A Dance With Dragons

Well. Where to even begin. I’ll begin by saying I WANT THE WINDS OF WINTER NOW!!!!! But understandably that isn’t going to happen, which is very sad, and I say write like the wind Martin! At least now I’ll be able to roam the interwebs without fear of spoiler, and get to suffer along with everyone else as we wait for the next instalment. Obviously a million spoilers lie below so you have been warned.

Just before we get into specifics, despite me loving the series, and loving the book. It was an effort to read it, which I don’t think I experienced previously with the series. Perhaps that’s partly because I’ve been reading and watching it so much recently that I feel overwhelmed a little. Perhaps because this book and the last one were really setting up a lot of plots ready for the final two novels, and it feels a little unfinished. I think that might be the cause. We have so many loose ends, and so few things wrapped up in this book. I hazard to say that in reality the whole series is one giant book, and that none can stand alone. Take Harry Potter, yeah there’s the overarching story, but most of them could be separate books, there’s the beginning, middle and end, and there’s some climax and a bit of resolution. Here I feel like there’s so much build up, and I just have too much anticipation now. There certainly were many climatic moments which were shocking and amazing and we’ll get to those. But I feel under-satisfied by it all.

With that out of the way let’s discuss!

So Ayra, well, wow. So it’s the House of the Many-Faced God, and they literally mean many-faced, like what even. They provide a place for people to die, and then CUT OFF THEIR FACES FOR PEOPLE TO USE to kill other people! And it was so weird reading them put on a new face for Ayra, I was afraid at the start that they were removing her face and then giving her a new one, never to have her old one back, but that didn’t quite happen. And it was really cool seeing her develop her super senses, and also her struggle with her Ayra vs Nobody personality. Since she still has her wolf dreams (so Nymeria must be alive) it’s hard. And then was that some confirmation that Ayra (and all the Starks) are wargs cause she became a cat to see the Kindly-Man attack her?

Jamie and Brienne! So she survived Catelyn’s ‘hanging’ or whatever happened in the last book, and I guess she’s opted to kill Jamie. Which, will she do it? Has she done it already? Are they running away together and having babies? Ugh it’s going to be antagonising waiting.

Cersei, well that was harrowing. Her repentant walk was powerful. She confessed her sins, she lost her hair (everywhere), and she was forced to walk naked through the streets (without shoes) with everyone looking on. Tough. Certainly does make her a sympathetic character. Yes, she’s done some terrible things, and perhaps this is her just desserts, but wow. Her life is now destroyed, no more chance at being Queen, everyone will judge her now, even people from Flea’s Bottom probably feel above her now. All she has left are her children, and even that’s tenuous.

Doran Martell, we only got a very small bit from him, basically nothing. Other than them recieving the Mountains skull. Which, hmm, is Ser Robert The Mountain raised up? Qyburn was accused of necromancy, so is that’s what is going on? Who else could be so massive? But back to Martell, they “successfully” sold their little story of Myrcella’s attack and his plans were going okay. But the question is, what’s going to happen when he hears of his son’s death? And what will he do about Aegon VI/Young Griff, will he help to bring down the Lannisters? Or will he wait for Quentyn?

And speaking of Quentyn. Poor boy, seriously. All he wanted was Daenerys and her dragons. And all he got was, death by dragons. I couldn’t really see Daenerys ever wanting him, but, they had the secret pact, and she could have used him to get back home, but alas didn’t happen.

Which brings us to Daenerys! AHASFLIGHOIASHG! SHE RODE DROGON! SHE DID IT! I mean yeah it basically cost her Meereen, but that was essentially gone anyway and everyone thought she was dead, but, aosugasghasg. It was quite tough reading her story, she tried so hard to be good and free the slaves and help people. But, it shows that you might intend for one thing, and find something else happen. She probably was too stubborn to realise when it was time to fold and just leave for Westeros, but so be it. And now she is surrounded by her enemy, Khal Jhaqo, though she does have Drogon with her. The prophecies around her are so interesting. Like she has been warned about everyone from Tyrion, to Victarion (who’s becoming very interesting now he has Moqorro, and that horn, will he steal a dragon?), Quentyn and possibly even Aegon. So what is she to do? And is the prophecy about Khal Drogo returning going to be true, how will that happen? Is he part of the dragons? Will she have another child?

Moving to Tyrion. Well he’s had quite the journey. Gotta love Varys, who by the way, the epilogue, WOAH. Has he been in the castle the whole time? Is he sure that this is all for the good of the realm? Is he really doing everything for that, or his own game? And how much is he and Petyr in bed? Back to Tyrion. So he was with Griff and co, and figured out who they were, brilliant! But then was captured by Jorah!! Which then led to them, with Penny (like who would have thought that she’d pop up again), being captured by slavers, and then eventually in the Second Sons (do the Lannisters even have THAT much gold to give them their price? – I mean the show made Tywin suggest they aren’t mining any gold at all but that isn’t necessarily to be trusted). His story certainly had twists and turns, but there wasn’t really a point he seemed to be going to. Except trying to get to Daenerys, which he didn’t. So will they try to get there or…?

Now to Griff and co.. So apparently Aegon was spared death in Robert’s Rebellion and fled over the Narrow Sea. And he has been his whole life, being educated and trained to be a king. And now they have actually gotten part of Westeros with the Golden Company, and well, it’s going to be so interesting. Like is he really a Targaryen, or is as the prophecy suggests a mummer (even if he doesn’t know it – perhaps Varys just gave them a baby and said that’s who he was)? And just how will Daenerys take the news? Like will she immediately want to go be with him? What does he think of her? Does he want her, or will he try to eliminate her, as she is a threat? And is he going to get himself killed trying to be the hero and lead the charge?

Theon! Okay obviously the show ruined that little story for me, but it was interesting to see what the book actually said about him. He has been so totally crushed by Roose. And well the Ayra farce wedding was interesting. But more so the fact that he and Jeyne have escaped, so what will the Northmen think who are with Balton? Do they want to protect Ayra or what? And now Theon and Asha are reunited, and she now has a way to steal the crown from Crow’s Eye because Theon wasn’t present at the kingsmoot! But would anyone take a sickly young man like Theon?

And how much truth was Roose telling? Like how does he have Mance? How did that happen? I thought he went BEYOND the wall to get Ayra (I mean he was supposed to be DEAD in the first place but Melisandre had other plans) which always confused me. Now it makes some sense that he was going to Winterfell, and that explains the SINGER AND THE WASHERWOMEN!!!! How did Roose figure out who he was?

And what is Stannis doing? They have been decimated by this storm, so how do they stand a chance of taking Winterfell, plus they have the damn Karstarks there ready to betray them!

And JON, JON! He can’t be dead! Or has he slipped into Ghost’s skin? He was doing so much, he let the wildings over the wall, and was using them to man the old fortresses. They even had a giant! He struck a deal with the Iron Bank, so they could survive the winter, but how much will they regret that? But then he tried to save the wildlings at Hardhome, but his ships are basically gone, and now he’s trying to go there Beyond the wall. Is it a good idea? Yes and no, if he doesn’t that means more dead to fight. I honestly don’t know how much a threat the dead can be against the wall, like can they walk through the wall, or how else will they get across to actually be a threat? But then he wanted to go to Winterfell and crush Bolton. That was too much, and damn Bowen Marsh who attacked him. Melisandre was right!

And we had a chapter from Melisandre! So she has some spells but plenty of tricks as well. And was her little phrase about only seeing Snow when trying to see Azor Ahai reborn (who she thought was Stannis), mean it is Snow? Or what?

Then Bran! He finally made it to the 3-eyed raven (with Jojen still alive thank you very much HBO), who is this old man who is part tree. And now Bran can see through the weirwoods, and he totally talked to Theon, well said his name at least. And I WANT MORE BRAN. Like is he part of the evil plan by the Other that Melisandre is fearful of? How can that be? And what does that mean? Will it be Bran’s choices in the end between the end of the world or salvation? Will he become a tree? Like WHAT IS GOING ON.

And most importantly Davos! He is alive! AND HE IS GOING TO GET RICKON, WHO WE HAVEN’T SEE FOR BASICALLY EVER. ARE THEY ALIVE? They said they were Skagos (at least that’s the picture I got), but seriously how did that boy figure out that much? So what is there, is it safe? Will they get him back and win the North? Or will there be more tragedy? Probably the latter.

I’ve covered everyone (I think), and now the wait begins. I’m going to do some predictions next week, which will be wildly inaccurate, but who cares. I have to do something in the meantime.