A dance with Dragons: part 2 of 3.

[alexandral]

The North remembers

A Dance with Dragons continues to be uneven, but for me this might become my favourite book in the series. The biggest (and the most interesting) part of ADWD takes place in the North, and I love it (the snowstorms, the Northern gods, and all).

Comments

[linndechir]

I WILL HAVE FREY WITH ANYTHING!!!! Manderly FTW. Let's hope Stannis will recognise how awesome that man is, instead of just bitching at him for being fat. We know that you hate food, Stannis, and are apparently offended by the vera idea of eating, but don't judge Manderly. ;)

One small interesting thing is that Dany, from the very beginning, seems to like to attach herself to something or someone: Viserys, Drogo, prophesies, slaves and finds it hard to find her own path. You're making a very good point here. I don't think I ever quite realised that, but it's the bottom line of one of the biggest problems I have with her. I mean, in a way, it's understandable. Daenerys is very young, she never had a real home or any family other than her brother (whom she lost when she was, what, 13?). It's only normal that she is desperately looking for some sort of constant, steady thing in her life. But to me it's also one of the main issues I have with Daenerys: she doesn't ... huh, I don't know how to say this. We have a beautiful phrase in

[alexandral]

I agree with you on Dany, but I am beginning to feel that Martin just doesn't seem to know what to do with her character, hence her wavering and the lack of personality. I never felt this in the previous books, but ADWD's Dany is so flat, she is not even two-dimensional. Who is she? What she wants? I have no idea and I have almost finished reading the book! Some of the characters that barely have a line in the book are better defined than Dany.

What I am trying to say is that it is not Dany's fault, it is all Martin's fault. :D

On Stannis: I forgotten to mention that making everyone and their horse move forward for several weeks in a snow storm is a feat in itself, I cheered for Stannis there. I so hope he is not dead at the end of this.

[linndechir]

To be honest, thinking back of her in the earlier books, I'm realising that she never had much of a personality. It just never bothered me all that much before.

Stannis is the biggest badass in this entire series. I mean, seriously? "We're gonna go to Winterfell to take it back because the Northerners are badass and I want them by my side?" You go, Stannis. If he doesn't win this damn war I will personally strangle GRRM. ;) I'm just afraid that Stannis will fuck it all up with his lack of people skills, i.e. by pissing Manderly off. :/

[alexandral]

Yes, few of my friends said in the past how they find Dany's chapters not so interesting and her character not so engaging, but I always responded " But THE DRAGONS"? I guess, the Dragons were the main appeal for me... But in ADWD, the Dragons hardly do anything (I am so angry with Martin for teasing) . By now, I would have expected Dany to train them or something. People train lions and tigers and dragons. :D It is possible if you train them from the young age. Ok, I rant again. I think that general lack of dragons in the book that is called "A Dance with dragons" is frustrating for me.

An the idea of taking Winterfell wasn't all that mad anyways, not in the circumstances: Melisandre did a good job of sending Mance Rayder to work behind the enemy lines, and Manderley is ready to stab all the Freys in the back. I really wonder what is going to go wrong here.

And yes, I will be angry with Martin too - he teases us so much! Even the iron bank of Bravoos is ready to give money to Stannis!

[lydzi]

I stumbled on the entry and I was ... wait part 2? means there was a part 1 then. Did I miss it? Did I?

AND YES I DID. #facepalming myself#

So I'm going back there and then will be back here to do this in order :p.

[alexandral]

Not enough Davos and Rickon is this part, I am afraid!!

[marinshellstone]

"The north remembers..."

I'm not clear - did you finish or just get spoiled for the end? Because for me, Dany had semi-redeemed herself by the end of ADWD. Her last chapter was utterly gorgeous. I felt every minute of her guilt and soul searching.

The Theon and Bran chapters are bloody amazing, and the Davos chapters. I also was not bothered by Tyrion's extended travelogue because I love him dearly.

It irks - IRKS, I tell you! - when people say nothing happened in ADWD!

[alexandral]

I have read the book very very quickly few weeks ago (to spoil myself for the main events), but reading everything properly seems to be VERY different. I might change my mind on Dany, but I will still be angry at Martin's teasing - A Dance with dragons for me implied a book with many pages about dragons.

Another thing is, I think Dany already missed the window of opportunity to train the dragons. I feel really disappointed she has never done it when they were young because IT IS TOO LATE. It is like never training your rottweiler puppy and then lamenting the fact that it attempted to bite someone. ANIMALS ARE NOT TOYS. yes, I am ranting, but an animal lover in me is saying "it is not dragon's fault!"

It irks - IRKS, I tell you! - when people say nothing happened in ADWD!I think people are just repeating a thing someone who is not very familiar with the book said. I have seen many people lamenting the lack of battles and such and I always think to myself "Have we been reading the same book? What about Deepwood Motte? What about

[coffee_n_cocoa]

Dany's storyline in ADWD drove me batty. I don't know if her indecision was part of the storyline, but *spoilers* if the end of the book is any indication, I think that she will find her purpose again. Back in ACoK one of the things she was told was that "to go forward, you must go back", and I think we'll see that in the next book. At least, I hope so. I want to see her move west eventually, dammit!

[alexandral]

Driving batty is the correct word. I think the event at the end of ADWD bring some hope, but What About Training dragons properly when they were young? It is almost too late now!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dany drives me batty with her faith in prophesies too, i think she relies on them a little too much. What if the Prophesy lady ,Quaithe, is working for someone else to derail her. Even if the prophesies are true, the knowledge of them is not always beneficial as all those unnecessary suspicions of everything and everyone arise.

[blueocean80]

HOLY! That's a LOT of snow! o_O

[alexandral]

It is not in the city I use to live (we never get so much), but yes. Amazing.