kellyhitchcock's review against another edition
4.0
I literally turned a year older reading this book. Started listening to it on audiobook, but made it only about 1/5 of the way through before the library term expired on it and it was summarily deleted from my queue. I then turned to my husband's paperback copy, which traveled halfway across the country with me, twice, and got soaked by a pool towel...
The saga with more characters than War and Peace (must be a point of pride for Martin, because it's annoying as heck for his readers) continues in Volume 2. Sansa really becomes a dynamic character in this book, but other characters that really shone in the first book kind of fall flat in this one, notably Daenarys and Jon Snow. I expected this book to end on a more climactic note, particularly since I slogged through it for 5 months, but it really belly-flopped at the end in my opinion.
Still, I love Martin's style of writing and superhuman ability to superbly weave in so many plots simultaneously. This the long long long form at its best, in my opinion.
[a:Kelly I. Hitchcock|5322812|Kelly I. Hitchcock|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1328755713p2/5322812.jpg]
Author of [b:Portrait of Woman in Ink: A Tattoo Storybook|18374933|Portrait of Woman in Ink A Tattoo Storybook|Kelly I. Hitchcock|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1378684146s/18374933.jpg|25987942]
The saga with more characters than War and Peace (must be a point of pride for Martin, because it's annoying as heck for his readers) continues in Volume 2. Sansa really becomes a dynamic character in this book, but other characters that really shone in the first book kind of fall flat in this one, notably Daenarys and Jon Snow. I expected this book to end on a more climactic note, particularly since I slogged through it for 5 months, but it really belly-flopped at the end in my opinion.
Still, I love Martin's style of writing and superhuman ability to superbly weave in so many plots simultaneously. This the long long long form at its best, in my opinion.
[a:Kelly I. Hitchcock|5322812|Kelly I. Hitchcock|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1328755713p2/5322812.jpg]
Author of [b:Portrait of Woman in Ink: A Tattoo Storybook|18374933|Portrait of Woman in Ink A Tattoo Storybook|Kelly I. Hitchcock|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1378684146s/18374933.jpg|25987942]
dannilmp's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Here the important part of the story finally seems to kick off and we get our Game of Thrones. Very aptly named is Clash of Kings considering once the old king dies everyone seems to jump up and claim the throne for their own.
I really enjoyed seeing the story progress from the P.O.Vs of different characters, with some being in entirely different continents of the map. I felt the use of the comet and how everyone seems to interpret the comet with different ideas to give them the advantage in the upcoming war.
However, in typical GRRM fashion, this book contains much gore, sexual assult, rape and everything else bad in the world. While I understand every book has its bad scenes, once again A Clash of Kings just seems to go overboard with all of it.
I really enjoyed seeing the story progress from the P.O.Vs of different characters, with some being in entirely different continents of the map. I felt the use of the comet and how everyone seems to interpret the comet with different ideas to give them the advantage in the upcoming war.
However, in typical GRRM fashion, this book contains much gore, sexual assult, rape and everything else bad in the world. While I understand every book has its bad scenes, once again A Clash of Kings just seems to go overboard with all of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Death, Injury/injury detail, Rape, Violence, Gore, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Incest
Minor: Misogyny and Fire/Fire injury
kculbreath's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
taliadev721's review against another edition
3.5
This book was very dull, in my opinion. I had a hard time getting through it. My biggest issue with the ASOIAF series is that they're advertised as fantasy epics, but they barely feel like fantasy to me. The first book had hardly anything except for some background information about dragons and The Children and the wights, and now this one has dragons and the magic that comes with the Lord of Light, and that's all well and good, but there was not nearly enough of it for my liking. (that being said, I do find all the WB about these creatures fascinating I just wish there was more actually present in the story)
I LOVE DRAGONS, Y'ALL. I want to read all about them, but I do not want to read about dragons breastfeeding from a fourteen-year-old girl. It's weird. Very uncomfortable. Dany had five chapters in this book, and each never failed to mention her nipples. I would love to know what GRRM's obsession is with bringing up her boobs/nipples. The women of Quarth leave one breast exposed(and yes, I know some cultures do this), but it felt like another excuse for GRRM to talk about Dany's boobs. Dany is also one of the most compelling characters, IMO, yet she is hardly utilized. I feel like so much more could've been done with her storyline, but whatever, I guess.
GRRM does a great job of characterization and world-building, as usual. His characters are all morally grey, which I appreciate. No one is perfect. No one is all good or all bad. The characters you are meant to like the most do some genuinely heinous things, not to mention what the characters you don't like pull. Tyrion Lannister is fascinating to read about. It's apparent he's the author's favorite character, given that he has the most POV chapters throughout the book. Despite his chapters having no fantasy elements that I can recall, they were some of the ones I enjoyed reading the most. I like how clever Tyrion is and how ruthless he can be. Reading about him doing everything in his power to undermine Cersei was excellent. Yet, the moment he threatened to rape Tommen if any of Cersei's guards raped Alayaya, I wanted to yeet myself off a cliff. I'll touch more on the rape in this book shortly.
I love that many characters make wrong moves from time to time. Cersei forces them to pull Joffrey back from the Mud Gate and essentially causes the soldiers to abandon ship, yet she gives no fucks because her son is at least safe. Cersei is one of my favorite characters as well. I hate her deeply and want her to suffer, but she's also so evil and exciting to read about.
Theon is the biggest idiot on the planet. His chapters were so pitiful. He is too weak to realize that his father gives not one crap about him and that betraying Robb was the worst thing for him to do.
I don't understand why people ship Sansa and the Hound. He's so scary?? Like he goes from threatening to kill Sansa to promising to protect her and make sure no one hurts her, then right back to holding a knife to her throat?? Like, sir, can you calm down, please? Even so, I wish Sansa had gone with him because her storyline would've been far more interesting at his side. Then she could've reunited with Arya along the way.
These books can get incredibly dull considering their length; though there are few exciting parts, it took me so damn long to slog through this because of the rape and pages upon pages of political information. Some people are into that, but I was promised a fantasy epic, which was barely delivered.
Also, why is GRRM obsessed with rape? Yes, I know he claims he does it to be historically accurate, but it doesn't need to be that ridiculous. If the rape were removed from this book alone, it would probably be cut in half. It's the fact that the rape is so blasé every time it's mentioned. It's added in like a 'fun little side story' heard from a random dude, never another woman unless they're also a villain. Lollys' rape was mentioned as a sort of throwaway thing, and then the way women treated her afterwards was appalling. She was raped by 50 men and then impregnated by one of her rapists, and she is clearly in a deep, spiraling depression, but no one can empathize. I find it wild that Shae wouldn't be even a little kind to this girl, but her response is 'they only FUCKED her' Like I'm sorry, are you kidding me, Shae?
There are so many casual rape threats as well. A woman threatens to rape Arya with a broom. Roose Bolton ties up and shaves women who slept with Lannister soldiers to stay alive, leaving them available for any man who wants to use them. Gregor Clegane and his soldiers gang-raped a thirteen-year-old girl and made her father pay him for it. Ramsay Bolton raped Lady Hornwood and starved her to death in a tower--she also chewed off her fingers. There are plenty more, but I'm not about to list all of them. It's insane to me and makes me not want to read these books anymore. I can't imagine why someone finds it necessary to include this much rape in a book meant to be a fantasy epic about fuckin' dragons and war. You created this world; you did not need to do any of this. I don't care about your garbage historical accuracy, bro. Stop raping everyone, my god.
I need a break from these books already.
I LOVE DRAGONS, Y'ALL. I want to read all about them, but I do not want to read about dragons breastfeeding from a fourteen-year-old girl. It's weird. Very uncomfortable. Dany had five chapters in this book, and each never failed to mention her nipples. I would love to know what GRRM's obsession is with bringing up her boobs/nipples. The women of Quarth leave one breast exposed(and yes, I know some cultures do this), but it felt like another excuse for GRRM to talk about Dany's boobs. Dany is also one of the most compelling characters, IMO, yet she is hardly utilized. I feel like so much more could've been done with her storyline, but whatever, I guess.
GRRM does a great job of characterization and world-building, as usual. His characters are all morally grey, which I appreciate. No one is perfect. No one is all good or all bad. The characters you are meant to like the most do some genuinely heinous things, not to mention what the characters you don't like pull. Tyrion Lannister is fascinating to read about. It's apparent he's the author's favorite character, given that he has the most POV chapters throughout the book. Despite his chapters having no fantasy elements that I can recall, they were some of the ones I enjoyed reading the most. I like how clever Tyrion is and how ruthless he can be. Reading about him doing everything in his power to undermine Cersei was excellent. Yet, the moment he threatened to rape Tommen if any of Cersei's guards raped Alayaya, I wanted to yeet myself off a cliff. I'll touch more on the rape in this book shortly.
I love that many characters make wrong moves from time to time. Cersei forces them to pull Joffrey back from the Mud Gate and essentially causes the soldiers to abandon ship, yet she gives no fucks because her son is at least safe. Cersei is one of my favorite characters as well. I hate her deeply and want her to suffer, but she's also so evil and exciting to read about.
Theon is the biggest idiot on the planet. His chapters were so pitiful. He is too weak to realize that his father gives not one crap about him and that betraying Robb was the worst thing for him to do.
I don't understand why people ship Sansa and the Hound. He's so scary?? Like he goes from threatening to kill Sansa to promising to protect her and make sure no one hurts her, then right back to holding a knife to her throat?? Like, sir, can you calm down, please? Even so, I wish Sansa had gone with him because her storyline would've been far more interesting at his side. Then she could've reunited with Arya along the way.
These books can get incredibly dull considering their length; though there are few exciting parts, it took me so damn long to slog through this because of the rape and pages upon pages of political information. Some people are into that, but I was promised a fantasy epic, which was barely delivered.
Also, why is GRRM obsessed with rape? Yes, I know he claims he does it to be historically accurate, but it doesn't need to be that ridiculous. If the rape were removed from this book alone, it would probably be cut in half. It's the fact that the rape is so blasé every time it's mentioned. It's added in like a 'fun little side story' heard from a random dude, never another woman unless they're also a villain. Lollys' rape was mentioned as a sort of throwaway thing, and then the way women treated her afterwards was appalling. She was raped by 50 men and then impregnated by one of her rapists, and she is clearly in a deep, spiraling depression, but no one can empathize. I find it wild that Shae wouldn't be even a little kind to this girl, but her response is 'they only FUCKED her' Like I'm sorry, are you kidding me, Shae?
There are so many casual rape threats as well. A woman threatens to rape Arya with a broom. Roose Bolton ties up and shaves women who slept with Lannister soldiers to stay alive, leaving them available for any man who wants to use them. Gregor Clegane and his soldiers gang-raped a thirteen-year-old girl and made her father pay him for it. Ramsay Bolton raped Lady Hornwood and starved her to death in a tower--she also chewed off her fingers. There are plenty more, but I'm not about to list all of them. It's insane to me and makes me not want to read these books anymore. I can't imagine why someone finds it necessary to include this much rape in a book meant to be a fantasy epic about fuckin' dragons and war. You created this world; you did not need to do any of this. I don't care about your garbage historical accuracy, bro. Stop raping everyone, my god.
I need a break from these books already.
wildflowerz76's review against another edition
4.0
I LOVING this story. But I got kinda bogged down in this one with all the wolf stuff and the dreamy Dany stuff. It seemed to go on and on forever. And I didn't like Theon in the first book and wasn't excited to hear anything from him in this one, so his parts didn't interest me. I didn't particularly care about Davos either. Of course I understand why they were added as a POV, but I didn't care for their parts. Dany was my second favorite in the first book, but in this one, she didn't seem to do a whole lot and was rather boring. Tyrion was great as usual. Arya's kicking some ass and I liked that Bran had a bigger part in this one. Sansa finally wised up some and though she has a reason to feel sorry for herself now, she didn't come across nearly as whiny. Though that could just be the influence of Sophie Turner's whining in my head.
I read this one on the Kindle and it kept freezing and restarting. I'm not amused with this Kindle situation.
I read this one on the Kindle and it kept freezing and restarting. I'm not amused with this Kindle situation.
readingjas's review against another edition
5.0
Couldn't put this down, even though I've already seen the show and know what happens. Loved the familiararity of it and also the differences that set it apart from the series. I'm torn now whether to keep reading or wait for season 4!!!!
kasiparks99's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
reanimatedreader's review against another edition
5.0
So many characters and so many storylines but it all comes together so well!
jakesoar's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
gon8go's review against another edition
4.0
Reading this series reminds me of reading the John Carter of mars books they are potboilers. Two books and nothing is wrapped up. But it's well written and hard to put down. My only gripe is that if you're going to make a series of books into one long story do they need to be 900 pages?