I HATE THIS BOOK (A Storm of Swords spoiler review)

The emotional damage A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin gave me is absolutely untenable 😭 Tell me the things you wish I would've mentioned below!
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Channels mentioned
‪@readbykyle3082‬
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Chapters
00:00
00:47 - The red wedding
08:24 - Jaime Lannister
12:48 - I finally give my rating of this book
14:06 - Campfire (sponsor)
15:48 - Characters
30:06 - The purple wedding
31:25 - Some predictions
32:50 - Final thoughts
Socials
bookborn.reviews

[@gliduspyke]

i can't believe they cut Catelyn's hair, did they know that Ned loved it?

[@Bookborn]

😭😭😭☠️☠️☠️

[@ciandryl]

😢😢😢😢😢

[@Muhammad_Usman_Raza]

They never cut her hair, they just grabbed them to clear way to her throat,

[@gables2366]

@@Muhammad_Usman_Razawoosh

[@DjdhdNewlowueebqs]

Glad you like it! IS THE GOAT @@Bookborn

[@ignaciocamps]

"Unfortunately I really like Jaime, which is personally devastating" - Everyone who's ever read A Storm of Swords.

[@ZENOBlAmusic2]

Not really, I still don't like Jaime.

[@uraharasenpai8852]

⁠@@ZENOBlAmusic2i didn’t know that was possible, kudos to you lol

[@raphaelostrowski6336]

@@ZENOBlAmusic2Jamie in the books is the true hero and in season 8 they killed all his potential

[@ltbraca470]

Jamie has the best lines in FOC.

[@Bookborn]

Glad I'm not the only one who had to come to terms with it 🤣

[@EumenesOCardia]

I think the best part about why Robb marries Jayne is that he's not just doing it because it's the honorable thing. More specifically, it's the one thing his father's ever done that Robb sees as dishonorable, having a bastard. He marries her to avoid the specific mistake Ned made. I think that makes it much more tragic, in the classical sense.

[@Bookborn]

Thanks for making me hurt all over again cool cool cool

[@movieloverfan18]

Jayne Westerlings mother was a Spicer. The Spicers were merchants and extreme social climbers. The cash poor Westerlings had to marry for money. The Spicer fortune was started by Maggy the Frog. The one who gave Cersei the prophesy when she was a child. She was Jayne's grandmother. Most people believe that Sibel Westerling arranged what happened, sending Jayne to care for wounded grieving Robb, and likely made medicine tainted with love potions.

[@EumenesOCardia]

@@movieloverfan18 Yeah I mean, that's a reasonable theory, though I think a lot of the evidence for it comes from later books. But my point is about Robb's choices after knocking Jayne up.

[@Cflynn2001]

That brings me to a statement that could very controversial. The whole Stark-Frey-Tully conflict could have been avoided if Lady Catelyn didn’t have as much of a problem with Jon.

[@Corgifan2]

I think having Jon there cat constantly pointed out his bastard status ( Robb mentions it when Jon and him played when little and sansa always calls Jon their half brother) you would think cat would be proud of her son for not following his father. It just twists the knife that cats biggest flaw is what causes her sons downfall

[@Gunleaver]

I read a blogger on Tumblr who said that when she was reading the Red Wedding, she realized it was about to go down, by the food. Now in Westeros, throwing feasts and doing it right is important among the nobility, and a poorly done feast is almost as bad for your social standing as your daughter being caught naked before she's married. According to her, from the description of the food being served, it was very plain that the Freys did not care about what the meal would do to their reputation (because no one would be around to tell), and they did not want to waste good food on people who were about to die. Martin does not miss a trick.

[@johansmallberries9874]

Absolutely, and Martin does a LOT of food based story telling.

[@aahana4931]

things like these are why the re-read value this series has is insane, it's one of my comfort cozy fantasy reads 😭

[@Outlaw8908]

Being one that reads history a bit, I caught that too.

[@Gunleaver]

@@aahana4931 "The massacres form the background of my comfort cozy reads"! Only in Westeros.

[@Ashbrash1998]

Fun fact I'd that his grand descriptions of feast aren't stuck to the books he apparently tlt did the same to the scripts as well

[@seanrogers8933]

In Book 2, Dany has a vision in the House of the Undying in which she sees “a dead man with the head of a wolf” surrounded by corpses strewn about a feast. He literally describes the red wedding a book earlier!

[@thepacksurvives71]

Bran's chapters also foreshadow the red wedding. I was actually mad when I found so many hints to the red wedding during my reread.

[@Bookborn]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: GEORGE IS A MENACE TO SOCIETY

[@bookswithike3256]

@@thepacksurvives71 And Patchface.

[@AB-ee5tb]

@@bookswithike3256what did patchface say?

[@thepacksurvives71]

​@@bookswithike3256 And the Ghost of High Heart when they meet Arya. Damnit, George!

[@deezdgbt]

Arya pulling Catelyn out of the river as Nymeria and protecting her but not knowing why is the saddest shit ever

[@deezdgbt]

"Rise.... Rise and run with us!" I think she instinctually thinks Catelyn can warg because she recognizes her as family 😢

[@Bookborn]

SO FREAKING SAD

[@alveolate]

omg this was not in the show... maybe HBO really should remake GoT

[@thepacksurvives71]

@@alveolate Arya warging Nymeria are some of my favorite scenes in the series. I would love a GoT remake but with George heavily involved this time and after he at least finishes the next book.

[@alveolate]

@@thepacksurvives71if he ever finishes it lmao

[@Kollman2812]

Creepy tidbit of foreshadowing: before the wedding, when the northerners are being welcomed to the twins, Ser Ryman Frey says to Robb, ‘If you would follow me, my father awaits.’ Ryman’s father has already died in one of the battles at this point. He’s telling Robb he’s going to die tonight.

[@dee-taylor]

That, and the last two Arya chapters before the red wedding end with the Hound saying "the bloody wedding" and "your bloody brother"

[@Bookborn]

😳😳😳😳😳😳

[@Bookborn]

Freaking George STOP IT

[@catierobinson8969]

Don't forget the game the walders play at winterfell, "lord of the crossing," where they have to try and sneak in a "mayhaps" to render any vows invalid. If you reread the scene where wander Frey is welcoming the starks for the wedding, he says mayhaps when offering the starks guest right.

[@DiegoFernandesLima]

There's another crazy foreshadowing. The Frey boys at Winterfell talk about this game about breaking an oath. The rules of the game are: there is the Lord of the Crossing and someone who asks to cross the bridge. The person asking to cross needs to swear oaths, and if they put the word "maybe" in the middle of the oaths and the Lord of the Crossing doesn't notice, that person can break the oaths. And, when Robb arrives at the Twins, Lord Frey says that Robb took an oath and broke it, but he never said "maybe". When Cat asks for bread and salt to guarantee their right of guest (sort of an implicit oath between both parties), the son of a b**** Lord Frey says "maybe" twice and since this is not a custom that Cat or the northerners know, they don't even suspect anything.

[@roberthoeffer7419]

The Chapter with the Moon Door is a huge reveal because it is where you learn that Little Finger and Lysa kicked all of the events because they killed Jon Arryn. This book is so chalk full of major events, but that was such a huge shock to me

[@jtmplmbr4465]

Yeah, that was a major shock when Lysa starts letting it all out.

[@Bookborn]

I can't believe I didn't cover that part. That was one of the most SHOCKING parts!

[@alb0zfinest]

@@Bookborn Slight correction at like 22:30, arya's relationship with The Hound, not The Mountain. The Mountain is Sandors brother. I knew what you meant just for accuracy purposes.

[@porkmaster4312]

@@Bookborn part 2 video!

[@mayroblack1777]

That was so fucking awesome and the part about the tansy… like SO GOOD

[@jadejdei]

Your analysis of Jaime as a victim of abuse at the hands of Cersei is spot on. Like, I think a lot of people overlook his abuse when they describe his "redemption arc", bc IMO his arc isn't about redemption, but instead about becoming his own person outside of his sister. There's that scene in SoS in the White Sword Tower where he looks at his page in the kings guard book and just thinks that he now can write what ever he chooses, demonstrating that he doesn't want to be controlled any more. Also, the bear pit chapter is also my favorite chapter and it contains two of my favorite quotes from basically any book, so it made me happy to see that you also enjoyed that one! First of all, "In this light, she could almost be a beauty. In this light, she could almost be a knight." INCREDIBLE. CHILLS. And then of course, "I dreamed of you."

[@Bookborn]

"In this light she could almost be a knight" 😭😭 Brienne and Jaime side story where everything is actually happy WHEN

[@loiveir]

This is exactly how I see Jaime character, that he is a example of how the right or wrong people in our life shapes us, Cersei brings his worst traits, while Brienne brings the best out of him, it's also how I interpreted his dream, when he is down the caves at Casterly Rock, his family abandons him and he is there alone until Brienne shows up, he has to face his past ghost, the people he betrayed, and when his sword started fading, Brienne sword kept shining in the dark, showing him the light

[@Wolltazar]

Well he has to get a redemption for pushing Bran at least but other than that? Yeah he was just manipulated into everything. Apart from the kingslaying, but that was the best of the good deeds he’s ever done so..

[@Wolltazar]

Ok maybe not a redemption, but Bran should have a word about it when the two meet again.

[@pushista9322]

It's implied that Bran was not the first one Jaime killed in order to protect their incest. Over decades dozens of people must have seen them, and mostly it happened accidentally, like with Bran. Because Jaime and Cersei thought themselves demi-gods whose sexual needs were above all, so they weren't exactly discreet about their encounters. So, yes Jaime has a lot to redeem.

[@gregfinkelberg4816]

Jon and Ygritte’s relationship was elevated so much by the actors in the show. Their on-screen chemistry was so good and the actors are actually married now.

[@claytonschopfer8467]

It’s kind of amazing the amount of things the show was able to make even better than the already amazing books in the early seasons

[@didncozosksma4466]

@@claytonschopfer8467I choose to take show elements and mix them into the books, like Tywin and Arya; Robb Stark being a main character etc.

[@meurer13daniel]

@@didncozosksma4466 Twyin and Arya is low key the best original thing in the series. That shit is amazing

[@chrisd6287]

​@@didncozosksma4466yea, I definitely think the Tywin/Arya at harrenhall works way better than Bolton. Great change

[@BobbyFlay14]

@@chrisd6287Robert and Cersei in season 1 talking about lyanna. And all of little finger and varys verbal sparring scenes lol. None are possible in book obviously but they’re fantastic additions to the story

[@thatonemichael9202]

Another heart breaking foreshadowing to the red wedding is at the end of Catlyn chapter in A clash of kings, the chapter with Stanis and Renly, Catlyn see's her face reflecting in Renly's armor, and she thinks to herself that it looks like "The face of a drowned woman" just gives me chills everytime I read

[@Bookborn]

George is a complete menace

[@Chu9947]

​@@Bookbornyou have to do a reread once you finish the series.

[@Mic-Mak]

Also, in Book 1, Arya & Jon have a conversation in which they observe that Joffrey is dressed in the sigils of both his mother (Lion) and his father (Stag), and Jon suggest that Arya could do the same. Arya asks what would that look like, _a wolf with a trout in its mouth?_ In Book 3 in her dreams she wargs into her wolf Nymeria, and pulls out Catelyn's body from the river. A Wolf with a trout in its mouth.

[@laileleneirose7966]

And there is another where she describes her heart as having turned to stone.

[@laileleneirose7966]

@@Mic-MakOuch, I didn’t even get this one.

[@QuinnTheGM]

Wholeheartedly agree with your thesis on the Red Wedding! The core of that event to me is the characters, and how Robb, Cat, and even Walder Frey have been well-established as people. Everything they do leading up to and in that chapter makes sense for what we know about them at that point. It's an event that is clearly foreshadowed and more importantly is based entirely on the consequences of characters' actions. It's not about shock, it's about cause and effect. Very excited to hear your thoughts on Feast! It's an interesting book, and I would say the most divisive in the series. I wasn't a huge fan on my first read-through, but now it's my favorite in the series. I think it's the thematic core of Martin's work!

[@jenniferpearce1052]

After reading the books, I found davidreadsasongoficeandfire and listened to them while WFH. Feast is the one I listen to most!

[@DongusMcBongus]

I bring a sort of Dunk and Egg vibe to the TV studios that book readers don’t really like.

[@nont18411]

(Like the comment below said, so here is spoiler warning) This is what D&D missed the point about “subverting expectations”. The annihilation of House Stark both Ned and Red Wedding (and Jon’s “death” too, if you count that) weren’t just there to make “the good guys lose” and the “bad guys win”. They were consequences of the flaws of House Stark’s character about not being politically savvy enough or too driven by emotions that made them lost the advantage to the Lannisters, who were more jaded and manipulative. And their misunderstanding of GRRM’s writing culminated in the moment that Arya killed the Night King, which totally came out of nowhere and robbed Jon’s payoff (Jon doesn’t have to win. Jon could lose, like he used to, but he had to participate because protecting the world against the white walkers is the point of his character. He’s the one who’s most invested in this.)

[@jaimelannister1797]

@@nont18411 she reads these comments please stop putting spoilers. Or at least mark them

[@Bookborn]

I'm very excited for Feast, actually. From what I've heard (and again my expectations might be very wrong lol) I am expecting it to be slower/less action packed than Swords, but have a lot of emotional depth and character work. I know part of the reason it's divisive is because it only focuses on half of the viewpoints. I'm super curious how I'll feel about it.

[@Flammewar]

The way you describe how George manages to make you feel so intensely for the Red Wedding is my main reason for not wanting anyone else to finish ASOIAF. George's writing style and the way he weaves plot and characters together is such an important aspect of ASOIAF that I can't imagine another author replicating it

[@Bookborn]

Yes, people do a huge disservice to his writing when they claim it's just his plot points that make the book. The way he weaves everything together is WHY those plot points work as well as they do

[@b_delta9725]

@@Bookborn people who say that usually haven't even read the books and have only watched the series, or have absolutely no idea of the skill it takes to write character dynamics and dialogue

[@7PlayingWithFire7]

​@@b_delta9725Exactly. He is, in my humble opinion, the best writer I've ever read. His story is also unique. People will replicate shocking moments, but they won't be a good cause they won't do it "right" as there's so much more it than that. If I wait for 20 more years, and if that means I'll get the complete works, I'll wait.

[@Chu9947]

​@@7PlayingWithFire7Amen

[@maniravsadhur8409]

I hear what you're saying and I understand the sentiment, but given the "quality" of A Dance with Dragons, and obviously given the now practically established fact that Martin will never finish ASoIaF, it would have been better if someone else had taken up the story right after A Feast for Crows.

[@jpa5038]

Robb dies twice. When the dagger goes into his heart, his eyes gloss over white. Then Greywind dies right after. He warg'd into his direwolf and died again.

[@Hroupe]

I remember when I read a comment of someone explaining that years after I read the books. And even after all the time, the red wedding knife getting twisted still hurt a lot

[@CharlesBHamlyn]

One of my favorite games to play with new readers (when they are like halfway through Book 1): "Who is your favorite character?" "Probably Ned, or Drogo." "Yeah, they're awesome characters." "Why, who is yours?" "Jaime" "WHAT?!?! The guy that sleeps with his sister and pushes little kids out of windows?" "Yup." "Dude, what is wrong with you?" "You'll see." Re the Red Wedding: The thing that really hooked me on that was not only the thriller-genre shift, but the fact that we hear all these plans Rob has to take back the North. Surely we wouldn't be hearing all these amazing plans if Rob wasn't going to be able to actually carry them out right? Right? :(

[@Bookborn]

People I trusted said Jaime was their favorite so even though I had huge doubts I knew that I would probably be eating my words, but I was just eating them more than I ever expected 😂 and Rob. ROBBB 😭 GREY WIND 😭

[@roelvaessen6630]

This was me. Ned was my favorite, but after reading the first Jaime chapter I was sold. Too bad show Jaime was a bit of a letdown.

[@ccorvid]

​@@Bookborneven like a decade after my first read of the series I still cry about Robb. and Catelyn. and grey wind, and Jaime, and... the list goes on, in this tragedy of thrones

[@ZENOBlAmusic2]

I still don't like Jaime at all. People see Jaime thought his own heroic eyes they don't see him in perspective. That is exactly GRRM does so well of course. People need to be careful, everyone is a hero in their own eyes. The same true for some other Lannister's as well.

[@pushista9322]

​@@ZENOBlAmusic2 As Martin said "Every villain is a hero in their own story".

[@Joggi98]

A Feast for Crows is SO GOOD! A lot of people didn't like it when it was released because it was lacking all their favourite characters, but for me it's easily the most well written and interesting of the books. Amazing character development.

[@gizzardgizzard3583]

These videos are making me want to do a reread. I only read them once ten years ago and remember a noticeable decline in quality in the last two books. Maybe I just need to do a reread and they'll grow on me :)

[@Bookborn]

Based on what I've heard from some people who know my tastes, I have a feeling I'll really enjoy Feast.

[@KaiHung-wv3ul]

I really liked some of the new viewpoint characters, especially Cersei and Arianne.

[@bobfallen]

AFFC was amazing. I did a reread once where someone had woven AFFC and ADWD together and that was really cool too

[@Amberrogers]

I was so happy to finally be seeing cerseis perspective because for the first few books I was curious what was going on in her mind ​@@KaiHung-wv3ul

[@hjalmarbasile]

The Red Weddings are explicitly described one book before, as a vision by Daenerys in the House of the Undying. It's so obvious after you have read ASOS, but reading it for the first time you might miss the actual meaning. "Farther on she came upon a feast of corpses. Savagely slaughtered, the feasters lay strewn across overturned chairs and hacked trestle tables, asprawl in pools of congealing blood. Some had lost limbs, even heads. Severed hands clutched bloody cups, wooden spoons, roast fowl, heels of bread. In a throne above them sat a dead man with the head of a wolf. He wore an iron crown and held a leg of lamb in one hand as a king might hold a scepter, and his eyes followed Dany with mute appeal."

[@bjornerluffy]

Most people do not catch up that quickly on the fact that Jaime is 100% abused by Cercei. It is an eternally unequal relationship, because he loves her, but she only loves seeing herself in Jaime. Most people do not pick up on this until the next book or never, many people will still defend their relationship as not being abusive even after reading. Either way great job on the video

[@Bookborn]

I’m so glad I’m reading that right! Like I was shocked, it’s SO clear it’s abusive to me and it’s why I have sooo much empathy for Jaime despite everything. And the way she talks to him about their kids?

[@jewsco]

@@Bookborn yes Cercei is awful to everyone especially Jaime

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

I'm not sure Cersei's capable of being in a relationship where she *isn't* abusing or at least using the other person. Although I gained a bit of sympathy for the devil, so to speak, after reading some Cersei POV chapters (you've got a treat coming up there!), that look into her head also underscores just how sick she is, and how little she's actually able to care about other people as actual *people* rather than tools, or reflections or extensions of herself. She's really been conditioning Jaime into this messy, ugly "love" since they were way too young, and he has no idea how to have a healthy relationship because of her. The combination of losing his hand and travelling with Brienne forces him to begin to think for himself, maybe late, but better than never.

[@jaimelannister1797]

@@thing_under_the_stairsquit spoiling who gets POV chapters

[@Bookborn]

in fairness, this was spoiled to me a bit ago. Also nice username LOL@@jaimelannister1797

[@dee-taylor]

The scene with Brienne and Jaime in the baths at Harrenhal is one of my favorites in the entire series. I was worried the show wouldn't capture that feeling but they did, it was great. The show was good at one point...

[@Bookborn]

Every scene with Jaime and Brienne steals my heart tbh

[@Archius9]

The show does ruin this scene, just much later

[@SerbAtheist]

The show was great at every point.

[@MarkHogan994]

@@SerbAtheist Lol. No. It was an abysmal mess for huge portions. The last few seasons are embarrassing, some of the worst writing I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing.

[@jimiafolabi6998]

You mentioned that you watched the Daenerys scene in the tv show. I HIGHLY recommend checking out Tyrions trial where he gives his speech, "I am guilty of being a dwarf" It was so well done. One of the best acted scenes in the entire show IMO. I am still upset that Peter Dinklage did not win an Emmy that year, just for that scene alone

[@Fenix-lr6ez]

I agree it was one of the best scenes in the show, but tbh, I looove the way Tyrion and Oberyn's meeting ends in the books: "Not as your judge. As your champion". Which you don't get in the show cause Tyrion has already decided to do a trial by combat, so when Oberyn enters in his cell people already think it's because of the combat.

[@Bookborn]

I'll go look it up! I do imagine Peter Dinklage in my head when I read the books lol, I've only seen like on scene of him but he c aptured Tyrion perfectly for me

[@DongusMcBongus]

@@BookbornWhen you’re caught up, Alt Shift X’s “The Real Tyrion Lannister” is an amazing video. You mentioned that killing Shae seemed 100% in the heat of the moment. Alt Shift X does an amazing job highlighting all the times Tyrion shows that he really does have a vindictive/evil side. I think he and Cersei both try to emulate Tywin’s most toxic traits. Also also, even as bad as the show got seasons 5-8. 1-4 are masterpieces. Worth a watch. Yes, they’re violent and season 1 DOES fall into the trap of “look, bewbs!” (Especially one scene with Petyr that everyone reading this immediately thinks of, it’s the worst offender by FAR) But it’s one of THE best cast shows and book to screen adaptations ever. (For 4 seasons anyway.)

[@Bookborn]

Ok coming back after watching the trial, Dinklage KILLED IT.

[@DongusMcBongus]

@@Bookborn okay i promise to stop. But if you’re only gonna watch clips, which is totally valid, any scene with Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister…. SO good. Just look up the clip “You’re My Daughter”

[@AlexGordonMusic]

“I held a castle on the marches once, and there was a woman I was pledged to marry, but I could not find that castle today, nor tell you the color of that woman’s hair. Who knighted me, old friend? What were my favorite foods? It all fades. Sometimes, I think I was born on the bloody grass in that grove of ash… with the taste of fire in my mouth and a hole in my chest.“ That is my favorite line in all of fiction… And it’s in this book.

[@gensaikuroki1793]

Is this Beric Dondarrion?

[@Ghilannugs]

@@gensaikuroki1793 yes!

[@AlexGordonMusic]

@@gensaikuroki1793 yessir

[@lanestapp2]

Are you my mother, Thoros?

[@nevaehaho61]

The line for me that’s so telling of Jaime and Cersei’s relationship in Jaime’s first chapter is when he has Cleos shave his head and looks at his reflection and thinks “I don’t look so much like her now. She’ll hate that”. Cersei views Jaime as her reflection. She has all this internalized misogyny so she views Jaime as a perfect version of herself, except “Jaime never thinks”. Cersei doesn’t really love Jaime, she wants to have him because he’s a reflection of her, even having him shave his facial hair and wear his hair long to look more like her. She sees him as an extension of herself yet she is still superior because she’s the older twin that does all the thinking (at least that’s how she sees it). Jaime thinks it’s love though, which is really sad.

[@bernard6255]

I love grrm prose. There's a line that will always stick w/ me for its ability to vividly capture the moment w/ just a brief turn of phrase. In Jamie's pov when he faces off w/ Brienne and it's the 1st time he has a sword in hand since captivity,. Jamie either has the thought or maybe the omnipotent narrator interjects his pov to drop the gem "Time slept when swords awoke". In context, it was perfection.

[@Amantducafe]

George said in one of his interviews that he knew he needed to write that chapter but he couldn't. He build it up, it was innevitable, he just couldn't write it so he finished the book and left that chapter for last because it was very painful for him and yet when the time was right for him to write it he still struggled. I won't spoil anything but George couldn't kill Catelyn, as he claims every character is like a son/daugther to him, and this influenced his decision making because he is not an architect writer, he is a gardener and modifies his story depending on how characters grow and behave but also on how he feels a story can evolve into a more emotionally/heart wrenching moment or as he puts quotes "The human heart in conflict with itself".

[@Bookborn]

Well I'm glad he felt a tiny bit of what I felt reading it while he wrote it 🤣

[@frankie3010]

So he willingly has his "daughters" be raped and abused by his "sons"?

[@Corgifan2]

The quote “don’t cut my hair Ned loves my hair” broke me

[@tonyt3638]

The rare time when a spoiler makes you MORE vulnerable to being shocked lol

[@pickettmandi]

Thats a great way to describe the books.

[@FrshChees91]

This was the first book I read where I felt like I was gonna cry. And the surprising part for me was that it was Ygritte's death. The moment I read, "Jon Snow, is this a proper castle now? Not just a tower?" I got so choked up.

[@Bookborn]

It's SUCH an emotional scene and I didn't even feel that connected to Ygritte!

[@lindybjork2712]

I think one thing that gutted me the most about the Red Wedding was Arya. She was almost safe! She was almost there with her mom and brother. 😢 I agree about Bran. I think GRRM would write it in a way that we would love him becoming king. I think him becoming king being GRRM' s idea was actually comfirmed by him.

[@brucetucker4847]

The other way to put it is that she was almost dead. Would have been, if anyone else had been her traveling companion.

[@pushista9322]

If Arya reached her family earlier she would be dead at the Red Wedding, because there's no way she'd stay still and she'd get herself killed, like Cat. (Cat was supposed to become a hostage but she got herself killed as she wasn't going to comply). Martin doesn't mean any character to be good. They are all grey. In ASOS Bran learns how to warg people (he started warging Hodor routinely), and that's not fun. At the very least it's a violation of someone's personality. I'll not say more to avoid spoilers for Bookborn...

[@magnusengeseth5060]

To say nothing of how the books heavily imply that The Hound straight up just kills her outside the castle. Not only is the last sentence in her chapter something about his axe striking her head, but he is a much shadier character in the books than in the show at this point, as we have only seen him through the eyes of various Starks. So it does not seem as unlikely to book readers that he would just go "fuck it, her family is dead so I can't sell her, might as well kill her then."

[@pushista9322]

@@magnusengeseth5060 I suppose if he did want to kill Arya, he'd have hit her harder. But she didn't even have a serious wound

[@magnusengeseth5060]

@@pushista9322 Yeah, it's a fakeout on the readers. I just wanted to explain to people who only watched the show why this was at least semi-plausible to some readers back when.

[@NonAnonD]

The purple wedding was completely shocking to me as a show only watcher. I didn’t think anything crazy was going to happen at any wedding after the red wedding, and I thought Joffrey would be around to torment everyone for years. Then he’s just… swollen and dead.

[@Bookborn]

It’s the best kind of shock when it’s like… even obnoxious villains can die. Nobody has plot armor

[@Mic-Mak]

Although it was spoiled for me, what I did appreciate about Season 4 of Game of Thrones is that it changed the pace of major events which were becoming too predictable. The events themselves weren't predictable, but people always expect big stuff to happen in E09, the penultimate episode. The fact that they happened in E02, E08, and E10, was disorienting in a good way.

[@KaiHung-wv3ul]

"Monsters are dangerous, and this autumn kings are dropping like flies."

[@cuuuuuuuuuuuuuum]

"I dreamed of you." is the best line in the whole series.

[@mayroblack1777]

I really like “he gave gold hands another twist while the harm ones whipped away his tears” …. Idk , something about that line is just so good to me lol

[@Bookborn]

The way my jaw dropped when I read it lol (for once, of happiness, and not utter despair like usual with this book)

[@cuuuuuuuuuuuuuum]

​@@mayroblack1777is that when he's killing Shae? Actually I'm glad you brought that chapter up because it also has "Thank you brother, for my life" which is another amazing moment. Cause I think he's saying thanks to Jaime for his entire life. Jaime was the only one who gave a fuck about him his entire life, and stood up for him, and without Jaime Tyrion would probably have been killed a bunch already.

[@lanestapp2]

Ellaria's Where does it end? Would like a word.

[@dr.embersfield1551]

"Come, dance with me then" - Waymar Royce, when he saw an ancient mythical ice creature, never seen for 8000 years. The balls he showed with this simple line...

[@txy9911]

I would recommend reading A knight if the seven kungdoms before Feast for crows. Brilliant humorous stories that give a lot of lore for books 4 and 5

[@ccorvid]

now that you mention it, Dunk & Egg might be the perfect little come down book after Storm, and before the slower Feast. especially for all the useful lore you mentioned too!

[@Bookborn]

That's my plan!! I just forgot about it briefly lol

[@DongusMcBongus]

“I dreamt of you.” Is my favorite moment in the books. Feast is the book that on reread most people I know enjoy it MUCH better than the first time through. I think the fact that a lot of fan favorites are not in Feast AND it had to follow aSoS. Which in itself was a climax. So feast is much slower setting the stage for act two.

[@ccorvid]

I've heard of the method where you read Feast and Dance chapters interwoven 👀 I need to give it a try some time

[@a.p.2019]

I had NOT put together the abusive grooming angle with Jaime but that is such a brilliant discription of what changes in his POV - all the way to "The things I do for love."

[@Hroupe]

Someone here mention Lancel as another example of her doing it again and it made so much sense.

[@avah3643]

I think for the next 2 books its just really important to realize they are totally different beasts than the first 3. The pacing is slower and they are wayyy more introspective. The fourth book is my personal favourite because it really feels like the themes of the series are on full display, and the pov characters provide some really interesting insights. On Jaime, I would really pay attention to the theme of Knighthood in his chapters, especially how it relates back to the grooming you mention in this video. I would say it's definitely a lesser talked about idea, but GRRM really takes his time to detail the destructive and abusive nature of the institute of knighthood, and how it harms young boys in similar ways that young girls are harmed in asoiaf. Glad you're enjoying the series! Even with all the emotional pain it causes haha.

[@avah3643]

Also, I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but once you finish the series, "A Search of Ice and Fire" may just become your best friend, it's a database of the entire series and you can choose certain books or pov characters to search within. Say you want to know how many times Bran mentions the three eyed crow, or Dany the house with the red door. It's a great little tool and I have used it wayyyy too many times.

[@pushista9322]

​@@avah3643 Oh my god, that's awesome

[@SimDeathMethul]

Feast for Crows is also a really great book but can feel slower, a lot of great POV. Edit: Also watching Joffrey die on the show not having read the book at that time yet was one of the most cathartic moment in TV history. Ever.

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

Hell, even having read the books and knowing what was coming, watching Joffrey die on the show was some amazing catharsis! The acting was top quality too, especially from Jack Gleeson and Lena Heady, who are both soooo good at being evil. Seeing their characters' vulnerability, pain and terror was delicious.

[@Wolltazar]

Yeah, on my first read, Brienne's POVs killed the Feast for me. Too many of them with too little to offer.. I’m currently on my second read and doing the combined Feast + Dance together. I hope that I will change m mind about it 😅

[@pushista9322]

​@@thing_under_the_stairs There's a theory that Cersei was trying to kill Tyrion with a poisoned pie (a servant putting that spoon of lemon sauce on the piece of pie) but little did she know, her son got his hands on the poisoned pie before Tyrion.

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

@@pushista9322 I've been fond of that theory for a long time now. Cersei's clever attempt at killing Tyrion coming back to kick her in the teeth would be very fitting indeed, and there's some pretty good textual evidence to support it, too. After all, Joffery started to choke right after he ate that bite of pie, not after he'd drunk the wine, and that poison starts to work almost instantly. Making Joffrey be the unwitting agent of his own death while trying to humiliate his uncle seems very fitting as well.

[@ElderVault]

I absolutely love Tyrions line to Tywin: “I am you writ small.” It’s absolutely spot on. Tywin was obsessed with grooming his children to be his perfect successors, but his hatred blinded him the only one who truly took after him.

[@harrisonsmith3725]

This is the first novel to ever make me punch a couch out of anger. Thanks George. I also maniacally laughed during the final Sansa chapter when George revealed how Littlefinger has been manipulating almost everything from the start.

[@greywolf7577]

But my question is did George plan for Little Finger to be the one who got Jon Arryn killed when he was writing the first book or did he only come up with that when writing the third book?

[@KingJori_]

@@greywolf7577 I think he left it ambiguous to begin with because he wanted it to be a surprising reveal whomever he decided it was. For instance, while Cersei is the obvious choice, Littlefinger is clearly a more interesting character to pull it off. Another good character to do it could have been Varys, or even Jaime (him doing it on his own rather than at Cersei's behest could've been REALLY interesting). Having Illyrio pull the strings may have worked as well, knowing the later books, but I think he made the right call w/ Petyr.

[@nicoleackerman205]

They did him and Stannis dirty in the TV show.

[@fergie8287]

If she had such a turn reading jamie, i am excited to see how she reacts to cersie

[@Bookborn]

I'm dying to read from her POV. She's so diabolical I know it'll be a good time

[@syedshahrukhraza2923]

@@Bookborn Fair warning. Just like Jaime, Cersei's POV is probably not what you expect it to be.

[@hananiatacorelis2152]

​@@syedshahrukhraza2923what does one expect it to be?

[@nzcamel3]

No spoilers!! Geeeez

[@GelidPrince]

​@syedshahrukhraza2923 its exactly what I expected. An awful person.

[@Johanna_reads]

Loved your takes! I’m a huge book 4 & 5 defender. I read the books right around the time Season 1 came out, so I was also not spoiled for anything. Same shock over everything! So happy you didn’t get spoiled!

[@Bookborn]

I'd be surprised if I dislike 4 & 5. I'm fine with slower, more character-dev books (Dandelion Dynasty is often like this and it's one of my fav series ever!)

[@The_Wild_Healer]

I'll admit I wasn't the biggest fan of Feast until I re-read it. I think it's one of the strongest books in the series now.

[@Johanna_reads]

Glad you enjoyed it more on reread! I loved the whole book but lived for all the Cersei chapters!

[@maniravsadhur8409]

I loved book 4 and I absolutely hated book 5.

[@KaiHung-wv3ul]

I absolutely loved Feast and some chapters of Winds(Jon, Dany, Davos, Tyrion, and the ones carried over from Feast), but I felt like some of the others were not very interesting.

[@dcblunt666]

I hope you enjoy AFFC and ADWD. A good portion of the fandom see them as lesser, but I think they’re both incredible. Some of Martins best prose is in both. AFFC begins to branch into new characters and plot points that are incredible once you get over them being “new”

[@Chu9947]

I love the last 2 books.

[@zeynaviegas]

i think AFFC is my favorite one. it has so much politics in it, the world gets expanded upon so much, a lot of really cool sceneries... although it might be my faulty memory. its been four years since i last read it, i might start again

[@Kidd-In-Charge]

You were kind enough to not actually read out the prose of the red wedding. Then you read out Ygritte’s last words and I’m crying on a Wednesday morning

[@Bookborn]

Lmao I’m sorry 🤣🤣 it’s such a well done and emotional scene 😭

[@CharlesBHamlyn]

First, thanks so much for doing this. SoS is my absolute favorite book of all time and I've been waiting patiently for you to get here. I have this vision of GRRM writing the first 2.75 books and having all these storylines drifting all over the place and he just grabs them all, lays them on a cutting board and slams a clever down on them... that's what the last few chapters feel like with all the deaths and revelations. I'm sure other people have mentioned but the best part of this series is re-reading it. There's SO much foreshadowing in Book 1 and 2 about stuff that goes down in 3. There's so many mentions of Stannis, and Dorne, and Slaver's Bay that go right over your head until after you've met the people and been to the places. There are tons of the things in the next two books that you will miss on your first read through. It doesn't detract from anything, just makes re-reading it so satisfying. I've read the series at least 10 times, and there's still stuff I find out only after someone online mentions their theory.

[@maliciousone5665]

Lot of authors/TV people take the wrong lessons from his work the "red wedding", "ned's execution" and other events hit so hard is not the "shock value" or the "defying of expectations". It is that the characters feel like REAL people which is why we care about them. The actions that they take make sense to their personaliity and motivations. The consequences of those actions make logical sense too (ned & rob's being honorable being their death sentence. when doing the dishonorable thing would of been the safer/better way to go). Things don't happen out of nowhere in Martin's work there is also alot of foreshadowing for most of the major events in the books (on re-reads it is shocking how much there is).

[@alexfdezpal]

Maybe it was because the actress does such an amazing job in the show but Ygritte was amazing to me and I feel like the impact she had on Jon is way more than initially thought here. Amazing reviews, love to see someone getting to all this for the first time

[@Bookborn]

Oh yes I should say I LOVE her affect on Jon. Like I got choked up at her death because of Jon. I just wasn’t super in love with her herself as a character 🤣

[@alexfdezpal]

@@Bookborn oh seems like I misunderstood you! That’s totally fair. I must say when it comes to characters I love how much you defend Catelyn, such an underrated figure in the fandom. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on how she develops now.

[@brucetucker4847]

Yet another issue with the show: he seems to entirely forget her by the later seasons. He's already been responsible for the death of his first love, you'd think that would merit even a fleeting thought or mention when he realizes he has to kill his second.

[@brucetucker4847]

@@Bookborn You know nothing, Bookborn. ;-)

[@pushista9322]

Show Ygritte is much more attractive than book Ygritte. One problem with the show is they only show crooked teeth with evil characters like Joffrey and Ramsay (and even then their teeth are not crooked, just uneven a bit). In the books Ygritte, Brienne and some other characters have crooked teeth as a means of making them more difficult to love.

[@isa_txo]

Storm of Swords has a lot of surprising moments and twists but for me, the most unexpected will always be that Lysa and Petyr killed Jon Arryn.

[@potbelliedpowermodel]

These videos are so good. I'm just catching up now, but it's so validating to hear that you love Catelyn too and that it does not bother you that there may never be an ending. I'm reading these books for like the fourth time now and hearing someone else's opinion as they go through it the first time is great. I am 100% with you about how the Wedding is not the most violent or gruesome thing I've ever read (Jack Ketchum I'm looking at you), but it's so upsetting in such a uniquely horrible way. It's so nice to hear Martin's prose get the respect it deserves, because you're right, he's an astonishing prose writer.

[@Bookborn]

It's so funny how many people are trying to convince me I'll regret reading them. I totally understand people who hate not having endings, but I already feel like I gained so much from these books even I stopped now!

[@JesusIzAPunkRocker]

Oh man hearing you explain how you only *thought* the Red Wedding was spoiled for you really brings me back. That was peak GOT. The utter heartbreaking betrayal which happens again and again in those books really is compelling.

[@hristol7537]

The last line in the epilogue is unforgettable. "And up, and up, and up".

[@albinausachova]

I would love to hear every chapter review honestly

[@nevaehaho61]

I love looking online and finding George’s initial drafts and seeing how things didn’t go as planned and Jaime is the best example. He was intended to be one of the big villains of the series and as Martin wrote he became one of his best characters. That is so cool to me

[@OneFiction666]

I personally think that omitting the Storm epilogue from the show in adaptation was the greatest detriment not only because of Catelyn coming back but also because it gave so much characterization to a member of a house that only a chapter ago we were supposed to hate. George giving humanising qualities and changing perspectives on how we see characters, even minor ones like Merret Frey is incredible. That's also the reason why i think the prologue to Feast is my personal favourite chapter.

[@Ashbrash1998]

Fun fact about Robb is that *possible spoiler* There's a theory that he warged into Grey Wind once his human body died. And on the show we just have Arya see GW get shot full of crossbow bolts and die looking at Arya. But what .akes it so much WORSE is that according to Vanity Fair, on GRRM's original script, Bran sees a dream/vision of Robb dying on the floor and his face morphs into Grey wind's. So the show basicslly said Robb died twice and the last thing he saw was his baby sister's face surrounded by death and enemies. And he couldn't save her.

[@Pastalgia]

Reading Jaime in feast for crows was coolest part of the books for me. I wish I could read it for the first time. So exited for you to read it.

[@hannahbun]

It's great to see you appreciating the series for all the exact reasons I love it!! Honestly kind of love that you got spoiled on Joffrey for how it saved your experience of the Red Wedding. It's kind of like your Game of Thrones review where you were convinced Ned had to live because of all the people you saw talking about him.

[@rickiesix1888]

I read all five books of ASOIAF in 2010 or so, before the series had started. Trying to explain to people who had no cultural reference or context whatsoever just how impactful and compelling (and occasionally devastating) this fiction story is was almost impossible. I still wholeheartedly recommend people read the books (even knowing full well we may never get a finish to the story). This is a story that I believe really shines through more in written format. Character viewpoint, thoughts, inner monologues, etc. are all so well written and add so much to the already brilliant characters that simply are not possible in video format.

[@valente970]

The way you can distinguish between a true hardcore and casual fan of the books is whether they think Feast is underrated. Thematically it’s such an important book for the series.

[@Smoug]

im curious to know why you think so!

[@brucetucker4847]

At this point it's been so long since I read them that I have a hard time remembering what was in any given book.

[@pickettmandi]

The 4th and 5th books are tough the first time through, but after understanding them they're my favorite books.

[@aSneakyDaffodil]

Speaking on how its the way GRRM wrote the red wedding and not just the events itself. His gift for building atmosphere is amazing. Fevre Dream by GRRM is one of my favorite books ever and the atmosphere just oozes off of every single page in that book. Definitely more of a horror story but I feel like he pulled on those roots for the red wedding.

[@praiha]

Fevre Dream was freaking amazing. I only wish Dying of The Light was half as good.

[@tanyam928]

"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." Sorry you were so traumatized. If you do watch some other scenes, watch the trial and the Mountain/Viper fight (maybe close your eyes at the end). Tyrion's speach is so good, and Oberyn was so charismatic throughout all his scenes and i loved him. The fight was really well choreographed/ filmed

[@paulcourtemanche3549]

I’ve never realized the connection of Cat being resurrected because of the curse for breaking guest right. That’s a great connection. I do think your opinion on Jaime and Cersei’s relationship will change. It’s a lot more complex that simply saying Cersei abused Jaime. And Jaime’s redemption arc is a lot more complex and self centered than it initially seems.

[@Bookborn]

Yeah It's not like I'm feeling that Jaime is suddenly a hero, hardly, I just feel that I understand where he's coming from, and it doesn't feel like he's just a straight up villain anymore.

[@pushista9322]

When Bran's little party reaches the Nightfort he remembers the story about Rat Cook who violated the guest right and was cursed.

[@tacoblude8208]

One minor character death that hit me hard was Wendel Manderly. He’s just eating his meal and minding his own business when some Frey **** shoots him in the mouth with a crossbow. And he was protecting Cat since early book 2.

[@Gunleaver]

Stannis showed up because of Davos, because he made Davos Hand. Stannis took Davos from a lowborn criminal, and made him a knight, he placed his trust in Davos, he recognized his quality where no other noble would have. When he scorns advice of the lords and knights outside Storms End, he asks Davos' opinion and it clearly matters to him. When his uncle-in-law and castellan brings him a proposal he knows is wrong, but is lacking the heart to argue against, he brings forth Davos to give his opinion. And when Davos ignores the credible threats against his life out of loyalty to Stannis, it is Stannis that rewards him with a lordship and the position of Hand. I too am ride or die for House Stark, but no moment in the series made me want to swear fealty to a king more than when Davos says that Stannis' lords will not obey him, and Stannis says "Then we will make new lords," and takes his hand to pull him to his feet. This is how Martin does rewards for virtue in the series. His thesis is not that virtue is stupid or useless, and only strength and cunning matter, rather the series argues that virtue is worth it all on its own, from the first prologue, where a, scared, inexperienced and out of his depth young man stands up against the Others, however futilely, and the narration states how right then "he was a boy no longer, but a man of the Night's Watch". Stannis doing right, and appointing Davos not because of his power, his connections or his cunning, but because of his virtues of loyalty, honesty and morality, pays off, not with riches or power, but because Davos keeps doing the right thing, and saves Stannis from the illusory morality of sacrificing a child to save the world. Doing the right thing is good, even if you don't materially benefit from it, because it makes the world a little bit better, and makes it easier, even if only slightly, for someone else to do the right thing and to keep passing it on. Yes, Stannis came when Davos showed him the way, but Davos showed him the way, because Stannis gave him reason to believe he would listen and do the right thing. Davos helps Stannis, because Stannis proves that he is worth helping.

[@ignorance112]

I was going to comment something similar, a lot of the reasons why Davos shines the way he does is because of Stannis' merits. The way Bookborn seems to view it is that Stannis is somewhat made good by a loyal follower like Davos while the actual case is that Stannis attracts and elevates good people like Davos thanks to his own qualities as a leader, there is a reason why Davos serves Stannis and not any other noble or ruler.

[@Gunleaver]

@@ignorance112 Part of that reason is that no other lord would have Davos in his service to the degree that Stannis does, but that again, speaks to his credit. More than any other leader or would-be ruler, Stannis recognizes, and acts on, merit.

[@DiegoFernandesLima]

I don't know if Tyrion killing Shae is out of character for him. Tyrion is a very complex character and I love him. He's had a terrible relationship with his family and people in general, he has some good qualities, but also some very horrible ones. He's a misogynist rapist, a lot of people have already explained to me how he was raping Shae all the time in King's Landing and I agree with them. So, him killing Shae after she was CLEARLY FORCED to do something against him seems quite plausible to me. Tyrion is not the golden rosemary that people paint him as, much less a sensible fairy.

[@justdirt]

On reread or if you watch enough video analysis of these books, seeing how the Red Wedding is predicted like 5 separate times and we actually see Roose Bolton plan it. Arya watched him send the letter to Tywin. If I wasn't currently reading the Stormlight Archive series, I would be rereading A Song of Ice and Fire. There is a reason why Theory channels are still making original content and new ideas even 12 years after the last book came out.

[@thorsday121]

Genuinely don't understand how people don't love Stannis. He's so compelling. He has absolutely no charisma or political acumen whatsoever, and yet manages to be a major competitor against the other kings because he's the only one who isnt an idiot (sorry Robb, it hurts but it's true).

[@CaptainPikeachu]

If you’re able to, I would recommend watching the Red Wedding clips from the show because the performances from Richard Madden (Robb) and Michelle Fairley (Catelyn) are sooooo powerful. I’m still mad that Michelle especially never got an award for that. She utterly destroyed me. You would really love her as Catelyn. Also Richard Madden has a story that he was so emotionally distraught from filming that and it being his last day of filming that he didn’t even have the energy to wipe off the make up blood before getting on a plane just all bloodied up like a madman.

[@Bluerock121]

Honestly I really love feast! It’s so character focused and I think you’ll be surprised with how many of the characters are explored. I’m sure you will, but definitely give it a chance!

[@jrpotter9659]

Original book reader. I saw all the signs and walked blindly into the Red Wedding. All the foreshadowing just got tucked into a little box in the back of my brain that said "Do Not Open" and boy was I pissed off!

[@adamborst]

What a fantastic intro to the video. That response from Kyle is completely on brand. I remember telling people that hadn't read the books when the show was going, 'if you think you've seen brutality or shocking moments you just wait'. It is very enjoyable to watch your recaps of these books, it makes me want to dig my books out of storage and read them. I read the first 4 books back to back so I get mixed up as to which book things happen in. I don't know how deep you want to get into the lore without having finished the existing books, but there's a channel "In Deep Geek" that has a lot of stuff there.

[@readbykyle3082]

Hey in fairness she cut my initial first response 😂😂😂

[@adamborst]

LOL! 🤣

[@ladythistle8085]

The foreshadowing for that event is soooo good.. “Kings blood, fools blood, blood on the maidens thigh. But chains for the guests and chains for the beidegroom. Aye, aye, aye.”

[@tazter]

not being spoiled on the red wedding is incredible, wish i could've had that first reading experience too :(

[@1siddynickhead]

Congratulations! You're not a sweet summer child anymore 😂 You're one of us now. Also, this is only the beginning 😅 Also, totally agree, Jaime is cersi's creature..it all started so young, he never stood a chance. From the womb itself😢

[@billhinshillwood2670]

The awesome thing about the red wedding is that when rereading the chapter or rewatching the episode the dread, anticipation, and fear is even more evident than on a first read or watch, even though you know it's coming. On the first read it comes out of nowhere, but on a reread you can see it coming a thousand miles away!!

[@gavinwarren9705]

I feel like you glossed over the reason that Tyrion told Jaime he did it, which was the stuff with Tysha

[@Bookborn]

I’m still processing that information tbh

[@derrisreaditbefore]

@@Bookborn it could take a while to absorb. I've done multiple reads, and I still get hit with moments where I realize how deeply damaged Tyrion is about it. Believing the lie for so long, that he's so utterly unlovable, only to discover it's so much worse and now he has to live with the truth, all on top of knowing that the one person he trusted implicitly had betrayed him so brutally.

[@brucetucker4847]

@@derrisreaditbefore If Tysha had been a pro, Tywin's treatment of her would have been cruel and awful, but given the truth, it was evil and horrific beyond imagination, especially making Tyrion to take part. After that revelation, I was kind of surprised he didn't shoot Tywin without saying a word. Jaime should never have told him that, all it did was cause him more pain and trauma. But of course Jaime was an idiot when it came to any kind of interpersonal relationship, which I guess wasn't really his fault given his background and upbringing.

[@Wolltazar]

@@Bookborn also, about Tyrion murdering Shae and Tywin.. shouldn’t be as shocking, he was becoming more evil theoughout the book as everybody hated him, there was attempt on his murder (rip nose) and he even killed that minstrel before Joff's wedding because he simply didn’t like him

[@elipetrou9308]

@@derrisreaditbefore “where do whores go”

[@schizoidahole]

Lol, the moment we’ve all been waiting for. The bravest, most shocking, and yet most foreshadowed moment in the history of literature (in my opinion). I remember first seeing it on the show, and I was shocked. But I wasn’t that invested in the characters involved so I wasn’t that affected, but when I read the books and fell in love with Catelyn, I cried. Glad you experienced it unspoiled. Now hopefully you enjoy AFFC, it’s personally my favorite book but is met with very mixed reviews.

[@Bookborn]

That's the worst part about the scene, is it's SO FORESHADOWED (people in the comments are telling me so many incredible ones I missed on first read!) And yet it still feels absolutely unbelievable and shocking. Masterclass

[@schizoidahole]

@@Bookborn What’s crazy is that I’m on my 3rd read of the series and when I was reading the first 3 I was still catching moments that foreshadowed it. And I just curse George for being such a sneaky and amazing writer. Lol

[@Aurelian_-vu3yz]

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on Feast and Dance. They’re definitely a lot more drawn out, but the character arcs are really great. Just like Clash basically doubled the scope of the story from Game of Thrones, Feast and Dance take that even further.

[@JMoondog15]

It was July 2012, I was visiting family in Scotland. I was up reading at 2am when the red wedding struck me. The book went flying across the room many curse words were screamed and I was hooked on George's writing from that moment on. Also, keeping that secret and others for years for show only watchers was insanely difficult

[@Hroupe]

It's been years and years since I've read Storm of Swords. Listening to you talk about it makes my chest feel tight just like when I was reading it for the first time. It crazy how impactful this book is.

[@BenIsOnlyAsking]

Also I would say a lot of us ASOIAF super fans are able to admit at this point that in retrospect A Feast For Crows is probably the best, most theme heavy, most well paced and contained story of the series. I’m excited for you to get into all the unique oddities that book has in store!!

[@Smoug]

what do you mean by theme heavy?

[@BenIsOnlyAsking]

@@Smoug well a lot of George RR Martin’s writing focuses on themes obviously (I.e. Anti-war, Anti-violence, Feminism and Existentialism, the concept of Otherizing people) but Feast really takes these ideas and tells very well contained stories that don’t rely on the rest of the narrative to aid in communicating those themes. I think the Brianne story in Feast really encapsulates what George means to say with the series as a whole. The whole book takes a step back from the main plot and the action packed scenes we’re expecting post Storm to remind the readers why we fell in love with the series. Action and plot are great, but inner character turmoil is why George’s writing is so captivating and Feast gives him so much room to exercise that skill.

[@WatashiMachineFullCycle]

I always loved how much you loved Cat because her chapters are my favourite chapters too, but I knew this video was coming and it was gonna hurtttt. Sorry for your losses. 😩 I'm so excited for the next book though, A Feast for Crows is my absolute favourite title in the series.

[@Bookborn]

Yeah everyone hearing my entire Cat gush session last video was the equivalent of those memes that's like "photo taken moments before disaster"

[@ccorvid]

​​​@@Bookbornidr if I ended up making a comment on your Clash vid, but I'm so glad you still love her after this book! (how could we not, am I right??) I wish people didn't hate her so much. she of course makes "mistakes" which hurt their cause, but she was in no way solely responsible for their failure. and I could never blame or hate her for taking the actions that she did!

[@fabiocasarino3724]

If you'd do a 30 minutes video per chapter i'd watch every single second of it. This book is amazing, I cried a lot during It's chapters. The death of Lysa was a final proof that Petyr and Lysa killed Jon Arryn and that is HUGE. And maybe I was the only one who got excited about the revelation of Ser Barristan with Dany? Like OMG I did not see that one coming... I read this book like 1 year ago and i had already forget how much happens in it. Best book of the series hands down. I can't wait for you to read the last two!!

[@rsmlinar1720]

I know Stannis is not really a good man... But i love Stannis. He is kind of like a dark lord jealous Uncle who resides in a dark fortress on an island, never smiles, burns people alive, and has a sorceress that does blood magic for him. Its really Davos and his view of stannis that makes him a bit more likable. He is also like a dark mirror of Ned. Cares abour justice and honor, but has no love for almost enything or enyone, and unlike Ned he thinks ends justify the means,and forgets about honor and fairness when he believes there is some greater good. He is very entitled, and stubborn, but also loyal to his men and suffers with them.. Again he is not a good person by eny stretch, even evil at times but also has some very strong qualities. More complex then most side characters, and that makes him very interesting to me.

[@saiganesyajonnalagadda3782]

Wow! I never read the books and just a show watcher, but your infectious energy and the way you eloquently express your opinions across on KZbin give me all the reasons to subscribe!. I am sad that we won’t get another ASOIAF review video until Feb/March but we will be here waiting ❤

[@bjornk9638]

The Caitlyn chapters before the Red Wedding are so haunting looking back at it. The gloomy atmosphere and foreshadowing: From Catelyn's second to last chapter when she arrives at the Twins: Edmure Tully edged his horse forward. “When shall I meet my betrothed?” “She waits for you within,” promised Edwyn Frey. “You will forgive her if she seems shy, I know. She has been awaiting this day most anxiously, poor maid. But perhaps we might continue this out of the rain?” “Truly.” Ser Ryman mounted up again, pulling Petyr Pimple up behind him. “If you would follow me, ***my father awaits***.” He turned the palfrey’s head back toward the Twins. Ser Ryman's father is Ser Stevron Frey, one of Robb's generals who dies after Oxcross. He's literally telling Robb and his entourage that they're seeing his deceased father in the afterlife. From u/pPlastastic.

[@Fenix-lr6ez]

George Martin in this book: The time has come. Execute Order 66 About the Red Wedding foreshadowing, there's a ton. In Daenerys' chapter in ACOK in the House of the Undying, she passes through a hall where there's a guy with a wolf's head pierced by multiple arrows, and the people in the benches are dead too. That's why the House of the Undying is one of the top chapters for every ASOIAF fan, it improves massively on second read. Also, I don't remember if it was in a Clash or Storm, Patchface (Stannis' fool) sang: "Fool's blood, king's blood, blood on the maiden's thigh, but chains for the guests and chains for the bridegroom, aye aye aye". The fool being Aegon Frey (the one Catelyn kills), Robb obviously the king, "blood on the maiden's thigh" meaning a wedding, and the bridegroom being Edmure. And last, in what I think it was the last Arya chapter in ACOK, Roose Bolton says something like "Time to hunt some wolves". That and him sending Glover and Tallhart to Maidenpool to fight a battle where he knew they would lose, and afterwards telling Robb it had been their idea, not his. He wanted to send every Stark loyalist to their graves, while keeping the Bolton men safe.

[@saggxnoah1979]

Despite having already watched the show before reading the books, Tyrion's last chapter still left me devastated. I know that the red wedding is often the most spoken about event, but the whole interaction of Jaime freeing Tyrion, dropping that massive bomb about Tysha and their hostile separation, followed by Tyrion killing Shae and Tywin, just made kept my heart beating throughout. It's even more devastating that Tyrion doesn't even kill her out of self defence here but out of pure hatred; her betrayal of him, his resentment of his entire family, him just having learnt about Tysha all lead to that crushing part as he sings the song as she dies. Definitely my favourite chapter in the book.

[@mayroblack1777]

Honestly, Catelyn became my favorite character in the books… in the show, I never really gave her that much thought but George just made me love her and I knew the red wedding was coming but I liked her so much that for one mad second I thought “maybe she’s gonna live” lol

[@ninacroftchannel]

We're all emotionally scarred, trust me. I remember when I was reading the Storm of Swords for the first time (I refuse to watch the TV show). I was SO ANGRY at the author, that I boycotted the sequels for YEARS before I continued with the reading. And two or three years later, when I started to read Feast of Crows, I still remember that I threatened the author :) "Kill another child of Ned Stark and I'll officially boycott you for the rest of my life, no matter how great an author you are!" I know it's fiction and fantasy, I know it's not real, I KNOW that. But GRR Martin really has this unique talent of creating characters that literally become your best friends, your lovers and your family.

[@cmac3530]

I feel like the love for Jon/Ygritte was really amplified by the show's portrayal using Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie who obviously had amazing chemistry together as they are now married with children.

[@The_Wild_Healer]

I went from wishing Jaime would get worse than losing his hand to cheering him on by the end of this book.

[@gulsahalkan5578]

Really? I already kinda like him before his hand cut off. he was funny honest he really loves family he doesn't interested in power etc.

[@pyabs2234]

I couldn't pick up the book for a month after reading the red wedding. I think the way GRR Martin writes, is just so matter of fact, each line still hits hard. It's an amazing talent to be able to do that.

[@moonrockinmynose5689]

Foreshadowing of the Red Wedding also appears in one of the visions Dany has in the House of the Undying. That's why that scene and those visions are so important and obsessed over by the fans. "Farther on she came upon a feast of corpses. Savagely slaughtered, the feasters lay strewn across overturned chairs and hacked trestle tables, asprawl in pools of congealing blood. Some had lost limbs, even heads. Severed hands clutched bloody cups, wooden spoons, roast fowl, heels of bread. In a throne above them sat a dead man with the head of a wolf. He wore an iron crown and held a leg of lamb in one hand as a king might hold a scepter, and his eyes followed Dany with mute appeal."

[@leehunts4327]

Did you catch that Littlefinger is the one behind the poisoning of Jon Arryn and behind blaming Cersei for it? That's what motivated Ned to go to King's Landing in the first place. Basically, Littlefinger is the one who started the war and the plot of this whole series.

[@Bookborn]

YES I DID HOW DID I NOT TALK ABOUT THAT. there was too much in that chapter 😭😭😭 it was so many reveals so quick

[@leehunts4327]

I honestly did not catch it in the show, haha. I can only remember names when they are written. So, the book caught me off guard with that, even though I read it after.@@Bookborn

[@jackinthebox1993]

I love that you're doing longer videos now. I'm at work listening to this and I want to hear all of the rants 😁

[@jtmplmbr4465]

Great review as always. To answer your question, I read ASOS late 99’ early 2000 and was shocked by Joffery’s death and all the others. Growing up on WOT books ASOIAF was a revelation to me at age 19-20. Looking back it was a great time to read them because the World Wide Web was still in diapers and it was impossible to have anything spoiled. A Storm of Swords is a major achievement in literature.

[@ceranko]

I hated Jamie until I read this book. When he describes how when I was young I wanted to be like Arthur Dayne but somehow I ended up being the Smiling Knight instead. Thats when he realized Brianne was everything he wanted to be. Then he started to admire her.

[@grahamnu1529]

I laughed at your change of mind regarding Jaime. He is my favourite of the whole saga.

[@exothermic1942]

When I first read the Red Wedding in middle school, I put the book down and couldn't bring myself to pick it back up for almost a year. It was insane. I wrote my college essay over it and it got me in.

[@DweezyBreezey]

Excited to hear your thoughts on Feast! It can be a divisive book (though less so as time has gone on and people have had a chance to revisit it and sit with it), and even being my absolute favorite book, it took a little bit before I got it. But you have such a strong understanding of the series already, stronger than even a lot of fans I've interacted with who've read all the books, that I think the parts that bother some fans may not bother you. Either way, it will be great to hear what you think about it!

[@bjornk9638]

Also, I genuinely am excited for your reading of Feast. It is so different, yet I think that you'll be able to appreciate it for the hidden gem it is.

[@nananutmuffin7380]

I’m so glad I found your channel! The way you word/express things is amazing. Every video I find myself going, “Yes! THAT is how I feel!” Thank you for the great content and hard work❤️

[@Infamous1892]

One this is the book that shows how brutal and savage Tywin Lannister is. He is a real monster in human skin and that's several of the characters. Eddard Stark was a one of a kind man. Two Catelyn Tully's know it all attitude and bad advice help lead Rob to his doom. She told him to send Bolton at Tywin Lannister instead of the Great Jon who would never listen to an offer from Tywin Lannister. She released Jamie Lannister their one single bargaining chip to get his hand cut off by the bloody mummers. She doesn't tell Rob Ned's last orders. Defense of the White Knife, defense of Moat Caylin, Keeping Theon Greyjoy close. She said none of that until book two. Instead she kidnapped Tyrion, she takes him to the vale, she loses him, constantly giving Rob bad advice when she knows nothing of war, no battle experience, but she gives advice to her son, then when he stops taking her advice and thinks for himself, she gets pissed says Jon Snow is a threat to her household. That woman should have just listened to Ned Stark and went home. Winterfell would have never fell if she just followed orders. The Red Wedding was horrible, but what's worse is knowing it could have been avoided. Rob should have gotten married before he went off to war.