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A review by doogsley
Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
adventurous
challenging
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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
3.5
a solid 3.5⭐️, especially when compared to the first book (which was a subjective 3⭐️ in hindsight).
omg the yearning. it’s just so cute lmao. evie is giving tohru honda if she had snark and (blood)lust. the villain is so hopeless and desirous for her. all of her. the slow burn is BURNING and i just love it. it’s ao3 in the best ways.
this would’ve landed a higher rating if the last 25% didn’t feel so scattered and formless. it def lost the giddy lil flow that had me giggling and kicking my feet throughout the beginning/middle. it can’t decide whether it wants to be high stakes or not haha. i don’t really mind, ultimately, cuz the story is delightful n trope-y, so it stays in a safe “it’s clearly a passion project” status. but i def felt dragged around rather than immersed during those last few beats.
despite the meh pacing near the end, maehrer really leveled up her storytelling prowess in this one. there’s lots of fantasy whimsy to enjoy as we start to venture out of the manor and into the big, open world that’s slowly being layered. the atmosphere was bubbly and fun, if not a little scattered hehe.
what can i say? i had fun!! excited for the next book!! and the fact that this is no longer a trilogy omg. can they truly keep their hands off of each other for that long 😭❓
OH ALSO. this book genuinely had me laughing omg. this had waaay superior humor than book 1. i mean… it’s still silly af, characters choking back laughs behind their hands type nonsense lol. but at least it didn’t have an exorbitant amount of quippy “that’s gotta hurt!” type humor. except for kingsley, who gets a pass, because he’s a frog.
omg the yearning. it’s just so cute lmao. evie is giving tohru honda if she had snark and (blood)lust. the villain is so hopeless and desirous for her. all of her. the slow burn is BURNING and i just love it. it’s ao3 in the best ways.
this would’ve landed a higher rating if the last 25% didn’t feel so scattered and formless. it def lost the giddy lil flow that had me giggling and kicking my feet throughout the beginning/middle. it can’t decide whether it wants to be high stakes or not haha. i don’t really mind, ultimately, cuz the story is delightful n trope-y, so it stays in a safe “it’s clearly a passion project” status. but i def felt dragged around rather than immersed during those last few beats.
despite the meh pacing near the end, maehrer really leveled up her storytelling prowess in this one. there’s lots of fantasy whimsy to enjoy as we start to venture out of the manor and into the big, open world that’s slowly being layered. the atmosphere was bubbly and fun, if not a little scattered hehe.
what can i say? i had fun!! excited for the next book!! and the fact that this is no longer a trilogy omg. can they truly keep their hands off of each other for that long 😭❓
OH ALSO. this book genuinely had me laughing omg. this had waaay superior humor than book 1. i mean… it’s still silly af, characters choking back laughs behind their hands type nonsense lol. but at least it didn’t have an exorbitant amount of quippy “that’s gotta hurt!” type humor. except for kingsley, who gets a pass, because he’s a frog.