This is a fun, fast-paced novel that explores the behind-the-scenes of villains, the harm of heroes, and what it means to become more and more entrenched your work. While the main character isn't the most likeable (which seems to be the point), the weird world of super-business that she inhabits is both compelling and hilarious. And, if you don't like June, there are plenty of side characters who you will come to root for (but be warned it will be sad when they aren't June's priority). 

Read this book if you'd like a quick, funny read following the arc of mundane office life to full-on superhero vs. villain action OR enjoy books that follow the evolution (or devolution) of flawed characters.

Rating 4 stars because the ending of the book felt a little rushed. I liked the direction the ending went in, but it felt like it needed more than a handful of pages to unravel and there was one plot-point that felt like it could have been resolved better.

SPOILER REVIEW:

This book isn't about how heroes are the real villains; this book is about how heroes are no better than villains told from the perspective of an up-and-coming villain who can't see that. 

After being severely injured by a hero who is rescuing a child from her villain boss, June goes down a rabbit-hole of calculating the harm that heroes cause. Fueled by her desire for revenge, June eventually finds herself working for a bigtime supervillain and starts plotting the demise of several heroes in the city. The more June becomes immersed in her work, the more obsessive and villainous she becomes. As the book progresses, June becomes more aligned with her cool villain boss and more alienated from her everyday friends and coworkers. 

What starts as devious but relatively harmless efforts to bring down the heroes spirals to darker plans as June takes this journey. At first, you cheer June on as she and her team plot against the heroes. However, there comes a point where you, along with some of the side characters, go "oh shit - things just got real". This moment marks a turning point for June's path. 

I've seen many people in reviews and on reddit complain about June being unlikeable, having a lack of self-awareness, and being weirdly obsessed with her boss but I think that's the point. We follow June as she realizes the very real problem with heroes but, in her efforts to achieve justice, is seduced by revenge and becomes no better than the people she hates. Her lack of self-awareness and unlikability are key points to the story and the weird obsession and growing relationship with her boss parallels June's descent (or ascent?) into villainy. 

Towards the end of the book, Walschots introduces the Draft (the larger corporation that drafts children and turns them into the heroes and villains), leaving room for a sequel to explore heroism and villainy through a lens of systems.  In Hench, we see the personal vendettas June, Leviathan, Supercollider, and Quantum Entanglement all have for various individuals. I will be curious to see if this will change with a sequel seeing June become more self-aware as her and Leviathan work to tackle the Draft.