The West Wind by Alexandria Warwick, the second installment in The Four Winds series, is a dark and hypnotic romantasy inspired by the Greek myth of Hero and Leander and the Scottish ballad of Tam Lin. What begins as a tale of faith and devotion spirals into a journey of temptation, self-discovery, and deeply buried truths—all wrapped in Warwick’s lyrical prose and an atmosphere both haunting and lush.
Where The North Wind established the tone of this elemental mythos, The West Wind tilts it toward the underworld—literally—delving deeper into the realm of Under and challenging its protagonist’s sense of self, belief, and purpose. With The South Wind now out in 2025 and the awaited The East Wind on the horizon, Warwick continues to layer her elemental world with new mythological textures and spiritual undertones.
Premise: Of Vows and Violations
At the heart of The West Wind is Brielle of Thornbrook—a blacksmith novice raised in a mountain abbey, isolated, devout, and rigidly moral. Her world is ruled by doctrine, steel, and solitude until she stumbles upon a broken man in the forest. This stranger turns out to be Zephyrus, the West Wind and Bringer of Spring, a creature half-god, half-lore, bearing secrets and scars as dangerous as his charm.
Her act of mercy propels her into Under, the mysterious, seductive realm of the fair folk—where the air stinks of rot, the rules are riddled with riddles, and a single misstep could bind a soul for eternity. As Brielle battles demons—internal and literal—she is forced to question the foundations of her belief, her ambition to become an acolyte, and her own worthiness.
Thematic Depth: Faith, Femininity, and Forbidden Knowledge
What distinguishes The West Wind is its intricate thematic interplay. Warwick doesn’t just explore romantic tension or mythological wonder—she interrogates the very systems that shape identity and morality.
Faith vs. Autonomy
Brielle’s devout life is not a backdrop—it is her cage. The reader is steeped in the rituals, decrees, and quiet violence of the abbey, setting the stakes high for her moral and spiritual crisis. Warwick does not shy away from portraying religious dogma as both refuge and restraint. Brielle’s punishment for straying—both physical and emotional—feels gutting and personal. Yet, even as her faith is shaken, it remains a tether she cannot easily sever.
Gendered Power and Institutional Control
The women of Thornbrook live within a paradox: strength forged through obedience, power gained through submission. Through Brielle, Warwick critiques how institutions commodify female virtue while denying women agency. The physical act of forging blades becomes a metaphor for carving identity in a world that refuses to recognize it.
The Seduction of Knowledge
Zephyrus, despite his ethereal swagger and cruel charm, is a cipher—at once the catalyst of change and a representation of chaos. The realm of Under, surreal and decadent, mirrors the alluring dangers of knowing too much, wanting too much. Warwick transforms curiosity into a moral battleground: can seeking truth ever be reconciled with religious obedience?
Writing Style: Gothic Romanticism Meets Mythic Precision
Warwick’s prose is gorgeously immersive, filled with evocative imagery and tactile world-building. Her metaphors—especially when describing the abbey, the forest, and Under—are lush, grounded in scent, sensation, and ritual. Her background in classical myth is evident, but she resists simple homage. Instead, she remixes Hero and Leander, Tam Lin, and even shades of Hades and Persephone into something richer, darker, and defiantly feminist.
The dialogue, while occasionally heavy with exposition, often sparkles with philosophical tension. Zephyrus’ cryptic musings contrast sharply with Brielle’s clipped, doctrine-laced speech—until their voices begin to blur, signaling her slow transformation.
Character Analysis
Brielle: A Heroine of Quiet Revolt
Brielle is among the more layered female protagonists in romantasy today. She is not the standard “chosen one” or “rebellious girl with a sword.” She is dutiful, heavy, flawed. Her internal struggle between belief and instinct makes her journey compelling. Her growth is not a sudden rebellion but a series of bruising reckonings.
Zephyrus: Trickster, Traitor, Tragic
Zephyrus is enigmatic to a fault. His charm teeters on manipulation. His past—shrouded in myth and pain—unravels slowly, often frustratingly. He is not always likable, but he is consistently compelling. Warwick does not romanticize him. She uses him to explore power, vulnerability, and emotional debt.
Harper and Mother Mabel: Female Antagonists Done Right
Harper, Brielle’s rival, is a pitch-perfect antagonist—not evil, but wounded, petty, ambitious. Mother Mabel, meanwhile, is chilling in her piety and poise. Her abuse of power is subtle, terrifying, and deeply institutionalized. These women reflect the very structure Brielle must challenge.
Under: Worldbuilding as Psychological Mirror
Under is not just a fantasy setting—it is a psychological underworld. Every rule in Under subverts the abbey’s teachings. Every creature is a metaphor. The fair folk’s seductions, rituals, and cruelty expose Brielle’s buried fears and desires. The visual motifs—red blossoms, lakes of oil, glowing paths—are cinematic, dreamlike, and consistently foreboding.
Warwick’s depiction of time passing differently in Under echoes ancient folklore while adding narrative tension. One night below can mean a week above. This clever device lends urgency and heartbreak to Brielle’s choices.
Romance: Burn Slow, Burn Bright
The romance in The West Wind is not a whirlwind. It’s a slow ignition of trust, mistrust, longing, and disbelief. Warwick resists the urge to deliver instant chemistry. Instead, Brielle and Zephyrus orbit each other like celestial bodies, unsure of gravity.
The sensual scenes are tender and hesitant, balancing attraction with guilt, curiosity with fear. This tension—not the kisses—makes their dynamic unforgettable.
Critiques: A Beautiful, Sometimes Unbalanced Flame
Though The West Wind is exquisite in its ambition and aesthetic, it occasionally stumbles:
- Pacing Issues: The book’s first third unfolds slowly, steeped in religious routine. While necessary for world-building, some readers may struggle through its meditative rhythm.
- Lack of Answers: Zephyrus’ mythology and the rules of Under are intentionally vague. While this suits the genre’s tone, it can frustrate readers who crave clarity or tighter plotting.
- Harper’s Arc: Though fascinating, Harper’s late-stage shift into grudging respect feels rushed. A bit more emotional evolution could have made her character arc more satisfying.
Final Verdict:
Alexandria Warwick’s The West Wind is a masterful blend of mythic gravity and emotional introspection. It is not simply a tale of gods and mortals—it’s a meditation on belief, gender, power, and desire. Though it wades deep into the shadows of its world, it never loses sight of the spark of human defiance that defines true heroism.
Fans of The North Wind will find this sequel even richer. It pushes harder, goes darker, and asks harder questions. If The South Wind and The East Wind maintain this trajectory, The Four Winds could easily cement its place among the greats of romantasy.
For Fans Of:
- Sarah J. Maas (Crescent City, A Court of Thorns and Roses)
- Scarlett St. Clair (King of Battle and Blood)
- Jennifer L. Armentrout (From Blood and Ash)
- Madeline Miller (Circe, The Song of Achilles) – for its mythic resonance
