I started a A Song of Ice and Fire reread project because in my head for some reason I’m convinced if I take my time when I finish Dance of Dragons Martin will announce the long awaited Winds of Winter.
I know right?
Plus I just really wanted to reread the books. However rereading Thrones was a bit odd.
1. It’s a depressing reread especially knowing there’s still no ending.
It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion. You just want to yell, “No! Stop that! Stay in Winterfell!” “Don’t do that!” “This will not end will for you!”
Also there are all these times in King’s Landing where Ned specifically thinks how he’ll make it up to Sansa once there home, how she’ll understand, how he and Cat can have another son and I just was shaking my head going no, no, there’s no time unless you get a little more ruthless buddy.
2. I still don’t understand why Cat couldn’t take Arya home.
Yeah, Sansa had to stay so people didn’t suspect anything. I get that. But hell at that point Cersei actually hadn’t done anything yet and you could have just told them she was miserable after the wolves (she was) and sent her the hell home. Plus that may have stopped Cat from taking Tyrion.
I mean yeah maybe her being in King’s Landing would be odd but hey they parted under poor circumstances so she could say she wanted to see Ned again.
3. I miss Viserys
4. Mirri Maz Duur was wrong but also she had a point:
Dany: I saved you!
MMD: Ah, thanks for that but I had already been repeatedly raped, seen my home destroyed, children I knew since they were born brutally murdered along with the adults but hey yeah thanks for the promise of a life of slavery.
I actually think Dany’s desire to free the slaves is noble enough but there’s a bit of hypocrisy in the first book as she looks the other way when the Dothraki do it. (I wonder what she would have done had they actually made it to Westeros?) Grant you happy with Drogo or not Dany wasn’t exactly a free agent herself at this point so getting Drogo to bend even a little is a point in her favor but still I could see where MMD was coming from.
And when Dany does make concessions in later books in the name of ruling she gets pretty screwed there. I don’t buy the Mad Queen theory but it does seem like George tends to make her world black and white and her only real weapon against it are her dragons But that’s a story for later books.
5. “Look to your Khal and see what life is worth, when all the rest is gone.” MMD too Dany.
A quote that immediately made me think of Cat- Stoneheart. There’s a great scene where she speaks beautifully for peace because she knows what a war will cost (left out of the show but never mind) and she’s of course shut down for being a weak woman and then they took everything else from her and she became an actual monster. There’s a bit of warning in here for Arya who’s keeping to her vengeance and the sense of justice that (much like it did to Dany and her mother) the world around her inflicted on her.
6. Sansa’s Not So Shining Moment
I love the book character much like Catelyn and will always defend her but there’s a bit in here that plays into the train wreck aspect where everything is going to hell and all the Winterfell men are being killed and she’s just like boy if only Jeyne would stop crying.
Yeah I know Sansa was probably putting up walls her to keep herself sane but still knowing what’s coming for Jeyne Poole you have to flinch at the whole, “Boy I’m glad she’s gone her crying was bugging me,” stuff.
And hell she’s even surprised when she finally thinks of her sister.
Overall I’m glad I reread it and look forward to going on with the project. I must admit though I skipped the part where Lady died and might do the same with the Red Wedding.
Game of Thrones: A
Reread Project: +1
Winds of Winter Announcement: Yeah, right. 🙂
They stayed at Winterfell. Happily ever after. Until the white walkers came and Jon came back to enlist the north’s help.
It’s so strange that Mirri Maaz Duur tried to prevent a conqueror coming into this world who would cause ruin and misery and instead 3 dragons were unleashed unto the world with more might and wrath than Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan’s child could hope to possess. I don’t think Dany felt strong enough to go up against Drogo at that point, so I understand where she’s coming from. Dany had good intentions, but hoo boy, misguided to not see it from Mirri’s perspective – but, in fairness, she was very young. And I still think she’ll go a little Mad Queen, possibly not full Mad Queen… Emilia Clarke being stumped and walking around for hours after reading the script makes me think that she didn’t realise how black and white Dany saw the world. I think her having Jon’s baby (if she does) would change a lot of things in her favour.
On the whole though, Sansa’s ‘worst’ actions are very few and they don’t compare to the bulk of other characters e.g. Tyrion murdering Shae, Daenerys killing the masters without hesitation, etc. If this is the worst Sansa could do, I’m glad I’m a Sansa Stan!
Oh I definitely agree about Sansa. I think it’s just a little hard rereading now and knowing what’s coming for poor Jeyne. First time around I probably didn’t think much of her just oh, poor girl. Considering the mess in the North I doubt it but I do hope that poor girl survives somehow. And then poor Jon 🙁 I don’t think he’s resurrection’s going to play out like it did in the show but he’s expecting that to be his beloved sister.
It is hard to re- read this knowing what happens to poor Ned (and Catelyn too)!
I appreciated Sansa so much more upon re- reads. The first time through I was sooo irritated at her and her decisions! But I feel like I understood her better, and could relate to what she was going through and how it would affect her decision- making, a lot more the second and further times around.
I hope your re- read causes GRRM to announce Winds hahahaha!
Ned: It will all be okay once we’re back in Winterfell.
Me: Oh, honey no…
I like watching GOT but I don’t think I’ll ever read the books. Is that weird?
Of course not. I adore the books but if I knew they were probably going to be unfinished I might have thought twice 🙂
I understand what you mean.
I read the books ages ago, and sometimes i’m still confused what happened in them vs how it’s shown in the series. I don’t really remember the Catlyn – Aria thing all that much.
I’m still wondering why Cat never returned on the series tho. I thought that was cool in the book.
Ugh! Don’t even get me started on the lack of Stoneheart while bringing back Beric. I can go for hours! Literally people have begged me to stop 🙂
hehe I really hope for all our sake that winds of winter comes by the time you finish this reread! I also think “stay in winterfell” is good advice and about sums it up 😉