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A review by lackyducks
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A fun story, filled with humour and memorable characters — as long as you don't look too much deeper.
The set up for the story established the tone well. A bit on the sillier side, whilst still making the stakes clear. As the story develops, the intrigue grows and creates a compelling mystery plot.
The reoccurring characters were all memorable in their own ways, and it was a delight when they were around. Each one was distinct and I enjoyed watching the relationships develop. The relationship between the main character and the villain felt a bit rushed/forced, but this is a common complaint I have with this kind of story. I think I'm just picky about my romances and prefer more of a slow burn.
Unfortunately, I found the story fell a little at the final hurdle. The twist didn't feel executed well — maybe I missed hints but it came out of nowhere for me. I happily looked past it as the confrontation was very rewarding. But then I was hit with the very final scene, and felt a bit cheated.
The final scene of the book didn't make sense. It only existed to set up the next book in the series, and I dislike that. It felt like the ending the characters fought for was pulled out from beneath them, and it felt like that for me as well. Plus, the confusion around it. How was the king there? It hadn't been that long since her confrontation, so how was he already there and knew where they'd be going? I hated the entire thing, and personally choose to leave the story with them both heading back to the manor and pretending those final pages don't exist.
The set up for the story established the tone well. A bit on the sillier side, whilst still making the stakes clear. As the story develops, the intrigue grows and creates a compelling mystery plot.
The reoccurring characters were all memorable in their own ways, and it was a delight when they were around. Each one was distinct and I enjoyed watching the relationships develop. The relationship between the main character and the villain felt a bit rushed/forced, but this is a common complaint I have with this kind of story. I think I'm just picky about my romances and prefer more of a slow burn.
Unfortunately, I found the story fell a little at the final hurdle. The twist didn't feel executed well — maybe I missed hints but it came out of nowhere for me. I happily looked past it as the confrontation was very rewarding. But then I was hit with the very final scene, and felt a bit cheated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail