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A review by orionmerlin
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
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
2.5
Characters: 5/10
When I picked up Assistant to the Villain, I hoped for characters who would leap off the page with complexity and charm. Unfortunately, they felt shallow and one-dimensional. Evie, the protagonist, is likable enough, but her clumsiness and endearing demeanor dominate her personality, leaving little room for nuance. The villain, who had the potential to be a fascinating and layered antagonist, often came across as a caricature instead of someone truly compelling. Their dynamic, while occasionally entertaining, lacked emotional depth, making it difficult to fully invest in their relationship.
When I picked up Assistant to the Villain, I hoped for characters who would leap off the page with complexity and charm. Unfortunately, they felt shallow and one-dimensional. Evie, the protagonist, is likable enough, but her clumsiness and endearing demeanor dominate her personality, leaving little room for nuance. The villain, who had the potential to be a fascinating and layered antagonist, often came across as a caricature instead of someone truly compelling. Their dynamic, while occasionally entertaining, lacked emotional depth, making it difficult to fully invest in their relationship.
Atmosphere/Setting: 4/10
For a fantasy novel, the world-building left much to be desired. The setting felt generic and vaguely sketched, with minimal effort to establish its rules or unique qualities. This lack of depth kept me from feeling immersed in the story's magical realm. I wanted a vivid and enchanting backdrop, but instead, the atmosphere felt like an afterthought, failing to enhance the story’s tone or mood effectively.
For a fantasy novel, the world-building left much to be desired. The setting felt generic and vaguely sketched, with minimal effort to establish its rules or unique qualities. This lack of depth kept me from feeling immersed in the story's magical realm. I wanted a vivid and enchanting backdrop, but instead, the atmosphere felt like an afterthought, failing to enhance the story’s tone or mood effectively.
Writing Style: 6/10
The writing style is lighthearted and witty, which initially charmed me. However, the relentless focus on humor became repetitive over time, undermining opportunities for deeper character exploration or more serious moments. While the prose is easy to follow, the balance between dialogue and narration skewed heavily toward banter, which often bogged down the pacing. While I can see the potential in Maehrer’s voice, the execution in this novel left me unsure if I’d seek out her future works without a shift in tone.
The writing style is lighthearted and witty, which initially charmed me. However, the relentless focus on humor became repetitive over time, undermining opportunities for deeper character exploration or more serious moments. While the prose is easy to follow, the balance between dialogue and narration skewed heavily toward banter, which often bogged down the pacing. While I can see the potential in Maehrer’s voice, the execution in this novel left me unsure if I’d seek out her future works without a shift in tone.
Plot: 4/10
The plot suffers from pacing issues, particularly in the opening chapters, which felt bogged down by excessive banter and a lack of meaningful progression. Even as the story unfolded, the twists were predictable and heavy-handed, diminishing the stakes and making the narrative feel formulaic. By the time the plot picked up, my interest had waned, and even the climactic moments lacked excitement or emotional resonance.
The plot suffers from pacing issues, particularly in the opening chapters, which felt bogged down by excessive banter and a lack of meaningful progression. Even as the story unfolded, the twists were predictable and heavy-handed, diminishing the stakes and making the narrative feel formulaic. By the time the plot picked up, my interest had waned, and even the climactic moments lacked excitement or emotional resonance.
Intrigue: 5/10
While the premise initially intrigued me, the execution didn’t hold my attention. The humor, which started as a strong point, quickly wore thin, and the predictable plot twists made it difficult to stay invested. There were moments where I wanted to see where the story would go, but these were overshadowed by lapses in engagement caused by shallow characters and a lack of narrative depth.
While the premise initially intrigued me, the execution didn’t hold my attention. The humor, which started as a strong point, quickly wore thin, and the predictable plot twists made it difficult to stay invested. There were moments where I wanted to see where the story would go, but these were overshadowed by lapses in engagement caused by shallow characters and a lack of narrative depth.
Logic/Relationships: 5/10
The relationships in the story lacked complexity and felt surface-level, particularly between Evie and the villain. Their interactions, while occasionally humorous, didn’t feel authentic or emotionally compelling. The world-building also suffered from inconsistencies and a lack of clarity. For a fantasy novel, this was disappointing, as the rules and setting should have been integral to the story but instead felt underdeveloped.
The relationships in the story lacked complexity and felt surface-level, particularly between Evie and the villain. Their interactions, while occasionally humorous, didn’t feel authentic or emotionally compelling. The world-building also suffered from inconsistencies and a lack of clarity. For a fantasy novel, this was disappointing, as the rules and setting should have been integral to the story but instead felt underdeveloped.
Enjoyment: 5/10
While I appreciate the effort to create a quirky, lighthearted fantasy, the execution left me unsatisfied. The charm of the premise couldn’t compensate for the lack of depth in characters, world-building, and plot. I found myself wishing for a more immersive and gripping read, and by the end, I was ready to move on. I wouldn’t personally recommend this book, though I can see its appeal for those seeking an entirely humor-driven, light read.
While I appreciate the effort to create a quirky, lighthearted fantasy, the execution left me unsatisfied. The charm of the premise couldn’t compensate for the lack of depth in characters, world-building, and plot. I found myself wishing for a more immersive and gripping read, and by the end, I was ready to move on. I wouldn’t personally recommend this book, though I can see its appeal for those seeking an entirely humor-driven, light read.