Reviews with content warning for Murder - The Last Wish

It was alright. I might read go on to read the next book because it was a pretty interesting read at some points. The book is broken into sections that have chapters within them, and I thought the first and second sections were really engaging. The rest of the book was alright, but I definitely enjoyed the style of the first two sections the most. I found the characterization of Geralt a little inconsistent, although I did like the dynamic between him and Dandilion.

Spoiler

I wasn't crazy about Yennefer so I hope she doesn't show up a lot in the next book lol

Content Warnings

idajoh's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

It's a good fantasy book and it kept me engaged the entire time. However, all the stories were adapted into the TV-show (which is a good thing), but I wish there were some fresh stories for me to enjoy honestly.

The story is mainly told through dialogue which makes it a pretty quick and easy read. The action sequences, although few, are also very good at creating suspense while being believable. I will admig that I was a bit confused throughout most of them, but I just chalked it up to me being tired while I read most of the book.

The major downfall of this book is the extreme misoginy. No women in this book, except maybe Nenneke, is seen as something other than a sex object by all the characters. That includes Geralt. It was extremely off-putting and I'm glad that aspect was toned down in the TV series. At least Yennefer in the TV series had other redeeming qualities except her want of a child.

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knerys's review

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adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.5

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anapthine's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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holyshark's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

A fun romp about Geralt, not actually of Rivia, told through two alternating timelines that lead into each other. There are fun? dark? unromantic? retellings of Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, some influence from Tolkien… you learn about the main character, a little bit on his history, but also a little bit his morals and weaknesses.

I wish there’d been more character development between the plot – some down time for the reader to get more in depth. I still find Geralt to be a really interesting character in that he is clearly fond of the poet / bard Dandilion, who was for me one of those annoying characters like that stupid chicken from Moana. I just wanted to strangle him every time he opened his stupid mouth, to which I give the book credit for making me feel an emotion.

In that regard, and re: the discussion of monsters and magical creatures, I wish the book had been a bit longer. Some parts were a bit tell-y vs show-y, but overall I found the book compelling and I’ll be continuing the series. :-)

Content Warnings

persipha_books's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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