talking about it
Few books in the last decade have had this kind of commercial impact. Fourth Wing was still among the ten best-selling print books in the US in 2025, two years after release, with more than 620,000 copies sold through outlets tracked by Circana BookScan. The third book in the series, Onyx Storm, sold more than 2.2 million print copies across its editions in 2025. The series is a big reason “romantasy” (romance plus fantasy) became a shelf of its own in bookshops. We look at those numbers in our 2025 bestsellers breakdown.
Content note
This is an adult novel. It contains explicit sex scenes, frequent strong language and graphic violence, including deaths of students. It isn’t young adult fiction, even though the school setting can make it look that way.
The premise (no major spoilers)
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail has trained her whole life to become a scribe, recording history in the safety of the archives. Her mother, a powerful general, has other ideas and orders her into the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College, where cadets compete to bond with dragons. Most candidates don’t survive the first year. Violet is smaller and more physically fragile than her classmates, and several of them would like her dead, including Xaden Riorson, whose father was executed for leading a rebellion that Violet’s mother helped crush.
What works
Relentless pace
Short chapters, constant threats and a cliffhanger at the end of nearly every section make this one of the most bingeable fantasy novels around. Yarros knows how to keep you turning pages at 1 a.m.
The dragons
The dragons are the best thing in the book. They’re ancient, proud, frightening and funny, and the bond between rider and dragon is written with real affection. Readers who wanted dragons with personality will get them.
Violet as a heroine
Violet wins through intelligence, preparation and stubbornness rather than strength. The book is also notable for a lead character who lives with a chronic condition that affects her joints, and that limitation shapes her choices instead of disappearing when it’s inconvenient.
Fair criticisms
- World-building is thin. We learn about the academy in detail, but the wider kingdom, its politics and history are sketchy, and the setting’s rules sometimes bend to suit the plot.
- Modern voice. Characters talk like 21st-century college students. Some readers find this refreshing; others find it jarring in a medieval-style world.
- Predictable romance. If you know the enemies-to-lovers trope, you’ll see many beats coming.
- The violence can feel cheap. Deaths are frequent, and some exist mainly to raise tension rather than to mean something.
- The sequels split readers. Iron Flame (2023) and Onyx Storm (2025) are longer and more divisive. Plenty of readers love the whole series; others feel the first book is the best.
Who should read it
- Adult readers who want a fast, emotional, addictive fantasy romance
- Fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses, or of school-setting fantasy grown up
- Readers coming back to reading after a long break who want something they can’t put down
Probably not for you if you prefer intricate fantasy worlds (try Brandon Sanderson or Robin Hobb), don’t enjoy romance at the centre of a plot, or want to avoid explicit content.
Tips for reading it
At around 500 pages, Fourth Wing reads faster than its length suggests. Most readers finish in a week. The audiobook is popular, but note that it includes the explicit scenes. If you’re reading it for a book club, the first-year “Threshing” chapters make a great discussion point about choice and fate.
Final thoughts
Fourth Wing isn’t the most original or carefully built fantasy novel you’ll read. It is one of the most fun. It knows exactly what its readers want (danger, dragons and longing glances) and delivers all three at full speed. Judge it on that, and it’s easy to see why millions of people couldn’t stop turning the pages.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fourth Wing appropriate for teenagers?
It's marketed as adult fiction and contains explicit sexual content, strong language and graphic violence. Most guidance suggests it's best for readers 18 and over.
What order should I read the Empyrean series in?
Fourth Wing (2023), then Iron Flame (2023), then Onyx Storm (2025). The series is planned to continue.
What is romantasy?
A blend of romance and fantasy where the love story is as central as the fantasy plot. Fourth Wing and A Court of Thorns and Roses are well-known examples.
How long is Fourth Wing?
About 500 pages in hardcover, roughly 20 hours as an audiobook.
