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hkuhlman7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
1. History-book fans who are jaded from actual history and want something a little spicy. With dragons. And incest.
2. ASOIAF nerds. Like totally-and-utterly-enslaved-by-Westeros-and-George RR Martin-level nerds.
That’s it. If you’re an ASOIAF fan there is a completely reasonable chance this book will bore you and not feel worth your while by the end. If you’re a HOTD fan (at the time of writing, season 1 has aired in full but season 2 hasn’t begun airing) and need to know what happens next, buy this book but just read the Dance portion. Maybe try out the other parts but don’t anticipate being enraptured.
Martin is an incredible writer, and I imagine this book was particularly fun for him to write. Evidently more-so than Winds. A fictional history book is an original and compelling concept. But I was only relatively captivated throughout.
Moderate: Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, War, Death, Sexual assault, and Abortion
iammmartina_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Child death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Alcohol, Animal death, Suicide attempt, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Classism, Death, Genocide, Pedophilia, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Self harm, Violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and War
Moderate: Miscarriage, Infertility, Abortion, Child abuse, Cursing, Kidnapping, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Torture
Minor: Confinement and Medical content
orndal's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, and Confinement
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, War, Torture, Murder, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Kidnapping, Rape, Violence, Sexual violence, Suicide, Pregnancy, Slavery, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Miscarriage
Minor: Emotional abuse, Ableism, Alcoholism, Abortion, Death of parent, Drug use, Animal death, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Death, Animal cruelty, Blood, Colonisation, and Domestic abuse
dany_casimiro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
In Fire & Blood, Martin has chosen the work of an Archmaester of the Citadel to narrate this story. In his turn, this man has used various sources at his disposal to provide an in-depth overview of the tensions, emotions, and political ties within House Targaryen. So, we get a third- or fourth-person account of the events. This leaves a lot of questions and blank spaces behind, which I deeply enjoyed and the current TV show is exploring masterfully.
One thing that this book addresses way better than ASOIAF is the incest between Targaryens and how it was dealt with by the Faith of the Seven in Westeros. Other aspects include a bigger focus on feminism and women's oppression in a medieval-inspired setting, as well as great care to show people's suffering. Yes, I'm thinking particularly of Good Queen Alysanne, but also of the Moon of the Kings in King's Landing.
About the Dance, I loved it. The final moments of certain characters are still a source of bitterness.
In the end, Targaryens are the bringers of their own demise. Their greed and unmeasured ambition manage to take away everything they have
Graphic: Incest, Abortion, War, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Toxic relationship
harveyhorse321's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Animal death, Incest, Child death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Gore