Hench

This book flips the superhero story and tells it from the villain's side, but even that is too simple an explanation. Because what it is actually ABOUT is not villains and superheroes, but really how one can find themselves on the slippery slope toward becoming a villain in ways that are actually very real and chillingly relatable. There are times when you completely understand where the protagonist is coming from, even if there is that niggling in the back of your mind that what she's doing is wrong. At times you feel uncomfortable with the fact that she's actually doing to others what she had done to her and yet justifying it because it's carefully crafted and only hurting those SHE deems worthy of hurt because they first hurt her without a second thought - so you know, a villain.
The beginning is filled with smart, funny dialogue and the entertaining premise of Anna, our main character, working as a “Hench” to villains, not because she wants to be a villain, but because she needs work and money to live. Something we all understand. Ever worked a ‘shitty' job because you ‘just needed the money'? Anna is likable and you will definitely follow her emotionally down this rabbit hole from start to finish. What starts as a down on her luck, job-searching young adult story turns into something much different when Anna is injured both physically and mentally due to the negligence of a superhero. While she doesn't initially seek revenge, it morphs into it in subtle and clever ways as the story progresses.
Although I found there were some lulls along the way, for the most part it clips along at a good pace considering there isn't a ton of action, particularly for a superhero/villain story. If you're here for big epic fights and city destroying antics, that's a very small fraction of the story. Walschots' story is much more shrewd and crafty, much more pointed toward character-driven substance.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It has easy language, sharp dialogue and a modern touch, but delves into something deeper, something morally ambiguous as it progresses, making it more than just a quick enjoyable read, and one that sticks with you after, pondering the implications it presents even after the last page is turned over.