while true i think the issua is the different readers have different, using tvtropes talk, thresholds to reach darkness induced apathy

i myself have it low, i enjoy the MCs struggling and even loosing, but if the MC goes from phyrric victory to phyrric victory an everytime the enemy becomes stronger i wil eventually gave up the book because there is no rational way that they can survive his without an ass pull.

as an example the book 2 i think of the practical guide to evil and pact did that thing and i struggled reading both. the MCs were being chipped away of their powers and their humanity and was disheartening, you might have a higher tolerance to that kind of ploting than i do.