The Butterfly Assassin

"It's my trauma. You don't get to tell me how to deal with it."

The Butterfly Assassin is a book about pain and trauma set in a city run by assassin guilds (no, not like the game). We follow Isabel as she tries to scape the darkness, which seems to insist on continuing to follow her. I can't actually remember where I first came across this book but I remember thinking it sounded interesting and was very happy when my library got a copy. I was a little disappointed by the first chapter or two but I quickly got invested in the characters and plot. It is a bit of a weird mix of being quite YA at times (not meant as a bad thing -neither more typical YA style writing nor the writing found in books intended for an older audience is better than show more the other) and simultaneously rather grim and gritty. There were some points where the story was a bit predictable or formulaic, but overall, I loved what the author did with the characters and the fact that Isabel wasn't magically "cured" of all her struggles and problems by the end. The book explores a lot of dark themes (some of which are based on the author's own experiences - although they aren't an assassin as far as I know) and may may contain content that is difficult for some to read (I would definitely recommend taking a look at content warnings if you need them.

Isabel is definitely a complex character. At times it feels like she isn't actually sure of who she is - understandable given her incredibly traumatic past. I am interested to see what direction the author takes her in in the next book. Especially if she isn't sick for half the book and can actually work on herself and find out what she wants. She is also aroace. Although this is only brought up in the authors' note (in which they mention she is asexual and uninterested in romance like they are), knowing that makes me happy. I hope this is explores on page a bit more in the next book though. I do absolutely love that it never feels like she is missing anything because of her orientation though as strong friendships can be just as fulfilling as relationships. I must say that I really enjoyed the lack of romance in this book as so many stories present it as this crucial component of life and magic solution to all your problems, even when in the depths of an intense and life-threatening scenario. It was so nice to read about how other kinds of people can have just as much of an impact on your life.

If you are interested in a dark YA story where everything isn't all neatly tied up at the end I can definitely recommend this one to you (although do check the content warnings first if you need them). I will definitely be picking up the sequel as I am very interested to learn more about Isabella and the world she lives in. show less

This dark and gritty futuristic YA novel had an intriguing premise with a slow build up but not enough explanation of the world this story takes place in. ACE/ARO assassin, Isobel, has escaped her abusive parents and the murderous guild that has turned her into a lethal weapon. She craves a normal life but her bloody past just won't let her go. When she makes a fateful error she is thrust into a new battle for survival against a deadly enemy. It might have been mentioned in the story and I missed it, but I only know Isobel was ACE/ARO from the own-voice author's notes at the end which, by the way, were well worth the read as it gave me some more context for the story. I'd recommend reading them beforehand. From memory there are no show more spoilers. A darkly violent but entertaining YA thriller.

CW: Abuse, PTSD, violence show less