afberdahl's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
acinonyx's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A huge improvement from the short story collections that began the series. There was a delightful lack of misogynistic descriptions of women, the relationships were beautifully solidified and enriched, and the plot, while slow moving, was interesting. Had I read this without prior knowledge of the plot, it would have felt even slower paced and the chapters less connected. However, knowing a general plot ahead of time helped keep everything in line and allowed the character work to really shine. Yennefer in particular is now a fully realized and magnetic character, mirroring how she’s described, as opposed to the sterile and harsh examples of her in the short stories. I can finally say I’m excited to continue the series!
poetskings's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
samsoto's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
gwcam's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
toledoray7's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first true "novel" in Sapkowski's Witcher series and it did not disappoint. Whereas I felt the 2 short story collections felt a bit underdeveloped at times this novel if anything is overdeveloped. This novel feels purely like a setup to what is coming next. While there is nothing wrong with this it makes for a novel that doesn't really build any momentum and doesn't stand on its own well.
That is really my only complaint because otherwise this is a fantastic read. We spend a lot of time with Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer and learn quite a bit about their characters. The action scenes were well written, however my favorite scenes were those that featured the main characters interacting, namely Ciri with Geralt and then Ciri with Yennefer later in the novel.
I can't wait to continue this story and hope that the next novel has a better narrative structure and more great character interactions and developement.
That is really my only complaint because otherwise this is a fantastic read. We spend a lot of time with Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer and learn quite a bit about their characters. The action scenes were well written, however my favorite scenes were those that featured the main characters interacting, namely Ciri with Geralt and then Ciri with Yennefer later in the novel.
I can't wait to continue this story and hope that the next novel has a better narrative structure and more great character interactions and developement.
ritsuka's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Kocham ten swiat