It’s been a while, eh?
After the first season of The Apothecary Diaries ended, I didn’t really have much left in me to write about anything else, let alone watch another show. And that’s not to mean I didn’t have anything to watch. I still have quite a few shows on my list. Hell, I even started writing about Frieren‘s first season, but what hasn’t already been said about that amazing series? So that draft went straight into the trash.
I haven’t picked up many new webtoons either. Ever since my favorite manhwa of all time ended (for those of you who are new here, I’m talking about Define the Relationship), I’m not really that excited about anything else I’m reading.
That is until I found The Mafia Nanny.
It’s been a while since I found a webtoon that I quickly and willingly threw my money at in a long time. What’s funny is The Mafia Nanny is quite a departure from what I normally read, and I didn’t expect to like it much at first. It certainly attracted me for having themes that I’m familiar with (childcare and slow-burn romance). But organized crime? Action? Not really my thing, especially now that I rarely pick up anything that even smells like shonen.
(Let me just clarify here that I don’t NOT like shonen content; it’s just as I’ve gotten older, I’ve generally lost interest in stories with a pre-teen or teenage protagonist)
Anyway, back to The Mafia Nanny…
At its very core, the story is centered around Davina Diavolo. She’s orphaned at a young age and rescued by her nanny, Mrs. Bremerton, from a fire that destroys her life. She becomes an Elite Nanny to follow in her savior’s footsteps, and her first assignment right out of graduation is to the Angelini family — the very family she suspects had a hand in the downfall of her own. Davina takes the job, determined to find out the truth, and she quickly realizes that she’s not the only one with secrets.
The concept itself isn’t particularly ground-breaking by any means, and it’s not like the art is breathtakingly spectacular. (Gah, I sound like I’m complaining about the series more than praising it, but I swear it’s good). What attracts me to the story is the characters and the relationships between them.
For one, Davina and Mikey’s relationship is adorable. Their banter is fun and appropriate for the story. How she gets Mikey to open up to her in her own way is sweet: she never forces the relationship and reminds him that she’s not there to replace his mother. And Mikey, the kid who has a disturbing amount of knowledge about the inner workings of a mob for a kindergartener, slowly starts to trust Davina and depend on her but also allows himself to be a kid. Through Davina, he’s found a new interest in art and has even made a friend, something that was nearly impossible prior to Davina’s entrance.
And then there’s Davina and Mikey’s father, Gabriel. The underboss of the Angelini mob. He’s immediately intimidating without being over the top. Despite knowing that some of the people around him are spies planted by his uncle the Don, he still treats his people well. After the suspicious death of his wife, his number one goal is to keep Mikey safe and provide him with a good life, one that (if he has his way) has nothing to do with the mob.
I know in my bones that Davina and Gabriel are end-game, but watching their relationship play out is a major part of the draw of this series. Davina is trying her hardest not to get involved in Gabe’s business, but he purposefully pulls her into his dealings because Davina, as part of being an Elite Nanny, is also a master hacker. She can get him information that he can’t get elsewhere. And above all, he trusts her, something that is rare among his people, especially after what happened to his wife. Despite trying to draw the line, Davina’s conceded herself to keeping Mikey safe, which also means working with Gabriel, even if that means allowing him to use her skills for the mob’s needs.
Every character, whether it’s the driver Adam, the enigmatic Don, or Mikey’s pal Louis, brings a unique flavor to the story. Each possesses distinct personalities and motives that add depth to the narrative. Take the Don, for instance, whose peculiar obsession with olives raises eyebrows, while Gabriel’s trusted confidant, Nico, harbors a fascination with knives that borders on the edge of concern. Amidst this eclectic cast, loyalties blur and mysteries deepen, leaving readers intrigued about where their allegiances truly lie and what secrets lie beneath the surface. It’s the dynamic interplay between these characters that makes this story an absolute delight to follow.
My only complaint about the series is a small one: it’s still in weekly release. So I can’t binge the whole series in one go. Yeah, yeah, I know. What a lame complaint. I’ve been so spoiled with these completed webtoons that it makes it that much harder to follow a new, still-releasing webtoon.
Well, okay, now that I’m thinking a little more about it, one issue I have is Davina’s lack of friends. Sure, it’s understandable not to have any connections, given the fact that she lives behind a false identity created by Mrs. Bremerton for her safety. Additionally, as the nanny for the presumed heir to the Angelini mob, forming close friendships outside the family seems nonsensical. However, it would add depth to her character to see Davina interact with another female character in a genuinely friendly way. Double points if that relationship would remain truly friendly and not venture into distrust and suspicion. Not trying to spoil anything here, but that hasn’t been the case with just about any other female character, in all 33 episodes of the series so far (as of the writing of this post).
But I am and will continue to throw my coins at The Mafia Nanny whenever a new episode releases (which is every Tuesday evening, by the way). I seriously don’t have the patience to wait for the newer episodes to become free. Once you dive into this series, you’ll understand why. Don’t miss out—give it a read and see for yourself!
Read The Mafia Nanny for free over at Webtoon
Disclaimer: Any outside links included in this post are not affiliate links. I link to these webtoons solely because I appreciate them and want to recommend them.