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sunn_bleach's review against another edition
- 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
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.
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
Minor: Vomit and War
peggy_racham's review against another edition
4.5
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
petty_anthropology's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Incest, Rape, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
6_am_hotdog's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Misogyny and Xenophobia
Moderate: Rape
hauntthetale's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror, Death, Gore, and Xenophobia
7hunder's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
lidia7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Graphic: Rape, Xenophobia, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Minor: Abortion
jasminawithab's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
the writing feels a bit disjointed at times but from what ive seen, thats because of the translator.
Moderate: Child death, Incest, Infertility, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Ableism, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Abandonment
casdelvo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Xenophobia, and Vomit
Minor: Infertility, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment
doriandelioncourt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Infertility, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail