Iron Flame

OK so we read [b:Fourth Wing 61431922 Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1) Rebecca Yarros https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1701980900l/61431922.SY75.jpg 96945623] for Worst Bestsellers and I bravely spoke my truth that although it was kind of clunky and had bonkers worldbuilding, it was also kinda fun! I might even read the second one, I said!! And then I heard rumors that the 2nd one was so bad fans thought it was written by AI and I was like, well now my curiosity simply COMPELS me to check this one out!! And honestly I really don't get the negative hype–like to me this was approximately as weird and clunky as the first one. A bit longer I guess, DEFO could have used an editor to cut it down–but so could the first one! Nothing about it jumped out to me as obviously AI–no literary equivalent of a 6th finger on a hand or anything.Also I thought some of the reveals were pretty surprising and interesting! The mom's motivations were more complex than I imagined! Dain's change of allegiance! Etc!IDK! I thought this was fine!