My girlfriend still prefers paper books. Unlike me. I prefer to read on an e-book reader, my Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon. Another way we differ? I like science fiction and fantasy. She, on the other hand, does not. Until now.

But then social media struck again. The book Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros was on the bestseller shelf at the local bookstore, and my girlfriend recognized it from Instagram. And she immediately grabbed the hardcover edition. I was skeptical. Either she would hate it, or it wasn’t proper fantasy. A few days later, she had finished the book and gave it a positive review. Now I was curious. So I grabbed the book and read it too. In just a few days, even though it’s unwieldy and bulky.

Luckily, I didn’t read the blurb beforehand. It gives away quite a lot of the plot right away, and if you’re not a complete idiot, the rest of the main story becomes clear too. So: Do not read any descriptions under any circumstances! That’s why it’s also hard for me to give a spoiler-free glimpse here. I’ll try anyway: It’s about a frail young woman who unwillingly takes part in the entrance exam for the dragon rider school. An exam that many candidates do not survive. But the trials are not the only dangers and challenges that threaten her.

You can tell, it’s generic fantasy. Not high-concept fantasy, more for young adults. It’s a lot about interpersonal relationships and the feelings of a young woman. The naive thoughts of the protagonist, who also has a strong erotic drive, are cringe-worthy. Even though I’m a man, I highly doubt that many women have such thought processes. The plot itself is very predictable. Apart from a few things, you’ll hardly be surprised. Most of the twists are foreshadowed in the first few chapters. However, one or two details do provide some surprises, albeit rarely.

In the end, though, it’s mainly about the development and journey the main character goes through over the course of the story and the interactions with the people around her. The writing style is very fluid and neither too descriptive nor too brief. The book grabs you and gets you into a pleasant reading flow. The narrative style also somehow makes you want to keep reading the story. You may know the destination, but you want to know the exact path as well.

Is Fourth Wing one of the great works of the fantasy genre? Certainly not. But it is one of the better examples of entertaining fantasy. The Hunger Games is a good comparison in my opinion, although I find Rebecca Yarros’s book much more gripping. If you’re looking for a light and entertaining fantasy book, then you’ve come to the right place.