The Assistant
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ☆ ☆
The Assistant by S. K. Tremayne
Enjoyable, but massively flawed. ⭕
The Assistant starts with an intriguing premise, tapping into modern anxieties about AI assistants and the unsettling idea that big tech is always listening. It’s a timely concept, and one with plenty of potential. Unfortunately, while the setup is strong, the execution quickly falters, dragged down by clunky characterization and a bloated narrative.
The novel feels much longer than it needs to be, and its biggest stumbling block is the protagonist, Jo. Her behavior often defies logic, making her come across more as a victim of her own obliviousness than a character caught in a psychological thriller. As the story progresses, her constant internal rambling becomes increasingly frustrating and repetitive, as her meandering thoughts rarely add insight or momentum. What begins as compelling gradually devolves into a tedious monologue that loses its sense of direction.
By the time the ending arrives, it's not only underwhelming, it’s painfully generic, even by non-thriller standards. The novel all but discards its AI-centered premise in favor of a more conventional, action-driven conclusion. For a story rooted in psychological suspense, this shift feels like a missed opportunity. Personally, I find these kinds of thrillers more powerful when they embrace a darker, more ambiguous ending, rather than defaulting to the safe resolution where the hero survives and justice is served.
It’s ironic: for a book packed with supposed twists and turns, it ends exactly how you’d expect.
