A review by acinonyx
Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski

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!