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i_write_on_occasion's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Solid book, however, at times it seemed like it was struggling to find its identity
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, and Violence
Minor: Infidelity
chrisvoble's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Child abuse
nexelle's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
The prose was nice. Found the world-building a bit boring in a way that it's a very box set medieval European fantasy. Nothing much happens except for like last 50 pages, we're just following main characters growing up.
I'm also pretty sure this book fails the Bechdel test (I only started actively looking for examples halfway through but yeah... It's visible it was written a while ago). There are hints at a queer character and a character with nonconfirmed gender.
I'm also pretty sure this book fails the Bechdel test (I only started actively looking for examples halfway through but yeah... It's visible it was written a while ago). There are hints at a queer character and a character with nonconfirmed gender.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Kidnapping
poison_frogs's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Vomit, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death of parent
ellenravioli's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Emotional abuse
dezzella's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I think I was overhyped for this book. I saw so many people who love it and. for them after reading it, it became one of their favourite series. So I was excited going in. It's a slow paced book, not too much happens until the very very end. I found it a bit drawn out/slow.
I did think it was interesting this is epic fantasy with first person perspective. Also the magic elements were interesting. There was some things that happened (and fair warning to those out there, there is pet death in this book), but the years of training and the main character just kinda felt like he was just watching things happen and didn't really do a lot himself. I know part of that is because he was a child for a portion, and perhaps he gets better in the future, but over all very underwhelmed. I'll still give future books a chance (I read this because people said to read this trilogy before the ship of magic book which was first to catch my eye by this author) so I guess we'll see if it gets better from here. I certainly hope that Fritz gets better going forward.
I did think it was interesting this is epic fantasy with first person perspective. Also the magic elements were interesting. There was some things that happened (and fair warning to those out there, there is pet death in this book), but the years of training and the main character just kinda felt like he was just watching things happen and didn't really do a lot himself. I know part of that is because he was a child for a portion, and perhaps he gets better in the future, but over all very underwhelmed. I'll still give future books a chance (I read this because people said to read this trilogy before the ship of magic book which was first to catch my eye by this author) so I guess we'll see if it gets better from here. I certainly hope that Fritz gets better going forward.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
moonlitreading_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“So, was there anything to me, other than being a spy or assassin?”
The one thing I regret about reading Assassin’s Apprentice is that I didn’t start it earlier!!!! This book is slow paced, but Robin Hobb writes so well that I didn’t mind it. This book gives off an autobiographical feel and it’s more character-driven than plot-driven.
Speaking of characters, there were a lot that I liked. Even though everything is told from Fitz’s POV, the other characters still managed to stand out. Apart from Fitz, my favorite character is The Fool. I don’t know, I just feel like I want to be friends with him.
It was interesting to see Fitz’s character developing from when he was six until his mid(?) teens. But it’s crazy to think that everything that happened in this book was before Fitz became an adult. FitzChivalry Farseer you poor traumatized child.
The one thing I regret about reading Assassin’s Apprentice is that I didn’t start it earlier!!!! This book is slow paced, but Robin Hobb writes so well that I didn’t mind it. This book gives off an autobiographical feel and it’s more character-driven than plot-driven.
Speaking of characters, there were a lot that I liked. Even though everything is told from Fitz’s POV, the other characters still managed to stand out. Apart from Fitz, my favorite character is The Fool. I don’t know, I just feel like I want to be friends with him.
It was interesting to see Fitz’s character developing from when he was six until his mid(?) teens. But it’s crazy to think that everything that happened in this book was before Fitz became an adult. FitzChivalry Farseer you poor traumatized child.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Violence, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death of parent
jo_lzr's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really liked the prose of the book. I sympathized a lot with Fitz. There is, also, a strong focus on Fitz's mental health. Even though descriptions were a bit exhaustive at times, Robin Hobb's talent in story crafting made up for it.
I think that the fog that Galen put in the mind of Fitz so that he would forget about his ability to Skill, which caused him to hate himself so much that he wanted to commit suicide is an interesting metaphor for real life. I don't know if that was something the author did on purpose, but it is interesting to think that in real life the perspective of oneself can become fogged through abuse and gaslighting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
roxy_reads_romance's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Animal death, Death, and Emotional abuse
josiah17's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I'm very pleased by how good this book was. I was fairly apprehensive about jumping into the Realm of The Elderlings due to Robin Hobb's notoriously slow pacing and character driven stories. But I think I'll be okay because not only did I survive this book, I really enjoyed it.
Hobb's prose is maybe the best I've read. It stands out as incredibly lyrical and fluid. I felt I could already visualize the entire world after just one chapter of vivid imagery.
Going back to being apprehensive, I say that because I believe myself to be a character-first reader. But I've also come to know that pacing does seem to affect my reading enjoyment, as well as the presence of a good overarching plot. Thankfully the plot is interesting enough in this first book, and the pacing is slow but stable in a good way. These things are all thanks to how phenomenal the character work and narration is from Fitz. You instantly want to root for this cast-out, and he offers a great perspective to view the world from. Many of the dynamics between him and other characters are also very well written.
I don't really have anything negative to say about this book. I suppose the end could've felt a little less rushed, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this. I will say I'm still a bit nervous to continue reading this series because this book is short and they only become longer as the series progresses, meaning the pacing may be more of an issue for me. But I already plan to at the very least read through the Liveship Traders trilogy. We'll see how things go.
Hobb's prose is maybe the best I've read. It stands out as incredibly lyrical and fluid. I felt I could already visualize the entire world after just one chapter of vivid imagery.
Going back to being apprehensive, I say that because I believe myself to be a character-first reader. But I've also come to know that pacing does seem to affect my reading enjoyment, as well as the presence of a good overarching plot. Thankfully the plot is interesting enough in this first book, and the pacing is slow but stable in a good way. These things are all thanks to how phenomenal the character work and narration is from Fitz. You instantly want to root for this cast-out, and he offers a great perspective to view the world from. Many of the dynamics between him and other characters are also very well written.
I don't really have anything negative to say about this book. I suppose the end could've felt a little less rushed, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this. I will say I'm still a bit nervous to continue reading this series because this book is short and they only become longer as the series progresses, meaning the pacing may be more of an issue for me. But I already plan to at the very least read through the Liveship Traders trilogy. We'll see how things go.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Animal death
Moderate: Violence and Suicidal thoughts