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A review by savage_book_review
Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Villain has been captured by the Valiant Guard and awaits his unmasking. But his assistant has other ideas. She's about to score a big promotion... and her own Wanted poster.
I've been looking forward to reading this since the moment I finished 'Assistant to the Villain' earlier in the year, and I was not disappointed. The writing has the same comedic joy pouring from every page, while at the same time managing to be heartfelt, action-packed, faintly ridiculous and with a frustratingly good slow burn. There are moments where it does feel like the author's attention has wandered slightly, or where the flow of the writing is a bit lost, but generally it's a fun, lighthearted read that leaves you desperate for the concluding instalment!
The relationship between Evie and The Villain is brilliant pitched; their relentless banter and flirting makes you giggle like a schoolgirl, and the UST makes you want to bang their heads together (or take a leaf out of Lyssa's book and lock them in a cupboard for a few hours)... Equally, the character development of each individual is fab too. We haven't had the full 'Sandra Dee to smoking, leather trouser wearing Sandy' transformation yet, but there are flashes of attitude from Evie that really make you think it's on its way. And I cannot wait to see The Villain's jaw hit the floor when it does.
I will say that I was a little disappointed by the secondary characters in this one. The majority carry over from 'Assistant' so it's not like they are unfamiliar, but to me they felt like they were just there to populate the world in this one, rather than with any truly meaningful role in mind. It really is all about the Villain and his apprentice. Likewise, some elements of the plot aren't quite as developed as they could be, as they seem to have been designed almost exclusively to get Evie and The Villain in close proximity, rather than dealing with the overarching plot of the series.
I'd recommend rereading 'Assistant' before you pikc this one up. I only read it a few months ago, but enough of the detail had slipped my mind to leave gaps where some context might be useful.
And now another year's wait commences... *sighs*
I've been looking forward to reading this since the moment I finished 'Assistant to the Villain' earlier in the year, and I was not disappointed. The writing has the same comedic joy pouring from every page, while at the same time managing to be heartfelt, action-packed, faintly ridiculous and with a frustratingly good slow burn. There are moments where it does feel like the author's attention has wandered slightly, or where the flow of the writing is a bit lost, but generally it's a fun, lighthearted read that leaves you desperate for the concluding instalment!
The relationship between Evie and The Villain is brilliant pitched; their relentless banter and flirting makes you giggle like a schoolgirl, and the UST makes you want to bang their heads together (or take a leaf out of Lyssa's book and lock them in a cupboard for a few hours)... Equally, the character development of each individual is fab too. We haven't had the full 'Sandra Dee to smoking, leather trouser wearing Sandy' transformation yet, but there are flashes of attitude from Evie that really make you think it's on its way. And I cannot wait to see The Villain's jaw hit the floor when it does.
I will say that I was a little disappointed by the secondary characters in this one. The majority carry over from 'Assistant' so it's not like they are unfamiliar, but to me they felt like they were just there to populate the world in this one, rather than with any truly meaningful role in mind. It really is all about the Villain and his apprentice. Likewise, some elements of the plot aren't quite as developed as they could be, as they seem to have been designed almost exclusively to get Evie and The Villain in close proximity, rather than dealing with the overarching plot of the series.
I'd recommend rereading 'Assistant' before you pikc this one up. I only read it a few months ago, but enough of the detail had slipped my mind to leave gaps where some context might be useful.
And now another year's wait commences... *sighs*
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment