Okay whew! I needed some time to collect my thoughts.

Wow. That was excellent. A tad slower paced in the middle than I liked, but the end really picked up. GRRM really has this knack for pulling you into this world. The character work is probably a highlight of the series so far for me.

The great: The world building. Westeros feels so real. GRRM has a great habit of sprinkling in these lore bits that are relevant to the POV character you’re reading from, and it is such a smooth way to introduce the history without feeling like you’re being hit over the head with it. It feels natural.

The character work. God, if you told me a THEON chapter would end up being my favorite from this book when I first started it I would have laughed at you. The way I’ve come to understand and sympathize with a character I initially didn’t care about, and then came to loathe, is like whiplash. GRRM really makes these characters and their choices (however stupid) feel so real and human.

The not so great (not bad, just not as great):

The pacing for the middle of this book was much harder to get through than the first. Some chapters I really did have to push myself through. They’re important for understanding the politics of the world and there is payoff, but gosh some of those middle Bran chapters felt a little boring. Luckily it all picked back up after the Battle of the Blackwater.

Overall, I really really enjoyed this. The ending was bittersweet and just has me excited for what’s to come.