I don't know how to explain exactly why, but I wanted to hate this book. Maybe it was the clash of anachronism and high fantasy setting; maybe it was the thin border between YA and new adult; maybe it was what I saw as extreme predictability. While all these things remain true throughout Fourth Wing, it achieved something else entirely: it managed to surprise me not just once, but several times. I'm also not usually that into dragons, but I loved this world. This book fulfilled every stupid trope I've ever loved, and so unfortunately for me, I could not muster any hate.