Iron Flame Live Reactions: Chapter 20
Aug. 29th, 2024 09:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penwallaHere we go.
We open to Violet on Tairn's back. They're flying together, arguing about graduation requirements, which we're hearing about for the first time. Apparently Violet needs to be able to do a running landing to graduate, but Tairn doesn't want her to even attempt it because she might die. It does make sense that there would be physical requirements to be a dragon Rider.
Though I will say...what happens if Violet can't do it? I'm curious what the actual consequences are. This isn't a fault with the book--in fact, Yarros appears to have introduced an actually compelling plot point. Now we see if she addresses it later.
Sgeayl is nearby, so Tairn is excited to see her as they arrive at the base where Xaden is. Violet senses him before he arrives. As soon as he does, he immediately tells her telepathically that she needs to kiss him or they won't be able to talk in private later.
This is typical romance novel stuff so I'm not bothered by it much to be honest.
They kiss for a page and they're both into it and they want to fuck and then Mira (Violet's sister) interrupts them. Turns out this whole show was so Xaden could take Violet's bags up to his room in public and have a excuse for why they were bunking together. This is plausible enough, and Violet's got bags full of rebel contraband.
“He’s…carrying your bags up to his room for you,” Mira says slowly, moving to my side and glancing between Xaden’s retreating back and me.
“He is.” I nod. Or is he? The ache in my chest turns bitter. Maybe he’s actually taking two of those bags to a drop point and leaving me with Mira to distract me. I hate that I can’t trust him, that he can’t trust me, that we’re at this impasse.
Oh for fuck's sake. Violet, so what if he is carrying those bags to a drop point? Why is that a problem? Did you forget about all the lives at stake here?
Mira immediately accuses Violet of being in love with Xaden. I guess it's not unreasonable for Violet's sister to care about her romantic prospects, so I'll let it slide.
She and Violet go to throw knives at targets, and Violet is thinking about how badly she wants to tell Mira that their brother, Brennnan, is actually alive. Mira is still talking to Violet about how being with Xaden is a terrible idea. She then warns Violet about RSC, which is where the college tortures the students to see if they'll break and...
Everyday this book becomes dumber and dumber and dumber.
Setting aside that torture doesn't work, again, for the thousandth time, THE RIDERS ARE A SCARCE RESOURCE THAT THE MILITARY DESPERATELY NEEDS. Why are they being MURDERED during interrogation training. I'll buy that the military doesn't know torture doesn't work, that rings very true to life, but why are they torturing their own guys to the point so many of them DIE.
It then occurs to Violet that her sister, whose signet involves the wards, might be able to tell her about them. So she starts asking. Oh, god, it's happening. Yarros remembered that protagonists are supposed to have agency!
Turns out Samara, this outpost, has one of the biggest power supplies for the wards. Violet is able to extract some information, so we learn that the wards extend in domes out from the wardstones and that the Riders can stretch them but not generate new ones. We also learn the box at the center of the last book's climax is actually special alloy that boosts the wards at their edges where they are weakest. I think this is the same alloy used to kill the wyverns and the evil guys that the rebels are smuggling.
Okay, this is actually a good way to reveal this info. Mira tells Violet to stop asking questions about classified information. I wonder how much she actually knows?
Violet has roused Mira's suspicion, and Mira throws up a sound shield and tells her to spit out whatever is going on with her. Violet hesitates,but decides to tell Mira some of the truth, because she wants to recruit her. Mira saw the wyverns with her own eyes and didn't recognize them for what they were, so Violet suggests the possibility to her. Mira blows it off and tells Violet to get more sleep.
Oh, I like this a lot. Violet is clearly grasping at straws because she wants to tell someone, anyone, which goes well with her ongoing angst about lying to Rhiannon and all her friends. And it's all the more meaningful because it's about her siblings, and on some level about trying to reclaim her family now that she knows the truth about the war (and her mom). And while Violet doesn't suspect Mira of anything here, I do, and I almost think that's deliberate on Yarros's part. We shall see.
Next scene. Violet wakes to Xaden getting into bed with her, late at night. They talk a little. Xaden tells her the army kills civilians trying to cross the border, which is horrifying but not surprising. They then have an actual conversation about trust, which is...okay.
Ultimately I think the entire conflict is idiotic, but in a better book it could have worked. Violet could have broken things off with Xaden because the stress of having so many secrets was too much for her, or Xaden could have actually done something during the last book's conflict that made her feel like she couldn't trust him or didn't know him. The problem is that Violet seems to think that Xaden was wrong to keep any secrets from her at all, and she had no right to any of that information and also she literally almost got them all killed because she let a known mind reader touch her face.
He and Violet cuddle up, Xaden tells Violet that the special alloy is made of dragon egg shells, and they go to sleep.
And now, so do I.
We open to Violet on Tairn's back. They're flying together, arguing about graduation requirements, which we're hearing about for the first time. Apparently Violet needs to be able to do a running landing to graduate, but Tairn doesn't want her to even attempt it because she might die. It does make sense that there would be physical requirements to be a dragon Rider.
Though I will say...what happens if Violet can't do it? I'm curious what the actual consequences are. This isn't a fault with the book--in fact, Yarros appears to have introduced an actually compelling plot point. Now we see if she addresses it later.
Sgeayl is nearby, so Tairn is excited to see her as they arrive at the base where Xaden is. Violet senses him before he arrives. As soon as he does, he immediately tells her telepathically that she needs to kiss him or they won't be able to talk in private later.
“Tell me to kiss you. Even if it’s just for show.” There are only heartbeats between us now, and he’s not slowing.
“What?”
“Now, Violet. Or you’ll be sleeping in someone else’s room tonight.” The look in his eyes demands an instant answer. Right. Because he told me months ago he’d only kiss me when I asked him to. He reaches for me, one hand sliding to the back of my neck and the other bracing my waist as our bodies collide.
The impact sends every sense reeling.
This is typical romance novel stuff so I'm not bothered by it much to be honest.
They kiss for a page and they're both into it and they want to fuck and then Mira (Violet's sister) interrupts them. Turns out this whole show was so Xaden could take Violet's bags up to his room in public and have a excuse for why they were bunking together. This is plausible enough, and Violet's got bags full of rebel contraband.
“He is.” I nod. Or is he? The ache in my chest turns bitter. Maybe he’s actually taking two of those bags to a drop point and leaving me with Mira to distract me. I hate that I can’t trust him, that he can’t trust me, that we’re at this impasse.
Oh for fuck's sake. Violet, so what if he is carrying those bags to a drop point? Why is that a problem? Did you forget about all the lives at stake here?
Mira immediately accuses Violet of being in love with Xaden. I guess it's not unreasonable for Violet's sister to care about her romantic prospects, so I'll let it slide.
She and Violet go to throw knives at targets, and Violet is thinking about how badly she wants to tell Mira that their brother, Brennnan, is actually alive. Mira is still talking to Violet about how being with Xaden is a terrible idea. She then warns Violet about RSC, which is where the college tortures the students to see if they'll break and...
“You’re worried about the interrogation portion,” I guess, sheathing the eleventh dagger at my ribs.
“They’re going to beat you black and blue just to see if you can take it.” She plucks my dagger from the throat of her target. “And the way you break—”
“I can handle pain.” I turn toward her. “I live in pain. I practically built a house there and set up a whole economy. I can take whatever they dish out.”
“After War Games, RSC is when the most second-years die,” she admits quietly. “And they take one or two squads at a time for exercises, so you don’t really notice the increase in the death roll, but it’s there. If you don’t break, they can accidentally torture you to death, and if you do break, they’ll kill you for it.” Her gaze drops to my dagger, and she looks concerned.
“It’s going to be a shitty few days, but I’ll be all right. I made it this far.” Breaking bones is a Tuesday for me.
Everyday this book becomes dumber and dumber and dumber.
Setting aside that torture doesn't work, again, for the thousandth time, THE RIDERS ARE A SCARCE RESOURCE THAT THE MILITARY DESPERATELY NEEDS. Why are they being MURDERED during interrogation training. I'll buy that the military doesn't know torture doesn't work, that rings very true to life, but why are they torturing their own guys to the point so many of them DIE.
It then occurs to Violet that her sister, whose signet involves the wards, might be able to tell her about them. So she starts asking. Oh, god, it's happening. Yarros remembered that protagonists are supposed to have agency!
Turns out Samara, this outpost, has one of the biggest power supplies for the wards. Violet is able to extract some information, so we learn that the wards extend in domes out from the wardstones and that the Riders can stretch them but not generate new ones. We also learn the box at the center of the last book's climax is actually special alloy that boosts the wards at their edges where they are weakest. I think this is the same alloy used to kill the wyverns and the evil guys that the rebels are smuggling.
Okay, this is actually a good way to reveal this info. Mira tells Violet to stop asking questions about classified information. I wonder how much she actually knows?
Violet has roused Mira's suspicion, and Mira throws up a sound shield and tells her to spit out whatever is going on with her. Violet hesitates,but decides to tell Mira some of the truth, because she wants to recruit her. Mira saw the wyverns with her own eyes and didn't recognize them for what they were, so Violet suggests the possibility to her. Mira blows it off and tells Violet to get more sleep.
Oh, I like this a lot. Violet is clearly grasping at straws because she wants to tell someone, anyone, which goes well with her ongoing angst about lying to Rhiannon and all her friends. And it's all the more meaningful because it's about her siblings, and on some level about trying to reclaim her family now that she knows the truth about the war (and her mom). And while Violet doesn't suspect Mira of anything here, I do, and I almost think that's deliberate on Yarros's part. We shall see.
Next scene. Violet wakes to Xaden getting into bed with her, late at night. They talk a little. Xaden tells her the army kills civilians trying to cross the border, which is horrifying but not surprising. They then have an actual conversation about trust, which is...okay.
“I just feel…heavy,” I admit. “I don’t have anyone who knows who I really am anymore. The guy I considered my best friend nearly got us killed. I’m keeping secrets from Rhiannon, from my sister, from…you. There’s not a single person in this world I’m entirely truthful with.”
“I haven’t exactly made it easy for you to trust me,” he says, stroking his thumb over my cheek. “I’m still not making it easy. But you and I are not easy people. What we build together has to be strong enough to withstand a storm. Or a war. Easy isn’t going to give that to us.”
What we build together. The words make my reckless heart clench.
“I should have told you I was reading into the wards.” I rest my hand on the warm skin of his arm. “I knew you’d tell me not to, and I’d probably do it anyway, but mostly I didn’t tell you because…” I can’t even say it.
“Because I don’t tell you everything, either.” His thumb strokes across my cheek again. “You put it between us on purpose. Gave yourself a secret because I wouldn’t share all of mine.”
I nod.
“You’re allowed to have secrets. That’s the point. I’d prefer they not risk everything I’ve worked toward for the last few years—or your life. And yes, I’m still not happy about the scribe, but we’re not fighting tonight. I just need to know the important things. I won’t withhold information that could change how you make decisions, and I ask the same of you.”
Ultimately I think the entire conflict is idiotic, but in a better book it could have worked. Violet could have broken things off with Xaden because the stress of having so many secrets was too much for her, or Xaden could have actually done something during the last book's conflict that made her feel like she couldn't trust him or didn't know him. The problem is that Violet seems to think that Xaden was wrong to keep any secrets from her at all, and she had no right to any of that information and also she literally almost got them all killed because she let a known mind reader touch her face.
He and Violet cuddle up, Xaden tells Violet that the special alloy is made of dragon egg shells, and they go to sleep.
And now, so do I.
