What Does Yennefer Look Like?

Yennefer is famous for her legendary beauty. While nearly 100 years old during most of The Witcher Saga, she is described as having the looks of a woman in her twenties. She has long, curly black hair and striking eyes with an unusual violet hue. Yennefer is known for her signature gooseberry and lilac perfume and for the strength and grace with which she holds herself. She always dresses in black and white clothing.

Though never explicitly stated, the novels imply that Yennefer developed and grew into her physical beauty during her training at Aretuza. Subtle clues about her earlier appearance remain, such as her slightly lopsided shoulders. During their long relationship, Geralt gradually realizes that Yennefer isn’t always beautiful, but it does not change how he feels about her.

Is Yennefer Infertile?

Yes, in both the audiobooks and the Netflix adaptation, Yennefer cannot conceive a child. According to the show, this was a side effect of Yennefer’s transformation at Aretuza. She was still young when she underwent the changes that removed her hunchback and left her infertile, haunting her for the rest of her life. She spends a long time seeking a cure for her infertility. Mentioned briefly in the audiobooks, her quest to have children becomes a more prominent storyline in Netflix’s The Witcher. Eventually, Yennefer becomes like a mother to Ciri, which brings her healing and some closure.

Yennefer’s Key Relationships

Yennefer and Geralt

Yennefer and Geralt are soul mates, though their relationship is not always an easy one. They first meet when Geralt seeks her help after his friend Dandelion (or Jaskier) is injured by a djinn. Yennefer ends up fighting the djinn and would have died if it weren't for Geralt’s intervention. After revealing that he controls the djinn, Geralt uses one of his wishes to bind their fates together and save them.

Though Yennefer and Geralt do not stay together after their first encounter, they begin a relationship and believe they are destined to fall in love. They repeatedly fight and then make up but always remain true to each other, especially when facing enemies or in perilous situations. When Geralt needs help training Ciri, he turns to Yennefer, and the three of them form a family.

Yennefer and Ciri

Soon after Geralt takes Ciri under his wing to begin her training as a witcher, he realizes that her powers are beyond his knowledge and skillset. He writes to Yennefer for help, and she agrees to meet them at the Temple of Melitele. There, she begins teaching Ciri how to control her magic and harness the chaotic energy she wields. Ciri and Yennefer get off to a rough start, but they eventually develop a close bond. Yennefer becomes like a mother to Ciri, viewing her as the daughter she could never have. As the series progresses, Yennefer often puts herself in danger to keep Ciri safe.

Yennefer and Triss

Yennefer meets Triss Merigold while they both study to become sorceresses at Aretuza. The two women become friends, remaining close after they both leave Aretuza and pursue their separate lives. Years later, when Triss falls in unrequited love with Geralt, their friendship still survives. Their steady, quiet friendship may not get much attention throughout The Witcher Saga, but it is an important relationship for both women.

Yennefer: Books vs. Show

Though Yennefer’s personality and appearance in the Netflix series stay mostly true to Sapkowski’s original version, there are some changes. Here are the most significant differences between the Yennefer you’ll see on screen and the Yennefer you’ll meet as you listen to the audiobooks.

• Backstory: While Yennefer’s painful childhood and the time she spent training at Aretuza are mentioned in the audiobooks, Sapkowski doesn’t offer many details. Netflix’s The Witcher, however, devotes several episodes to Yennefer’s life before she meets Geralt. Fleshing out her backstory adds depth to her character, helping fans understand the traumas that shaped her from an early age.

• Infertility: Yennefer’s inability to have a child is a major plot point in both the tv series and the audiobooks. However, the cause of her infertility is left undetermined in the audiobooks. Many sorcerers are infertile, but nobody knows exactly why. In the Netflix series, however, Yennefer’s infertility directly results from her physical transformation. She decides to sacrifice her uterus in exchange for beauty, a choice she later comes to regret.

• Timeline of Yennefer and Geralt’s relationship: When Yennefer first appears in the audiobook series, she and Geralt have a messy backstory; they’ve already met and separated several times. In the Netflix series, however, they don’t meet until near the end of the first season; when they do, it’s for the first time.

What Books Does Yennefer Appear in?

Yennefer is one of the main characters in The Witcher. She appears in all of the audiobooks, beginning with the short story collection, . She goes on to appear in Sapkowski’s second short story collection, , as well as all five novels in : , , , , and . She also appears in the standalone audiobook , set in the same world as The Witcher Saga but not part of the main series. The short story “Something Ends, Something Begins” isn’t considered part of the Witcher canon and is not yet in audiobook form.