Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Time of Contempt by Andrzej Sapkowski

6 reviews

timmytunter's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

As the second book in The Witcher saga, “Time of Contempt” picks up where “Blood of Elves” left off, continuing the complex and riveting story of Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer, and Ciri. Although central to the plot, Geralt takes a bit of a backseat in this installment. We get some quality Geralt/Yennefer moments, but Geralt is soon grievously wounded in battle. Consequently, he misses out on much of the action, which is later recounted to him by the bard Dandelion.

The final third of the book shifts focus to Ciri, who is now isolated from her protective guardians. Her struggle for survival in the wilderness is a gripping narrative that highlights her growth and resilience. The early parts of the story also add depth to Ciri’s relationship with Yennefer, which I found particularly enjoyable.

The story is rich with politics and intrigue, faction infighting, and a monstrous plot for power. Our protagonists, largely unaware of the machinations around them, navigate through the chaos, leading to a cliffhanger that left me anxiously anticipating the next book.

While the dense political discussions and time jumps can be challenging to follow, the intricacy of the plot becomes clearer as the story progresses. By the time I finished the book, I had a firm handle of the plot and was eager to continue with the series. Without hesitation, I promptly moved on to book 3, “Baptism of Fire.”

Overall, “Time of Contempt” is a compelling continuation of The Witcher saga, filled with rich character development and intricate plotting that keeps you hooked until the very end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Xenophobia, War, and Injury/Injury detail

thenoboshow's review

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

jaedia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Physical abuse, Sexism, Abandonment, and War

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Genocide, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Classism

camoo3032's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

The author is a genius at choosing which perspective to write from. It's this creative storytelling that makes it so interesting to read

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and War

Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

billyjepma's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A much better entry than the last one, though not without the typical bevy of "yeah, a straight white man definitely wrote this." The worldbuilding kicks back into high gear, and it rules. Sapkowski gets to dig into the politics of his cruel fantasy world and develop the different factions scheming against each other. I'm a sucker for that stuff, so obviously, it worked for me. His action scenes are also stellar, as per usual, and I don't think I'll ever get tired of how much specificity he invests in the quick but brutal bouts of combat. 

Not all of the development lands, and Sapkowski would benefit from a slightly more ruthless editor. And, again, the way he writes his women characters is a big ol' mixed bag. Sometimes, it's really good, and I genuinely appreciate how complex his cast's morality and motivations are, men and women alike. He doesn't suffer from cliches in that way. What he does suffer from are many of the other problems that plague most fantasy penned by male writers. He relies far too heavily on the sexuality and violence the women are defined by or threatened with. These issues aren't as pronounced as in the last book, but they're still here, and I don't see them miraculously disappearing moving forward. 

Still, I enjoyed this immensely, and my fascination and investment in the Witcher series are here to stay.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Genocide and Vomit

rachaelbunny's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, and Trafficking