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emileelaurens's review against another edition
3.0
While it was cool to get a behind the scenes look at the logistics and challenges of producing the show, as well as hearing from the actors…
…I was rolling my eyes the whole time. The most alarming thing was how often there were serious safety issues on set, spoken with an attitude of “
…I was rolling my eyes the whole time. The most alarming thing was how often there were serious safety issues on set, spoken with an attitude of “
lfg's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
hilaryjsc's review against another edition
4.0
This book is like a really long, really juicy Vanity Fair behind the scenes cover story. I mean that in an extremely positive way.
tinayfang's review against another edition
4.0
So nice to dive back into the world of ASOIAF, even if it is not through Winds of Winter. I started this book thinking it would be a chill, low-maintenance read to pass the time. I ended up being gripped by the excitement of seeing new sides of my favourite characters, learning about how the actors reacted to their death scenes, and all the juicy behind the scenes stories that I didn't know I wanted so badly. There were definitely a few areas where I wish Hibbard could have dived in a little deeper, or been more critical of. At the end of the day, I finished the book in 3 days, and it was a wonderful escape back into the land of Westeros.
dja777's review against another edition
5.0
This was a fun deep dive into the Game of Thrones show, with lots of cast interviews. I was among the people that disliked the end and felt the last season was too rushed, so it was interesting to hear the show runners’ discussion of those aspects.
srash's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, this was an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the show, featuring interviews with almost all of the cast and many of the crew. I knew quite a bit of the material already from watching commentaries and reading articles, but I still gleaned some new facts, and the oral history aspect of it was well done.
I do think it might have benefitted from further distance in years from the show. There is a slightly defensive tone from the cast and crew and the writer in trying to defend the more critically maligned final seasons of the show. I think they made some valid points with it (especially in arguing that, contrary to public opinion, they put even more time and effort into the final season despite its shortened episode run). However, I also think the whole ordeal was still a little too immediate for anyone to have much perspective on.
Also, the best oral histories--like the SNL one I read last year--are pretty no-holds-barred and feature some zany stories and juicy gossip. I think the cast and crew on this show legitimately got along too well to generate too much dirt like that, so I was disappointed when little tidbits were glossed over. Again probably because people are more likely to spill the tea 10 years after the fact rather than 1. Namely, there is talk of an unnamed cast member who got mad about their character being killed and still complains about it on online forums. Who is that?!?!? Don't protect their dignity--tell me!
In any event, though, the book benefits from being put together by an entertainment reporter who had good backstage access and ties with the cast and crew and does a good job of clarifying why Game of Thrones was such a groundbreaking show in TV history.
I do think it might have benefitted from further distance in years from the show. There is a slightly defensive tone from the cast and crew and the writer in trying to defend the more critically maligned final seasons of the show. I think they made some valid points with it (especially in arguing that, contrary to public opinion, they put even more time and effort into the final season despite its shortened episode run). However, I also think the whole ordeal was still a little too immediate for anyone to have much perspective on.
Also, the best oral histories--like the SNL one I read last year--are pretty no-holds-barred and feature some zany stories and juicy gossip. I think the cast and crew on this show legitimately got along too well to generate too much dirt like that, so I was disappointed when little tidbits were glossed over. Again probably because people are more likely to spill the tea 10 years after the fact rather than 1. Namely, there is talk of an unnamed cast member who got mad about their character being killed and still complains about it on online forums. Who is that?!?!? Don't protect their dignity--tell me!
In any event, though, the book benefits from being put together by an entertainment reporter who had good backstage access and ties with the cast and crew and does a good job of clarifying why Game of Thrones was such a groundbreaking show in TV history.