What’s up with Fourth Wing? Rant/thoughts from someone who will be picking up the next in the series

I just finished reading Fourth Wing for the first time. When I first started, I was so completely engrossed in the book and excited at the prospect of a potential new favorite, however somewhere in the last 150-200 pages the author completely lost me. I have so many questions because there was much that did not make logical sense to me, so I’m still so fascinated by the book and wanting to know more. I’ve listed some of my questions/commentary below.
And FYI, I definitely will be reading the next one when it comes out in November. I’ve never seen such a quick turnaround on a book 2 seeing as Fourth Wing just released this past May, but I’m not complaining.

1. Violet is described throughout the book as small but exactly how small is she? I have a hard time believing she’s barely thrice the size of her 30-pound pack as Mira states. She actually would’ve blown away on the parapet.
2. Also I’ve seen a lot of people online mention her as 5’2 and Xaden as 6’5. I don’t remember any specific mentions of her height in the book but I know in the beginning she says Xaden must be at least four inches over six foot. Taking that and calling Xaden 6’4, 5’2 just seems so wrong to me. I think about 5’4+ is still pretty small, would make sense, and still give people a pretty stark height difference to die over. Anything less is nonsensical to me.
3. I’ve seen a theory where people believe Xaden and Rhiannon know each other due to how he asked her if she knew Rhiannon once they were about to cross the parapet. I can see the thought process here but I’m not sure if Rhiannon would hide such a big thing from her especially after she seems so hurt when Violet has kept smaller things from her. Also she seemed pretty combative toward him in an effort to protect Violet when they still thought he was out to get her.
4. Once all the cadets make it over the parapet, they mentions that only about ¼ of them will make it graduation day. 301 crossed the parapet, but by end of FW there are maybe only 70 first years alive which is already below the quoted ¼ and, as we know, more will definitely die in years 2 and 3. Did anyone do the math here??
5. Has Xaden known Brennan was alive the whole time? Is that why he moved Violet to his wing? To protect her, and not punish as she saw it?
6. If so, when did the other marked ones know? They all seem to have known at the end, but Imogen herself tried to kill Violet. Why would she do that and be so incredibly upset with her because of what her mom did, while knowing her brother was alive and working on their side? And knowing that Violet did not know that.
7. During that first secret meeting of all the marked one, it seems like they did already know at least some parts of it since they were concerned about what was being taught in Battle Brief. Imogen herself also mentioned that was so hard so she must have known. Then why would she try to kill her ?? Just ???
8. How did Dain go from trying to get Violet out to letting her fly to her death?? Is he really that upset about her and Xaden? I do understand he’s “obsessed with rule”, but I just can’t imagine him sending his best and longest friend out to die? Especially when he apparently has feelings for her??
9. And in the beginning of the book, he tells Ridoc that pulling his punches does Aurelie a disservice, but it’s completely fine to try to shelter Violet, get her out at any chance, and even ask her to only choose Andarna?
10. Dain says to Violet “But a year doesn’t change that I still think of you as my best friend. I’m still Dain, and this time next year, you will still be Violet. We will still be us.
“If I’m still alive,” Violet says.
I guess this part is meant to foreshadow his betrayal, but I just can’t imagine why someone would do that. Especially since Dain kind of already broke a rule when he set up a plan with Markham to get Violet to the scribe quadrant. How does he go from bending things a bit to keep her safe to sending her to die??? And why would he read her memory and at least no ask about it?? He actually helps her escape the celebration instead. Just what??
11. Another thing, Dain is so sure that riders are never called into service until graduation but Violet since the beginning of the book is suspicious that they’ll need to rely on more than just first years since the situation seems bad at the border and is well aware third years get called to midland posts. Why would Dain, whose Dad is also pretty high ranking, be so out of the loop there ??
12. Why is Violet so upset when Dain says he will see if someone can stand guard for her at the beginning but just rolls her eyes and accepts it when it’s Xaden doing the same thing later on? For all her convictions about him not seeing her as weak, she sure was perfectly fine ignoring a lot of the same concerns/actions from Xaden versus with Dain.
13. Also, the way Violet is so publicly coddled by Xaden with the way he has Liam following and protecting her at all times but Xaden has the audacity to say Dain coddles her?? He is doing the same thing. And for all Violet is so adamant about appearing weak, she is completely fine with being some guarded treasure.
14. I hate the nickname Violence so much. It is not at all fitting to the character, since she very obviously does not like hurting people and would rather leave them weakened, but at least alive. I feel like the author thought of that as a nickname first then worked backwards from there to make it fit but the pieces got jumbled along the way.
15. I love a good romance in a story, it definitely keeps me turning the page to see more but I feel like as soon as the romance aspect was met, everything else stopped. Violet and Xaden and when they could have each other next became the only plot point.

Honestly I have so many other points that bothered me. I think I might read again because the ending just does not fit with the story I read and I am at a loss trying to put it together.

TLDR; I felt like FW is a jumble of different points that don’t really make sense instead of a cohesive beginning to a longer story. I am so interested to see how this could possibly continue for 4-5 more books.

by sionoalino