A review by troystory
The Lady of the Lake by Andrzej Sapkowski

adventurous emotional reflective 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

5.0

[RE-READ]
I came into this book specifically with the feeling that I might not like it as much as I did the first time I read it, but I'm glad to say that's not the case. While there are, of course, certain things that I may not like ~that~ much, overall I enjoyed it and I loved the way it wrapped things up. I also really like the new characters we're introduced to, I felt like they added a lot. My favourite thing was, and still is, the idea that a story never really ends, that it lives on in its retellings, that "eternity is present in every moment". It's such a beautiful thought, and it's handled so well. It's a bittersweet ending, to say the least, but definitely in a good way.

[ORIGINAL REVIEW]

So, I'm currently writing this just as I finished the book - so I'm still a little shaken up, and definitely still crying.

Oh, god, I don't think a series has touched me this much since... Well, I can't even remember. I definitely haven't cried because of a book this much in a really long time. Without spoiling it too much, I will say that the deaths absolutely destroyed me, and the ending too... I wasn't prepared to be so emotionally destroyed.

But I will say, I do still love this book. I love the series. I love the characters. I enjoyed my journey with them, and the ending was satisfying. Just saying, but the villains all got what they deserved, from the people who most deserved to hurt them. This book kept talking about time, how things are never really a true beginning or a true end, how eternity is hidden in every moment. That, I think, will resonate with me for long after I put it down. And really, this is the kind of story that never truly ends. It has an ending, sure, but... At the same time, that ending is a beginning. It's the kind of story that stays with you. I sure won't be forgetting it any time soon.

I find it's rare to read books with characters I actually love, who touch me, who I can relate to in a very real way. Maybe that's just me and my standards. But reading The Witcher felt like going on adventures with old friends. And for that alone, I think it's worth every minute.