Is 'Assassin'S Apprentice' Suitable For Young Adult Readers?

Let’s get real here. Assassin’s Apprentice is not a sparkly vampire YA novel. It’s a beautifully written novel that will deliver emotional gut punches to your teen. Assure your teen readers that there’s so much more to great novels than good entertainment. The prose is simple yet it conveys complex themes that your teen readers will appreciate without you explaining it to them.

The magic systems in this novel are brilliant. The Skill is a sort of psychic warfare that is addictive and perilous. The Wit is another form of magic, which allows Fitz to connect with animals. However, The Wit is also something that is Taboo, and adds to the sense of isolation and loneliness that already afflicts Fitz.

For parents who don’t want their teenager reading such dark material, Fitz is an easily relatable teenager who has often felt ignored or isolated. He’s not given any easy answers or simplistic solutions to problems. This book is one of those rare reads that will leave a lasting impression long after the cover has been closed. It’s best read in conjunction with The Lies of Locke Lamora – also an anti-hero read but with more laughter.

I’ve read Assassin’s Apprentice three times. This book is best for readers of mature emotional age, not of specific age. This story of Fitz, the royal bastard, assassin-in-training is actually a story of great loneliness and the search for identity. The story is told in first person from the viewpoint of Fitz and thus we are plunged into his struggles as he is used by others as a political tool, as he endures pain and as he grapples with the moral implications of his actions.

For the most part, the violence is really intense and not gratuitous. It is very realistic and can be really painful to read, like in the scene where Fitz connects with animals through the Wit and then has to watch them die. The story moves at a steady clip, and it is mostly focused on the politics of the royal court and the main character’s growth. I would say that people who love a good introspective story would really enjoy this, but people who are looking for a fast-paced adventure may get bored.

What resonates with me though is that it is a very realistic story. Fitz doesn’t get everything right, and when he does win he doesn’t get to bask in the glory of it for long. The romantic subplots are basically non-existent in terms of how they are handled in this book, in comparison to many other YA books. I think this book is great for people tired of the ‘chosen one’ plot line and stereotypes in YA. Also, for people who like novels with heroes that aren’t one dimensional and a magic system that isn’t a total breeze to use. However, for people who prefer novels that are generally a bit brighter I would recommend pairing this with something like ‘Six of Crows’.

It’s a tricky book for YA readers. The writing is beautiful but very dark. This is not a ‘feel good’ book. Children are abandoned. Main characters are manipulated by royal politics. There is lots of graphic violence. But, if mature YA readers have enjoyed books such as ‘The Hunger Games’ or ‘The Poppy War’ then they will find ‘Assassin’s Apprentice’ a satisfying and deep read. Although Robin Hobb does tackle psychological trauma in her characters, it is possible that some younger readers may struggle with this. The magic in the book is also not very flashy and is pretty subtle and centered around the emotional bonds between characters. If you’re a teenager looking for a great character-driven story then this book is fantastic, just be aware that it is not for the faint of heart and may be better suited to readers of a slightly older age group.