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timmytunter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Rape and Sexual content
singalana's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Jotkin arvioijat ovat nostaneet esille sen, että Sapkowskin tekstistä paistaa läpi seksistisiä asenteita. No, koska kirja alkaa seksikohtauksella, jossa toinen osapuoli on ilmeisesti melko nuori, en yhtään ihmettele mistä nämä mielipiteet kumpuavat. Mielestäni naishahmojen nuoruus on jopa silmiinpistävää, ja heihin viitataan usein sanalla “tyttö”, eikä nainen. Kirjan hirviöt ovat lähes poikkeuksetta naispuolisia. Ja jos kirjan naishahmot pelastetaan hirviön kynsistä, heidän odotetaan osoittavan asiaankuuluvaa kiitollisuutta.
Kirjan rakenne on melkoisen sekava. Viimeinen toivomus koostuu useasta Noituri-tarinasta. Sen sijaan että ne olisi esitetty kokonaisena ja peräkkäin, ne on pilkottu toistensa lomaan kummallisena sillisalaattina. Tämä ehkä toimii sarjassa, mutta kirjassa lukijan täytyy olla todella hereillä.
Sapkowski lainailee elementtejä kansantaruista ja saduista. Tämä tuntuu hieman jopa laiskalta, sillä odotin, että kirjassa olisi enemmän keskitytty hirviöihin ja ylipäätänsäkin toimintaan. Sen sijaan Viimeinen toivomus on erittäin dialogipainotteinen. Voitaisiin jopa sanoa, että kirja on monologipainotteinen. Äänikirjaformaatissa se jollain tasolla toimii, koska mitä muutakaan äänikirja on, kun jonkun tyypin kertoman tarinan kuuntelemista. Yleisesti ottaen pidän silti enemmän siitä, että dialogi, toiminta ja kuvailu on enemmän tasapainossa.
Sapkowski lainailee elementtejä kansantaruista ja saduista. Tämä tuntuu hieman jopa laiskalta, sillä odotin, että kirjassa olisi enemmän keskitytty hirviöihin ja ylipäätänsäkin toimintaan. Sen sijaan Viimeinen toivomus on erittäin dialogipainotteinen. Voitaisiin jopa sanoa, että kirja on monologipainotteinen. Äänikirjaformaatissa se jollain tasolla toimii, koska mitä muutakaan äänikirja on, kun jonkun tyypin kertoman tarinan kuuntelemista. Yleisesti ottaen pidän silti enemmän siitä, että dialogi, toiminta ja kuvailu on enemmän tasapainossa.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Rape, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
ashleymg99's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
My Boyfriend is a huge Witcher fan, and so we read this together aloud as a sort of bed-time story. so, i had a general idea about the characters and lore going into this.
I really enjoyed the dynamic of Geralt and Dandelion, I did not expect to like the humor as much as I did. The story is told in a series of time-jumping short stories, with a small narrative throughout that connect everything. I think without any prior knowledge of the series, it could be a little confusing to jump in, but Sapkowski is pretty good at creating an immersive world that is easy to get lost in.
my one critique is a bit silly, but we felt like he mentions female characters breasts like A LOT. to the point where every time a female character is introduced, you can expect to hear about them. it honestly became a bit of a meme throughout our reading, but overall i don’t think the female characters are poorly written or one-note. I do hope that he continues to improve as the series goes on though!
I really enjoyed the dynamic of Geralt and Dandelion, I did not expect to like the humor as much as I did. The story is told in a series of time-jumping short stories, with a small narrative throughout that connect everything. I think without any prior knowledge of the series, it could be a little confusing to jump in, but Sapkowski is pretty good at creating an immersive world that is easy to get lost in.
my one critique is a bit silly, but we felt like he mentions female characters breasts like A LOT. to the point where every time a female character is introduced, you can expect to hear about them. it honestly became a bit of a meme throughout our reading, but overall i don’t think the female characters are poorly written or one-note. I do hope that he continues to improve as the series goes on though!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Incest, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abortion
blandrew's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Violence, Blood, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing and Death
sunn_bleach's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
"The Last Wish" is a compilation of short stories with a small framing device of Geralt recovering from the trauma of a hunt that almost went wrong. I read this because I needed something light after "Book of the New Sun", and I've wanted to see where it all began regarding the video games.
It's easy to see how this adapted perfectly to games, as each short story acts as a standalone quest much like what's in a standard epic fantasy game. But otherwise, I find this very difficult to go back to, and I would only recommend it for someone like me who's interested in the background of The Witcher series rather than these actually being good. The games sanded off much of the roughness of the 90s, fixed the writing issues, adapted the best ideas, and forewent much of the poorly-aged aspect, like how every woman is either stupid or must be assaulted, like the insipid "realism" people point to in defense of Game of Thrones. It's not "real", it's just crass, and you should read an actual history book.
Overall a meh experience. The translator problems are real; Geralt pirouettes more than a Bolshoi Ballet prima, and everyone is always locking eyes with each other while sneering. The fractured fairytales approach is so ingrained in modern pop culture (and wasn't new back then) that I find it difficult to care or find subversive.
There's a small part of me that would read "Sword of Destiny" as the next short story compilation, but I could also be fine with leaving my book experience of The Witcher here and sticking to the games, which are simply better in every respect.
It's easy to see how this adapted perfectly to games, as each short story acts as a standalone quest much like what's in a standard epic fantasy game. But otherwise, I find this very difficult to go back to, and I would only recommend it for someone like me who's interested in the background of The Witcher series rather than these actually being good. The games sanded off much of the roughness of the 90s, fixed the writing issues, adapted the best ideas, and forewent much of the poorly-aged aspect, like how every woman is either stupid or must be assaulted, like the insipid "realism" people point to in defense of Game of Thrones. It's not "real", it's just crass, and you should read an actual history book.
Overall a meh experience. The translator problems are real; Geralt pirouettes more than a Bolshoi Ballet prima, and everyone is always locking eyes with each other while sneering. The fractured fairytales approach is so ingrained in modern pop culture (and wasn't new back then) that I find it difficult to care or find subversive.
There's a small part of me that would read "Sword of Destiny" as the next short story compilation, but I could also be fine with leaving my book experience of The Witcher here and sticking to the games, which are simply better in every respect.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
Minor: Vomit and War
abb_ey_normal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment
nyx_reads's review against another edition
Too much inappropriate content.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Sexual harassment
divinereader's review against another edition
Disgusted by the author's misogyny and constant SA references, just wasn't that good either
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
ayamawa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Violence, and Blood
toastyghosty13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
relaxing
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? It's complicated
3.25
I have not read any of the books from The Witcher series until now. I have seen the first few episodes of the Netflix tv show and decided I wanted to read the books before continuing after I learned the show and games were based on books. I was pleasantly surprised at how different Geralt is in the books than in the show. Geralt is more talkative and witty in his dialogue with other characters in the books than I remember him being in the show. I really enjoyed hearing more of him than the "hulking lethal man that's tall dark quiet handsome and mysterious" they make him off to be in the show.
I also like reading about Yennefer since she was one of the characters I liked most from what I saw in the show. Her background story in the show was so interesting to me, and the way that she and Geralt's fates intertwine in the book was really interesting to see as well as to get an idea of the dynamic of their relationship in the future.
I ended up buying a physical box set with illustrated editions after listening to this audiobook because I liked the characters, stories, and world building so much. I loved the way the narrator did all of the voices in the audiobook, but it was also hard to keep track of who all of the characters were when there were so many as well as so many places. I chalk this up mainly to the fact that this book and the next (Sword of Destiny) are labeled as prequels and short stories, so I assume that Blood of Elves will be the first full length story rather than somewhat cohesive mini tails. Even though I don't normally like short stories, I feel that this fit perfectly with the fairy tale retelling aspect since a lot of the stories seemed somewhat familiar but also so unique.
I am excited to see more of Geralt and the other characters that were introduced in this installment, as well as see when Ciri eventually comes into the picture!!
I also like reading about Yennefer since she was one of the characters I liked most from what I saw in the show. Her background story in the show was so interesting to me, and the way that she and Geralt's fates intertwine in the book was really interesting to see as well as to get an idea of the dynamic of their relationship in the future.
I ended up buying a physical box set with illustrated editions after listening to this audiobook because I liked the characters, stories, and world building so much. I loved the way the narrator did all of the voices in the audiobook, but it was also hard to keep track of who all of the characters were when there were so many as well as so many places. I chalk this up mainly to the fact that this book and the next (Sword of Destiny) are labeled as prequels and short stories, so I assume that Blood of Elves will be the first full length story rather than somewhat cohesive mini tails. Even though I don't normally like short stories, I feel that this fit perfectly with the fairy tale retelling aspect since a lot of the stories seemed somewhat familiar but also so unique.
I am excited to see more of Geralt and the other characters that were introduced in this installment, as well as see when
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Incest, Infertility, Sexism, Blood, and Vomit