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josiew's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Incest, War, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Violence, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Sexism, and Infidelity
maevesheehan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Child death, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Blood, Colonisation, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Racism, Sexism, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Incest, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Violence, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Vomit, and War
msib129's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Misogyny, Violence, Rape, and War
cas_voogt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Blood, Body horror, Abandonment, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Incest, Abortion, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Vomit, War, and Xenophobia
elijah__'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Graphic: Sexual violence, War, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Rape, Gore, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Medical content, Excrement, and Vomit
pacifica's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
i enjoyed reading ACOK much more than AGOT. this book in the series ramps up the tension and the stakes greatly from the first installment and despite all the pieces moving on the board, George R. R. Martin proves his skill by keeping it engaging, exciting, and at an even medium pace.
favorite POVs:
- Arya - she's my favorite character so no surprise there. Arya's chapters are just so clever. she really is a sharp little girl. her narration is full of both childish naivete and playfulness and absolute despair/horror. it's been said many times before that one of Arya's narrative purposes is to show the devastating effects of war and lordly politics on the common people, and GRRM does it masterfully here. can't wait for her ASOS chapters.
- Theon - it surprised me that by the end, Theon became one of my favorite POVs to read. he was admittedly very obnoxious in his first couple chapters (and violently misogynistic honestly), but by the end i really saw GRRM's reason for including his story. Theon's inner conflict grows with each of his chapters and there's just an underlying feeling of despair and dread. throughout the novel he's absolutely torn between two aspects of his identity/past, and you feel that no matter the choice he makes, he's doomed. i grew to sympathize with him and it made me so sad knowing that the next time we see him in the books, he's a tortured, broken individual.
- Tyrion - Tyrion really shines as a political player in King's Landing and his wits get the spotlight. i especially loved his dynamic with Cersei and how contentious it is. there are moments of small joy where it seems like they can be tentative allies, but then they stab one another in the back again and we're back to square one. really makes me anticipate reading her POV chapters in AFFC.
- Davos - though his portion in the book was smallish, it's great to see the Stannis camp and Melisandre through Davos's lowborn eyes. Davos possesses a simple nobility and uprightness without being pretentious or holier-than-thou. he's just a good solid guy and it's extremely refreshing to read him.
least favorite POVs:
- Jon - his chapters weren't as entertaining as his chapters from AGOT. i felt that his chapters meandered a lot once the Night's Watch leaves Craster's Keep and i didn't find myself as invested in each chapter.
- Daenerys - this mostly had to do with the setting of her chapters. Qarth is interesting to be sure, but not nearly as dimensional as the culture and characters of the Dothraki, which we spend all of AGOT with. also, knowing that Dany never returns to Qarth makes her chapters feel like a setup with no real payoff. i know she hears prophecies from Quaithe and sees important visions in her Undying chapter, but these could have occurred in any other Essosi location and left the series mostly unchanged.
final notes:
i didn't expect to cry in the last chapter, not having cried the whole rest of the novel, but i did. GRRM builds a quiet atmosphere that could not even be called bittersweet, though nor is it wholly bitter. it's just quiet and somewhat reserved. one of the best endings to a novel i've read in a while, i think. anyway, onwards!
Graphic: Sexual violence, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, War, and Sexism
Moderate: Incest
avazee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Sexual assault, Murder, Violence, War, Incest, Pedophilia, Cursing, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Trafficking, Death, Child death, Blood, Sexual violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Infidelity
Moderate: Rape and Slavery
Minor: Rape
cvkirkpatrick's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, Child abuse, Animal death, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexism, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, Rape, War, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Infidelity, Incest, and Child death
Minor: Confinement, Kidnapping, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, Blood, Excrement, Death of parent, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury
hanhantap's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Blood, War, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Alcohol, Rape, Body horror, and Physical abuse
Minor: Slavery and Animal death
billie_visible's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Incest, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Violence, and War
Moderate: Ableism, Excrement, Sexual violence, and Rape
Minor: Addiction, Cannibalism, and Domestic abuse