Reviews with content warning for Violence - Die Zeit der Verachtung

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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endlessfeverdreams's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.25

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sheiksleopardthong's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-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

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comradehaasboy's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

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minayana's review against another edition

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adventurous dark medium-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

4.5

This is my favorite of the Witcher books so far. I actually felt the politics in this one were really interesting, where as the last book I didn’t really care at all lol. This book was so compelling and I continue to love our 4 MCs. I’m loving the progression of Ciri’s arc, and I’m excited to see what’s happening with Yennefer in the next book. We find out more about the prophecy and what it means for our MCs. Also, how many times was the word “contempt” said in this book? lol
Also, this is where we start to get less and less Geralt and more of Ciri.

I know a lot of people do not like this series due to the misogyny. I will say, the misogyny is pretty often in this one, and probably is the worst of the series so far. There’s a lot of men calling women slurs and a lot of references to men wanting to rape women. These moments are uncomfortable, but i think it’s important to note that they are supposed to be. The author is not making jokes about these things or using them for shock value. That being said, totally understandable if you aren’t comfortable reading it!
Although there are so many powerful female characters in this series, a lot of what they talk about involve men or bitching about other women (except Ciri, who is a more masculine female and therefore “less bitchy”)
I feel the author tries to start conversations about a lot of stereotypical gender based tropes in fantasy such as female virginity, female fertility, female bodily anatomy, prophecy of a prince, legitimate male bloodline, ect. Does it always hit the mark? Not always, but I feel there is intention to the reasoning behind these themes in the book.

Important warning: there is a sexual assault scene at the end of the book. It is not graphic or speaking about the physical action. It is about the confusing feelings of the character that is being assaulted. It is halfway through page 378 through the end of page 380 if you want to skip.

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thenoboshow's review against another edition

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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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