Review Book

Black Butterfly

Author: Roseblade22/@Roseblade22

Blurb: An inspiring and opportunist journalist Rhea, had nothing to lose but time as she desperately applied at the news corporation, Republic Daily News, employment three times. When the Editor-in-Chief, Derks, gave her a chance to prove herself to perform an interview with the Hisoka, the Heaven Arena Combatant. No journalist wanted to do it, and none was successful. She took it and promised to secure an interview, but the mischievous magician got other plans during the interview session.

Status: On-going/ author on hiatus

Category: Fanfiction HunterxHunter

Theme: Revenge and Justice.

Hook: "'I'd like to ask you some questions about yourself," she said hurriedly as she placed the recorder on the table, pressed the 'record' button, and stuffed her hands under the table again. "Shall we begin?"

The sly smile on Hisoka's face creased into something slightly more spirited, and he slowly drew on hand out from under his chin, his pointer finger extended. Rhea's eyes darted from his face to his hand and back again, her breath hitched in her throat. She continued to watch as he gracefully traced a small circle into the air and then dropped his hand, his long-nailed fingertip gently pressing the 'stop' button on the recorder." - Chapter 2, Black Butterfly

Characters:

Main Protagonist Rhea: High anxiety aspiring journalist with a mysterious past and the sole survivor of the Butterfly Serial Killer.

Derks: The Editor-in-Chief who interviewed Rhea at the Republican Daily News

Cal: The lawyer representing Rhea in the Butterfly Serial Killer court case

Hisoka: The interviewee and Heaven Arena Combatant.

Main Antagonist Li Wenxin: The Butterfly Serial Killer.

Writer's Style: In my opinion is descriptive and narrative.

Anyhow, I loved the author's interpretation of Hisoka with avoiding the primary trend of his character to be a "sexual teaser" in fanfiction but masterfully manipulator and influences people to his will. The drawn-out story plot for character developments is juicy, and as a reader, I want more from the author. I enjoyed the character interactions, and she held my attention in each chapter as she skillfully ended in cliffhangers. I like the consistency of the story plot, the challenging moral interactions between the characters, and the alluring danger.

One of the unique aspects of the storytelling is the character relationship between Hisoka and Rhea was strictly business and platonic with minimum sexual flirtation. It starts with a "chase." for Hisoka's approval for an interview but slowly changes when Rhea survives a fatal encounter with a serial killer known as Butterfly killer. A fire is lit in Hisoka's interest in her potential growth to become a worthy Nen user for himself to kill, and he begins to influence Rhea and part take of her flourishment demise. There is a tiny hint of romantic attraction between them.

There are side characters who were pivot in the Butterfly Serial Killer court case, but the author had changed the storyline's direction and I wonder if she plans to bring them back in later chapters. The sudden transition in the storyline was a big turn off as to why change Rhea's career path from Journalist to a Nen fighter and scraping the establish characters purposes. Now Rhea plans to become a Nen fighter pursing Li Wenxin to take revenge as her personal moral compels her to do so for the sake of the decease victims before her. Hisoka fuels the flame in Rhea's heated decision and justice thirst.  

Conclusion:

I recommend this fan fiction to the HunterxHunter fan base and writers who need the inspiration to write fanfiction about Hisoka. A great fan fiction to nose-dive into as Roseblade 22 did a fantastic job exploring Hisoka's character concept. Whatever was the switch flip in Roseblade22's mindset helped me understand Hisoka's twisted worldview and morals. I will refer to her development of Hisoka's concept in my future writings.  

Rating: 7/10 

Incomplete status, so there will be changes that can affect the final verdict score.