The beginning of Assistant to the Villain strongly reminded me of the start of ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas). Evie is out in the forest for some reason related to supporting her father and younger sister. They are a low-income family, relying on her for everything. I spent the first third of the book confused and waiting for things to slot together. The Kingdom of Rennedawn and its customs need to be better explained throughout the book.
Book Information
Publisher: Tantor Audio
First Published: Aug 29 2023
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Em Eldridge
Source: Library
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Series: Assistant to the Villain #1
Romantasy, as I understand it, is supposed to be a “soft” fantasy, with less explicit world-building, less clearly defined magic and more focus on the relationships between people. That shouldn’t excuse a book from developing an understandable world with reliable magic. The magic in this world just is. It’s not defined or explained and doesn’t have consumption rules/effects, etc. I found that a little off-putting. I prefer when Romantasy leans towards a more traditional structure.
Assistant to the Villain presents a unique concept, where the Villain operates his realm like a business, showcasing a single-minded focus. The narrative is light and humorous, with snappy dialogue. Despite the Villain’s evil nature, the book doesn’t dwell on his abhorrent acts or his disregard for life. This is not a dark book, but a refreshing take on the Villain’s perspective.
While the world-building and magic system may have left some gaps, the plot of Assistant to the Villain is a rollercoaster of engaging twists and turns. The final reveal had me reeling. Though slow in the first half, the pacing eventually picks up and maintains its momentum.
The book finishes on an absolute cliffhanger, though. I wasn’t expecting it at all and felt like it ended abruptly! I ditched my Audible subscription because I was frustrated at starting a series and only having it be a six- to eight-hour “installment” rather than a complete story arc. I felt I was wasting credits. Much of what I was reading felt bloated and wordy, with lots of repetition and drawing scenes out, and instead of being a three-book series, it should have been one really tight ten to twelve-hour book. While Assistant to the Villain has limited repetition, I was frustrated that it finished on a massive cliffhanger and wasn’t a complete arc. Most fantasy series I’ve read have overarching plots that run through the series, but each book focuses on a subplot. Romantasy, as a genre, tends towards the installment style, with books ending on cliffhangers of different scopes. I’ll keep that in mind with the next Romantasy I try!
As always, of course, I’ll check out book two. I have to know what the cliffhanger is, and it -is- a neat world. This book was solidly mid.