Published: 2011
My fantasy aficionados recommended me this series, and, although I don’t normally reach for a book in that genre, I decided to give this a try. I do realize that my lack of contact with fantasy will probably have affected my review of this book, seeing as I can make very few comparisons. Nonetheless, onwards we go!
Following the structure of his previous novels, this 1000+ paged tome, is split into numberless chapters, each labeled with the character’s name, about whom the chapter primarily revolves. True to his nature, George R.R. Martin often ends his chapters with a cliffhanger and then proceeds to a different character often miles away, with little or no connection to the previous chapter. This is one of Martin’s most powerful tricks, and one I personally really enjoyed because it kept me engaged, hungry to find out what happened and therefore kept me turning the pages. It is a rather effective ploy in literature, but to say it is unique would be exaggerating. Some may even argue it’s the oldest trick in the book. It works though!
The character’s complexities and varieties are remarkable, and I praise the author highly for being able to convincingly depict their personalities, develop them over the series, yet still keep them realistic. Personally, I need strong characters to follow, not just plot, in order to enjoy the books. Delving deep into the human psyche through a variety of characters is one aspect of this novel that I really enjoyed. For example, to go from such an evil, self-absorbed character of Cersei Lannister to one like Jon Snow, who is compassionate, dutiful and a strong leader, is incredible. And he has yet to falter!
Having said that, I find myself eager to skim through a lot of the pages, where the plot seemed lost and the activity rather flat. At first I thought it was only when he was introducing new characters (how does one keep track of them all!) but that theory failed when I was quickly intrigued by the new character, Victorian Greyjoy. I immediately found his storyline very interesting. So then I realized that I skimmed mostly when there was a lack of action, when the characters are quietly brewing their plots in the background and when little is actually happening. The last handful of chapters are incredible and I raced through them but from about halfway until that point I will confess I struggled to keep going. Also, the myriad of characters can also be a drawback, since there are few that I care not much for personally and when their chapter came up I was a little disheartened. But I suppose that’s to be expected when so many plots are being carried out.
The diction of the novel is wonderful as well. Like mentioned before, I am not familiar with fantasy novels, or ones of medieval periods, so I found it enjoyable to refresh some new vocabulary, including phrases that we rarely, if at all, use in our society. The witty banter between characters is simply unforgettable, and frequently I would re-read certain pages because I found them so endearing. I found Tyrion Lannister an absolute mastermind, and I always enjoy his ability to “sift through the bullshit” to put it lightly and his ability to always know how to retort in conversations. Although not as heavily prevalent as in the other books, I also enjoy the intelligence and wittiness of Varys, the Spider. There are also characters that I have previously not enjoyed and now growing fonder of, including Theon, Asha, and Bran.
Other aspects I loved, was the author’s constant reminder of the “game of thrones” which the characters play, since it really reinforces the grand theme of the series and causes the reader to look at the bigger picture. His writing style is lovely as well, just sometimes the plot lacks in my view.
Verdict: Great diction, lovely characters, sometimes too many so don’t get discouraged when you can’t keep track of them all, sometimes lacking in plot, but I made it this far so I am going to keep going with the series. Also, the end is where things get interesting, and got hooked right in again. Fairly straightforward, easy read though.
I would love to hear from you though! Would you say his novel is stereotypical of fantasy, or does this series add a new element to the mix? What did you like/dislike about the novel?
friendlybookworm 