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"Conscription Day is always the deadliest. Maybe that's why the sunrise is especially beautiful this morning -- because I know it might be my last." (Pg. 1) Right off the bat we are given this line. Now, we have questions about the story like; "what is conscription day? Why is it the deadliest?", and questions like these pull us into the story

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"She's everything I'm not, and the disapproving shake of Mom's head says she agrees. I'm too short. Too frail. What curves I do have should be muscle, and my traitorous body makes me embarrassingly vulnerable." (Pg.3)

This is where we're first introduced to violet's main issue and big part of her as a character: her feeling like she's not as good as her sister, brother and mom.

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"He's the most exquisite man I've ever seen." (Pg. 18) this small quote in the beginning marks the start of the romance between Violet and Xaden. A big part of the draw to this book is the romance between these characters, so this is where we begin to see that take start.

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"I will not die today." Pg.21

This quote doesn't explain much, but in the very beginning, Violet is tasked with surviving the "parapet" and getting across to the school for riders. This creates a high-stakes environment right off the bat. If she fails, she dies.

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"Your mother captured my father and oversaw his execution." (Pg. 19) This is a super super important piece of plot that we get here. It sets up the entire relationship between Xaden and Violet, and it's the reason for their hatred of one another. This also can contribute to a little bit of world-building in the end.

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"Xaden watches me with a cold, calculating look that feels like he's plotting my death from where he stands as the wingleader for Fourth Wing." (Pg. 41). This part of the book adds to the stakes Violet is under. She now has to survive, while also being under her family's enemy.

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"I can't expect him to be my Dain here, not under these circumstances." (Pg. 41)

Although previously established, I just want to take a moment to acknowledge how the relationship with Violet and Dain adds to the Hook. Now, any reader can see that Violet and Dain are almost set up to be in a relationship, and we want to see where that is going to go. Is she going to chose Dain, or is she going to chose someone who's less of a safe option?

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"There are signets that make a rider extraordinary. My mother can wield the power of storms. Melgren can see the outcome of battles." (Pg. 51)

This is where we learn an important piece of information: a dragon can give a person powers. This then asks the question: "what power will violet have? Will she even have a power?"

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"I was supposed to be his star pupil in the Scribe Quadrant, his crowning achievement before he retires. How absolutely ironis that I'm, now the least likely to succeed in this one." (pg. 57)

Here we see a little bit of what Violet thought her life was going to be like before she was thrown into the Riders Quadrant. This can tell us a lot about her and her relationship with the Scribes.

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"Something in her tone tells me it's not just third-years who might be called into service this year, and a chill settles in my bones." (Pg. 62) This adds to violets stakes. Now she also has the fear of being put onto the front lines. She's survived up to this point, but is there a pushing point? Will she survive long enough to even get to the front lines?

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"All [dragons] are deadly." (pg. 43)

Perhaps this is not a very good part of the hook, but I think this is where I got really intrigued by the Dragons. I found myself wanting to know why they were so deadly, and why they seemed so against humans when they were actively working with them.

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"A dragon without its rider is a tragedy. A rider without their dragon is dead." (Pg. 43) This, I feel like is an important piece of plot. It tells us that dragons and humans become dependant on each other when they bond, which I'm assuming will be important for later.

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"Not her daughter. Punishing children for the sins of their parents is the Navarrian way, not the Tyrrish." (Pg. 83)

In this scene, we see who Xaden actually is. Up until that point we were led to believe that he is cold and uncaring. But in this scene he answers a bunch of First-years questions, and we get to see a different side of him then what's at first glance.

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"The powder is nearly white, nearly invisible as I take my place in the serving line an hour later, and completely undetectable as I sprinkle is over Oren Seifert's scrambled eggs." (pg.92) I think this part is funny as much as it is serious. This part shows us that violet is smart enough to figure out how to take out her enemies before the fights without killing them. She knows how to get past a fight without actually fighting, and I think it shows how much knowledge she learned during her days in Scribe training.

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"Dain Aetos! Are you asking me about my sex life?" (pg. 91) This part shows us that Dain and Violet are pretty close, close enough to ask each other questions like this. But I also think that Dain is secretly in love with Violet.

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"I'm not going to let anything happen to you." (pg. 50) This scene just feels very like, protective and "intimate" I guess. It really seems at this point that Dain loves her, but wants to protect her as well and thinks he can just do both.

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"I can barely count the number of people in this quadrant who want you dead, either as revenge against your mother or because you're just really good at pissing people off, but you're still here, defying the odds." (Pg. 131)

Although this isn't new information, it's nice for it to be reinforced through a bit of dialouge. It also shows that everyone else around violet knows how much she's hated, how many things are around her

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"But then I bonded Cath, and I realized that dragons would do anything to protect the Vale and their sacred hatching grounds." (Pg. 111)

This brings up a lot of questions, such as, why do they need to protect the grounds. What could kill their baby dragons?

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"Our eyes meet, shock and terror filling her wide black eyes as the post rolls her away from me and she falls. Halfway down the cliff." (Pg. 125)

Although I think this could also count as "stakes" it shows Violet's characterization. Violet is always around death, but instead of taking her it takes the people around her.

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"What makes you a rider is what you do after people die." (Pg. 131)

This piece of dialogue is from Xaden himself, and I think it is an important piece of what he thinks. This is important also because his parents are dead, and it shows how he's able to deal with the grief and the sorrow.

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"...when I accidentally make eye contact with one of the oranged. Breath Normally. Swallow the Fear. Fear and Weakness will get me killed." (Pg. 146)

Now, on top of all the other stakes she has, violet is entering the threshing, where she could become a human candlestick if a dragon decides she is too weak or too rude.

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"Nausea swirls in my stomach, and my fingernails bite into my palms. They're going to try and kill the little golden one." (Pg. 159)

This is an interesting piece of information/thought because we realize that violet is going to try and save the little dragon. This could result in her being bonded to the little golden one, but at this point in the story we're not sure yet.

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"Tairneanach." .... "And Andarnaurram." (Pg. 178)

This is the moment that Violet tells the roll keeper that she has two dragons, and is possibly one of the most pivotal moments in the entire book. This changes the idea of what a dragon rider can do. Having one dragon is normal, have two dragons is completely unheard of.

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"I belong to Tairn and Andarna...and, in some really fucked up way... Xaden." (Pg. 191)

Ok so what has happened, is Tairn (the dragon), his mate is Xaden dragon, meaning that Xaden and Violet are now dependent on each other. This is an interesting piece of information because it changes the game of the book, now that Xaden and Violet are basically tied to each other for life.

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"...would you have, let's say, bent the rules to save your precious little violet on the field?" (pg. 187)

This is another moment between Dain and Violet, but Xaden is questioning their relationship. Dain loves violet but he wouldn't go out of his way to save her, and this is when Violet realizes she can't love him because he'll hold her back.

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"I'm tethered to Xaden Riorson." (Pg. 188)

As someone who's read a lot of fantasy books, this is the point where I knew for sure that Xaden and Violet were going to get together in the end. The story is set up from here on out for them to be together, and I think this moment is one of the main things that makes Violet realize.

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"Ill never get over how quickly people move on around here, how callously death is swept under a rug and trampled on minutes late." (Pg. 284)

Like so many other moments in the book, this part highlights the fact that Violet hates death, but is surrounded by it constantly. Maybe, she begins to become more desensitized to it later and that becomes a piece of characterization.

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"You're all worried about the integrity of the wind because Riorson might have to visit to keep his dragon happy but, Violet, he's not the most powerful rider of our generation. You are." (Pg. 289)

I think this is a really interesting piece of information. Throughout the entire book, we think that Violet is the weakest because everyone just assumes she is. She has weak bones, and so everyone just wrote her off until she bonded with one of the most powerful dragons.

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"My father taught me that--" His voice dies abruptly, and his gaze falls away, every muscle in his body locking as though he's prepared for an attack. My heart aches at the look that crosses his face, recognizing it well. Grief." (Pg. 305)

I think this is a really important piece of characterization because Xaden is shown as a heartless monster, whose family betrayed Navarre. But in this moment we see someone who was a son, who had a father, and who lost him. Someone who is still processing the grief he is going through

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"I think there's way more going on along the borders than what we're told," I admit quietly." (Pg. 329)

I feel like, if anyone were to have theories about what was going on at the borders of the country, it would be violet considering her background in history as well as her mother being the head of their army.

I think this is interesting though because I feel like it's foreshadowing something big.

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I can't find a specific quote to sum up this scene so I'm just going to sum it up in my own words. There is an attack on the base they're at and to save Violet, Xaden wants her to take Tairn and leave and he won't let her stay because he loves her so much.

This is such a sweet moment between the two of them. Throughout the entire book they've been building their relationship from Enemies to Lovers, and we really see this shine through in this moment.

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"Eventually those closest to us to become our enemies in some way, even if it's through well-intentioned love or apathy, or if we live long enough to become their villains." (Pg. 347)

This is an excerpt at the top of the page from the book Brennan wrote for Mira. I think this is really interesting because I feel like it's hinting at something. Was Brennan betrayed by someone close to him? Is that why he died?

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"I refuse to lose him. Not when he's dedicated so many months of his life to keeping me alive. Failing isn't an option. It's just... not." (Pg. 360)

During this scene they are playing war games, and this increases the stakes because it is supposed to simulate real war - meaning that dying is absolutely a possibility.

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"Power crackles above me, swirls around me, wraps along my feet below me. I am the sky and the power of every storm that has ever been. I am infinite."

"Lightning wielder." (Pg. 362)

This is when Violet receives her ability, which is lightning. This is a really important plot point because once again, it shows how she is NOT weak. She is one of the most powerful dragon riders ever to exist, and we see that here vividly.

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"He pauses like he's going to say more, but turns away instead. As he heads back to Sgaeyl, I can't help but note both of the important men are walking away from me right now, in opposite directions, and given the one I've chosen to follow, my life is about to change forever." (Pg. 430)

In this scene, Violet is given the option to either follow Dain or follow Xaden. She chooses to follow Xaden because she trusts him, and feels more attracted to him. This permanently severed her and Dain's relationship, and whatever was going on between them.

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"We might actually be able to survive today. Maybe." (Pg. 468)

During this scene, there was an attack from the griffins on the post that Xaden, Violet, and the others are at. Violet and Xaden are trying their best to survive. This is one of the final stakes in the entire book, and it is one of the most important stakes, as they could die.