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4.36 AVERAGE
4.36 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Totally blown away, loved the book and now onto the next one.
Read book before starting the TV series!
Amazing characters, story line and action. What a full meal deal book and series.
Want a book/series you can fall completely into? Read this one.
Read book before starting the TV series!
Amazing characters, story line and action. What a full meal deal book and series.
Want a book/series you can fall completely into? Read this one.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I just love this book so much. Fantastic storytelling, rich characterisation, I have such deep attachments to so many of the characters and that's not really how I typically read!
Minus half a star for the couple of moments that did cross the line for melike I'm sorry but why does Dany breastfeed the dragons... I know they're fantasy creatures but they're so not mammalian... I know it's like motherhood imagery but. It's a no from me , but in my heart it's 5 stars and I will defend GRRM on most things and I love this book thanks bye
Minus half a star for the couple of moments that did cross the line for me
2025 read: Same rating, but I appreciated the book's story more this time around. I would rather view the show as completely separate from this series, and having it be foggier in my memory now helps. I like Catelyn more this time around, and the dreams aren't so annoying.
2024: Great start to the series, although I think I’ll switch over to the physical copies. The narrator annoyed me a little with how he would use a gnarled old man's voice for even young male characters. I also just think I would have absorbed the sheer amount of lore better in word form, but that is my own fault.
In terms of content, since I watched the show first, I’m a little more in love with season 1 of GoT, and since it follows this book pretty faithfully, I already knew the major story beats. But, this is incredibly well-written and engaging on audiobook despite its 34-hour length. Being inside these characters’ heads helped me sympathize even more with them. GRRM is also just one of those male fantasy authors who does amazing work with all his characters, whereas many male authors fulfill the stereotype of only being good at writing men. It is especially impressive how he makes you care about the Stark children's POVs, and although I dislike Catelyn, I enjoy her POV a lot too.
The only notable downside is the same reason I previously swore off reading these books or watching the show years ago—Daenerys is simply too young for her arc. I’m glad the show aged her up to 16 years. I loved seeing her development and how she grows past being defined by the men in her life, but I cannot be anything except profoundly grossed out when reading a 13-year-old’s sex scenes with a much older man. Medieval times and "realism" be damned. I do not see why child characters like Dany, Jon, and Dany could not have been aged up, knowing the hefty leadership positions they will be in. They’re so young to the point that it takes me out of the story; starting in their late teens would have been more reasonable and relatable.
(One nitpick is that I hate hate HATE dream sequences. No matter what book I’m reading and how into it I am, I will mentally check out when there is a dream sequence. This is unfortunate since when GRRM writes dreams, they hold plot significance, and it makes me dread that I actually have to think about them.)
Otherwise, I’m compelled to continue and excited to see how the books deviate from the show. I do not particularly care that this series is unfinished, just do not want to be disappointed by its progression the way I was with GoT after season 4. I love this world and want to sink into its source material.
2024: Great start to the series, although I think I’ll switch over to the physical copies. The narrator annoyed me a little with how he would use a gnarled old man's voice for even young male characters. I also just think I would have absorbed the sheer amount of lore better in word form, but that is my own fault.
In terms of content, since I watched the show first, I’m a little more in love with season 1 of GoT, and since it follows this book pretty faithfully, I already knew the major story beats. But, this is incredibly well-written and engaging on audiobook despite its 34-hour length. Being inside these characters’ heads helped me sympathize even more with them. GRRM is also just one of those male fantasy authors who does amazing work with all his characters, whereas many male authors fulfill the stereotype of only being good at writing men. It is especially impressive how he makes you care about the Stark children's POVs, and although I dislike Catelyn, I enjoy her POV a lot too.
The only notable downside is the same reason I previously swore off reading these books or watching the show years ago—Daenerys is simply too young for her arc. I’m glad the show aged her up to 16 years. I loved seeing her development and how she grows past being defined by the men in her life, but I cannot be anything except profoundly grossed out when reading a 13-year-old’s sex scenes with a much older man. Medieval times and "realism" be damned. I do not see why child characters like Dany, Jon, and Dany could not have been aged up, knowing the hefty leadership positions they will be in. They’re so young to the point that it takes me out of the story; starting in their late teens would have been more reasonable and relatable.
(One nitpick is that I hate hate HATE dream sequences. No matter what book I’m reading and how into it I am, I will mentally check out when there is a dream sequence. This is unfortunate since when GRRM writes dreams, they hold plot significance, and it makes me dread that I actually have to think about them.)
Otherwise, I’m compelled to continue and excited to see how the books deviate from the show. I do not particularly care that this series is unfinished, just do not want to be disappointed by its progression the way I was with GoT after season 4. I love this world and want to sink into its source material.
Great start to the series, although I think I’ll switch over to the physical copies. The narrator annoyed me a little with how he would use a gnarled old man's voice for even young male characters. I also just think I would have absorbed the sheer amount of lore better in word form, but that is my own fault.
In terms of content, since I watched the show first, I’m a little more in love with season 1 of GoT, and since it follows this book pretty faithfully, I already knew the major story beats. But, this is incredibly well-written and engaging on audiobook despite its 34-hour length. Being inside these characters’ heads helped me sympathize even more with them. GRRM is also just one of those male fantasy authors who does amazing work with all his characters, whereas many male authors fulfill the stereotype of only being good at writing men. It is especially impressive how he makes you care about the Stark children's POVs, and although I dislike Catelyn, I enjoy her POV a lot too.
The only notable downside is the same reason I previously swore off reading these books or watching the show years ago—Daenerys is simply too young for her arc. I’m glad the show aged her up to 16 years. I loved seeing her development and how she grows past being defined by the men in her life, but I cannot be anything except profoundly grossed out when reading a 13-year-old’s sex scenes with a much older man. Medieval times and "realism" be damned. I do not see why child characters like Dany, Jon, and Dany could not have been aged up, knowing the hefty leadership positions they will be in. They’re so young to the point that it takes me out of the story; starting in their late teens would have been more reasonable and relatable.
(One nitpick is that I hate hate HATE dream sequences. No matter what book I’m reading and how into it I am, I will mentally check out when there is a dream sequence. This is unfortunate since when GRRM writes dreams, they hold plot significance, and it makes me dread that I actually have to think about them.)
Otherwise, I’m compelled to continue and excited to see how the books deviate from the show. I do not particularly care that this series is unfinished, just do not want to be disappointed by its progression the way I was with GoT after season 4. I love this world and want to sink into its source material.
In terms of content, since I watched the show first, I’m a little more in love with season 1 of GoT, and since it follows this book pretty faithfully, I already knew the major story beats. But, this is incredibly well-written and engaging on audiobook despite its 34-hour length. Being inside these characters’ heads helped me sympathize even more with them. GRRM is also just one of those male fantasy authors who does amazing work with all his characters, whereas many male authors fulfill the stereotype of only being good at writing men. It is especially impressive how he makes you care about the Stark children's POVs, and although I dislike Catelyn, I enjoy her POV a lot too.
The only notable downside is the same reason I previously swore off reading these books or watching the show years ago—Daenerys is simply too young for her arc. I’m glad the show aged her up to 16 years. I loved seeing her development and how she grows past being defined by the men in her life, but I cannot be anything except profoundly grossed out when reading a 13-year-old’s sex scenes with a much older man. Medieval times and "realism" be damned. I do not see why child characters like Dany, Jon, and Dany could not have been aged up, knowing the hefty leadership positions they will be in. They’re so young to the point that it takes me out of the story; starting in their late teens would have been more reasonable and relatable.
(One nitpick is that I hate hate HATE dream sequences. No matter what book I’m reading and how into it I am, I will mentally check out when there is a dream sequence. This is unfortunate since when GRRM writes dreams, they hold plot significance, and it makes me dread that I actually have to think about them.)
Otherwise, I’m compelled to continue and excited to see how the books deviate from the show. I do not particularly care that this series is unfinished, just do not want to be disappointed by its progression the way I was with GoT after season 4. I love this world and want to sink into its source material.
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Shouldn't have waited for the hype to die down because now i know why it never did. I CAN TALK ABOUT THIS FOR HOURS.