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A review by onthesamepage
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I reread this on audio as a refresher, because I'd like to continue with the Realm of the Elderlings at some point, and it's been over 15 years since I first read this.
People often talk about how nothing happens in books, and how that's a bad thing. And I can agree with that sometimes. But this is a prime example of a book where nothing happened, and I still cared about it anyway. We're seeing Fitz grow slowly from a young boy into a teenager. Most of this consists of training montages, or Fitz performing tasks for someone. But I can't help but be invested in him as a character. The magic system continues to be intriguing, and I loved Fitz's bonds with animals.
The last 20% or so progresses a lot faster than the first part, and I may need to reread the very last part physically to make sure I remember what happened (audiobooks do make me zone out every once in a while).
People often talk about how nothing happens in books, and how that's a bad thing. And I can agree with that sometimes. But this is a prime example of a book where nothing happened, and I still cared about it anyway. We're seeing Fitz grow slowly from a young boy into a teenager. Most of this consists of training montages, or Fitz performing tasks for someone. But I can't help but be invested in him as a character. The magic system continues to be intriguing, and I loved Fitz's bonds with animals.
The last 20% or so progresses a lot faster than the first part, and I may need to reread the very last part physically to make sure I remember what happened (audiobooks do make me zone out every once in a while).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Ableism and Animal death