A review by shellbellbell
Fool's Assassin by Robin Hobb

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was bleak as hell. It feels darker than the previous Fitz trilogies did. Even though terrible things happened in those trilogies, there was still a sense of hope. Fitz still had Nighteyes, the Fool, Verity, Kettricken, other people who were helping him fight the good fight. In this book, we got to watch him be a mediocre husband, gaslighting his wife about her miracle pregnancy when stranger things have literally happened to him, and a worse father, completely ignoring the bright flashing neon signs that his own daughter is skilled, witted, and a White. Yes, I know why he is this way. Hobb has a deep understanding of trauma and how it impacts people. Fitz being bad at relationships and parenting has been thoroughly set up throughout the series, and it is good writing. Still, this particular manifestation of his trauma and how it impacts others was not an enjoyable read for me.

So our hero spends this book failing to live up to the promises he makes to his loved ones, for reasons inside and/or outside of his control, Bee is constantly mistreated by most of the people of Withywoods and becomes a parentified child, the Fool shows up in an extremely disturbing state, the true hero of this book (Revel) dies a sudden death, and Bee is kidnapped. Where is the glimmer of hope? Guess I'll have to keep reading.
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