Fourth Wing is a fantasy romance novel set in a war college where students train to become dragon riders. The protagonist, Violet Sorrengail, was supposed to enter the safe Scribe Quadrant but is forced by her commanding general mother to join the deadly Riders Quadrant instead. She's physically fragile (she has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, though it's not named in the book) and considered weak by her peers, but she's whip-smart and determined to survive.

The book combines high-stakes fantasy world-building with an enemies-to-lovers romance between Violet and Xaden Riorson, a brooding, powerful rider with a mysterious past. Think Hogwarts meets dragon warfare meets explicit romance novel.

It went absolutely nuclear on BookTok in 2023 and has sold millions of copies. Your teen has probably seen the aesthetic edits, the fan art, and their friends carrying around the paperback with the dragon on the cover.

It's everywhere. Fourth Wing dominated BookTok, BookTube, and Bookstagram throughout 2023-2024. When a book reaches this level of cultural saturation among teens, the FOMO is real.

Dragons are cool. The fantasy elements are genuinely compelling — the dragon bonding system, the magic, the political intrigue. Teens who loved Harry Potter or Percy Jackson are drawn to the magical school setting.

The romance is intense. The central relationship between Violet and Xaden hits all the popular tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, he's-mean-to-everyone-but-her, morally gray love interest. For teens exploring romantic narratives, this is catnip.

Strong female protagonist. Violet is physically vulnerable but mentally tough. She uses strategy and intelligence to survive in a world that values brute strength. Many readers connect with her as an underdog.

Let's be specific about what's actually in this book, because "spice level" can mean different things to different people.

This is the big one. Fourth Wing contains multiple explicit sex scenes with detailed descriptions. We're not talking fade-to-black or "they kissed and then the chapter ended." These scenes include:

The sexual content doesn't start until about halfway through the book, but once it begins, there are several scenes. If you wouldn't want your teen reading a Cosmo article about sex in detail, they're not ready for Fourth Wing's spice level.

The violence is frequent and graphic:

The entire premise is that students are in a kill-or-be-killed environment. Death is a constant threat and the book doesn't shy away from showing it.

Strong language throughout, including f-bombs and other profanity. This is probably the least concerning element for most parents, but worth noting.

Ages 18+: This is the appropriate age range. The sexual content is explicit enough that this is genuinely adult fiction, not YA.

Ages 16-17: This is the gray zone where you need to know your teen. Some 17-year-olds are mature enough to handle explicit content and can contextualize what they're reading. Others aren't there yet. Consider:

Ages 15 and under: Too young. The sexual content is too explicit, and the emotional maturity needed to process the violence and complex relationship dynamics isn't typically there yet.

Your teen might argue that it's "just like" The Hunger Games or Divergent — both have violence and teens in dangerous situations. Here's the key difference:

The Hunger Games is violent but doesn't include sexual content beyond kissing. It's written for a teen audience with teen emotional development in mind.

Fourth Wing is written for adults. The romance isn't teen romance — it's adult sexual relationships with explicit descriptions. The emotional landscape assumes adult experience.

The fantasy elements might feel YA, but the romance content is firmly adult fiction.

If you discover your teen is already reading Fourth Wing (or has finished it), don't panic. This is an opportunity for conversation, not punishment.

Talk about it:

Context is everything: Reading explicit content doesn't damage teens, but reading it without context or the ability to process it can be confusing. If they've already read it, help them think critically about what they read.

Assess where they are: If your 16-year-old read it and wants to talk about the plot, the dragons, and the political intrigue — and isn't fixated on or confused by the sexual content — they probably handled it fine. If they seem uncomfortable or are asking questions about whether relationships are "supposed to be like that," they might need more guidance.

If your teen wants dragons, magic schools, and romance but isn't ready for Fourth Wing's content, try these instead:

Eragon by Christopher Paolini — Classic dragon rider fantasy with no sexual content, appropriate for ages 12+

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman — Dragons, political intrigue, and sweet romance without explicit content, ages 13+

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik — Deadly magic school with sarcastic protagonist and slow-burn romance, minimal sexual content, ages 15+

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon — Epic dragon fantasy with LGBTQ+ romance, some sexual content but less explicit, ages 16+

For more options, check out fantasy books for teens or books like Fourth Wing but age appropriate.

Fourth Wing is an adult fantasy romance novel with explicit sexual content and graphic violence. It's not YA fiction that accidentally became popular with teens — it's adult fiction that teens discovered and want to read because it's everywhere on social media.

If your teen is 18+: They're adults. It's their call.

If your teen is 16-17: This is a judgment call based on your teen's maturity, your family values, and your comfort level. If you're unsure, read it yourself first (it's a quick read despite the page count), or read the sex scenes to see what you're dealing with. You can also compromise — "You can read it when you're 17" or "Let's read it together and talk about it."

If your teen is 15 or under: The answer is probably no, but with a clear explanation of why and some good alternatives. "This book has very explicit sexual content that's written for adults. When you're older, you can make that choice, but right now let's find something that has the dragons and magic you're looking for without the adult content."

The reality is that if your teen really wants to read it, they'll probably find a way — borrowed from a friend, digital copy, etc. Your best bet is honest conversation about why you're concerned and what your boundaries are, rather than just saying no without explanation.

Want to explore this more? Learn about age-appropriate fantasy romance or talk through how to handle explicit content with teens.