Onyx Storm: Chapter 53
Jun. 21st, 2025 09:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
penwallaAnd we're back, baby.
The chapter opens with this ominous quote from Violet's mom's journal:
Who is Asher again? Is that Violet's dad?
Violet is reeling from the revelation that the wards have been raised by the irids. Which means, I guess, that the seven dragons firing on the stone doesn't have to be simultaneous--as long as the wardstone is breathed on by all of them at some point, it counts? Otherwise this would be impossible since there are only two black dragons in this series and they've both fired on a wardstone already.
The irid, Leothan, still disapproves of Violet for being too dangerous. What about the goddamn venin, Leothan? Are you going to condemn them at any point?
Violet defends Andaran against Leothan's criticsm, pointing out rightly that he doesn't get to complain about Andarna's upbringing when he and his kind didn't actually participate in it. Leothan says he'll talk to Violet and Andarna, but no one else. And then he cuts off Violet from Tairn somehow so that Tairn can't participate in their conversation.
Leothan's offer is that Andarna can come back with him, and with him teaching her she will recognize the error of her ways and become like him, and then the other irids will accept her.
Ugh. I'm of two minds about this plot line, because it's at least a reasonable ongoing conflict, and you can see where both sides are coming from, but it's also just fucking annoying to read because the irids' argument is so obviously bad. A better writer could have made this work, I think, but Yarros hates to have nuanced villains, so the irids have to be obviously, illogically wrong.
So of course the irids are special dragons who can do magic the others can't, because Andarna is just dragon Violet in this story. At least Violet seems to immediately understand the implication of what Leothan is saying. Her reactions are written in a series of chopped phrases that are so melodramatic all I can do is laugh.
Anyways, Violet realizes that Andarna wants to go but is worried about them, so she tells Andarna to do whatever she needs to do to be happy. So Andarna breaks the bond, and Violet collapses as she disappears into the sky.
I'm calling it now, Andarna will return in the next book with a bunch of irid pals to fight on Violet's side.
Tairn yells at Violet to breathe as she suffers the horrible effects of the bond breaking, and we get this line:
Oh, for fuck's sake. Could we not have one fucking chapter focused on a relationship that wasn't Violet and Xaden's? Could we not get one chapter where Violet's relationship with her dragons got the spotlight? Were you afraid readers would forget Xaden existed if Violet wasn't in love with him for like, five pages?
I don't care if it's only one line. It's out of place and it's bad writing. Everyone else in this scene is also a rider--it would have been way better for Violet to envy Xaden for still having Sgaeyl, or something.
The chapter opens with this ominous quote from Violet's mom's journal:
Asher returned today. Gods help us if anyone finds out. I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive him for what he’s done to her.
Who is Asher again? Is that Violet's dad?
Violet is reeling from the revelation that the wards have been raised by the irids. Which means, I guess, that the seven dragons firing on the stone doesn't have to be simultaneous--as long as the wardstone is breathed on by all of them at some point, it counts? Otherwise this would be impossible since there are only two black dragons in this series and they've both fired on a wardstone already.
The irid, Leothan, still disapproves of Violet for being too dangerous. What about the goddamn venin, Leothan? Are you going to condemn them at any point?
Violet defends Andaran against Leothan's criticsm, pointing out rightly that he doesn't get to complain about Andarna's upbringing when he and his kind didn't actually participate in it. Leothan says he'll talk to Violet and Andarna, but no one else. And then he cuts off Violet from Tairn somehow so that Tairn can't participate in their conversation.
Leothan's offer is that Andarna can come back with him, and with him teaching her she will recognize the error of her ways and become like him, and then the other irids will accept her.
Ugh. I'm of two minds about this plot line, because it's at least a reasonable ongoing conflict, and you can see where both sides are coming from, but it's also just fucking annoying to read because the irids' argument is so obviously bad. A better writer could have made this work, I think, but Yarros hates to have nuanced villains, so the irids have to be obviously, illogically wrong.
“I am bonded.” Andarna’s tail lowers, curving around me. “Our lives, our minds, the very energy that forms us is intertwined.”
Right. That. Exactly. I find myself nodding.
“So end it.” He angles his head, and the scales above his eyes furrow into a single line. “Bonds are merely magical ties. You are irid. You are magic. Bend it, shape it, break it as you see fit.”
Wait. What?
“I cannot.” Andarna’s tail winds closer.
So of course the irids are special dragons who can do magic the others can't, because Andarna is just dragon Violet in this story. At least Violet seems to immediately understand the implication of what Leothan is saying. Her reactions are written in a series of chopped phrases that are so melodramatic all I can do is laugh.
This can’t be real. Maybe I’m dreaming. Or in Xaden’s dream. Though we’ve definitely stumbled into nightmare territory.
Anyways, Violet realizes that Andarna wants to go but is worried about them, so she tells Andarna to do whatever she needs to do to be happy. So Andarna breaks the bond, and Violet collapses as she disappears into the sky.
I'm calling it now, Andarna will return in the next book with a bunch of irid pals to fight on Violet's side.
Tairn yells at Violet to breathe as she suffers the horrible effects of the bond breaking, and we get this line:
I exist for Tairn, but I live for Xaden.
Oh, for fuck's sake. Could we not have one fucking chapter focused on a relationship that wasn't Violet and Xaden's? Could we not get one chapter where Violet's relationship with her dragons got the spotlight? Were you afraid readers would forget Xaden existed if Violet wasn't in love with him for like, five pages?
I don't care if it's only one line. It's out of place and it's bad writing. Everyone else in this scene is also a rider--it would have been way better for Violet to envy Xaden for still having Sgaeyl, or something.
