Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

9 reviews

ellaraeread's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

neuropoet's review against another edition

adventurous funny 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Trafficking

Minor: Confinement and Torture

Postpartum depression

mandalevelsup's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This has been one of my favorite reads of the year. It is a glorious deconstruction of grumpy/sunshine, office comedy with an absurdist twist that uses its premise to quietly reflect on how we are shaped by trauma. 

This is a book that would benefit from trigger warnings.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Gore and Violence

teawiththefates's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny

• Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.0

I’m not sure I can get on board with quite this level of villainy - like, he’s supposed to be both “I enjoy torturing people” evil but also adorable when he starts to smile around Evie. But he only tortures people who “deserve” it so I guess that’s supposed to make it palatable?? Because he’s secretly a softie. A softie who uses the decapitated rotting heads of his enemies as decor.

I get that the King is the real villain, just like another trusted person in Evie’s life turned out to be a villain (and I assume that will be followed up on more in the second book) but I can’t get on board with the level of behaviour Trystan was willing to stoop to. Like, even if he only tortured the guards who came to try and assassinate him, why have “Scatter Day” and needlessly torment the interns who are on his side?? I think it was supposed to be funny??? I think I identified the most with Clare, and her consistent distaste and disapproval of her brother’s choices. And notably all the torture and really awful bits are off screen so we don’t have to dwell too much on how dark Trystan actually gets.

I want to specify, there were things I did really like: all the side characters, especially Kingsley, are so fun. And I know for some people this was an issue, but I actually really enjoy a vaguely anachronistic fantasy world. I think that’s why I was so disappointed, because I couldn’t just enjoy the book whole heartedly.

I don’t know, I just really don’t think this book was for me. The worst part is, while there are many moments in this book I was disturbed that the reader is apparently supposed to be okay with, the main plot is interesting and I still want to know how the story ends. I may end up  hate-reading the sequel just to satisfy my need to find out, but if I do I won’t bother rating it as I don’t see any reason to penalize the author for my choosing to read a second book I know I’m going to have problems with.

I honestly wish I could have enjoyed this more but as it is I feel very conflicted, hence the 2 stars (a rating I use for books I find too problematic to recommend to others).

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Violence

Moderate: Sexual assault, Torture, Trafficking, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic

empire_of_sun_and_nightmares's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Really enjoyable! 

Didn’t like the threat the father ended up being.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Trafficking

Spoiler the father is a piece of poop. Didn’t like that. But it is a small part at the end.

Otherwise I really enjoyed the book.

busyknitting's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child death, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and Abandonment

lri_reads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Sexual assault, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Torture

evhanson's review against another edition

adventurous funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Murder, and Abandonment

kds247's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny tense medium-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

4.75

The ending went a little fast and some of the conclusions were questionable due to the incredibly fast wrap up, but other than that this book was absolutely perfect. The main protagonist and the villain were both hilarious alongside the side characters and highly relatable. I enjoyed reading this book very much. I will be reading whatever comes out next.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Child death and Torture

Minor: Confinement and Trafficking