A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 5

[brigdh]

Chapter 21 (Jon):
I didn't realize that you could make a god tree out of any kind of tree. I thought it had to be a weirwood. Is this metaphorical for the other changes the wildlings are making, maybe?
I think this is a good plan of Jon's, but we will see. There could be spectacular backfires.


Chapter 22 (Tyrion):
Yay, Tyrion's still alive!
Ugh, greyscale is so creepy. I don't know quite why it freaks me out, but it does.
"This Mother of Dragons, this Breaker of Chains, is above all a rescuer." Tyrion has a great grasp of Dany's character, considering he's never met her. Lots of quotable lines in this scene about her.
"What am I, if not a lion?" Good question. Tyrion's certainly been quick to claim the titles of kinslayer and kingslayer in this book, considering he didn't do most of what he has been accused of. Is he really allying himself with Varys and/or the Targaryens, against the Lannisters? Or is he just saying so, considering the situation he's in? I don't know.
Oh, I like that a Red Priest is proclaiming Dany to be Azor Ahai! Which makes me wonder about Melisandre. Could she be a heretic/member of a minor sect/somehow else disconnected from the rest of the Rh'llor religion? Also, how on earth does one pronounce Rh'llor?
Ugh, the whole scene in the brothel is so ugly and pitiful. Pull yourself together, Tyrion.
Jorah, whoa! I did not expect to see him again! ...and hanging out with a whore who looks like Dany. Classy, Jorah.
And once again we have a chapter ending where Tyrion might be dead.


Chapter 23 (Daenerys):
So, Astapor has entirely descended into chaos, it seems. I wonder if Dany intends to return and fix that city as well, if she can ever manage Meereen.
I kind of like this plot with Hizdahr zo Loraq. Very clever of Dany, to insist he basically solve the entire problem *before* their marriage. I don't think it will be him, but I predict that Dany's going to marry someone before the end of the book.
More hints about Summerhall and Jenny of Oldstones. I really want that backstory; we've been getting hints about it forever. I have a feeling it's going to turn out to be very important.
Ugh, Daario. Find someone better to get a crush on, Dany, he's a dick. I'm glad she sent him away, though I hadn't expected that. I predict he's going to be dead by the end of the book.


Chapter 24 (The Lost Lord):
So Griff is in fact Lord Connington. I'm still not convinced Young Griff is really Aegon, though.
Interesting that people are definitely not flocking to Aegon's banners- at least yet. There's a lot of suspicion here, which is not unexpected. I'm sure things would be easier if he had a dragon or two.
Hmmm, interesting that Aegon follows Tyrion's advice. I'm not sure it's a bad idea, after all, but I wonder why Tyrion told it to him.
UGH MORE GREYSCALE.


Chapter 25 (Quentyn):
More of these rumors about Dany. I like the really extreme ones; there's something funny about picturing kind-hearted Dany eating children and so forth.
All these random themed slave armies- herons, girls, chained- are so strange. And none of them sound like particularly good fighters.
Hmmm, this turncoat plan is really strange. I'm not sure what the leader intends to get out of it... he can claim that since he sent help to Dany, he was secretly on her side all along? It seems almost too convenient for Quentyn.


Chapter 26 (Asha):
UGH RAMSAY BOLTON. Even in his letters he's the creepiest thing around.
Asha/Qarl is pretty hot. I'd read some fic about that.
I think Aeron Damphair is going to play an important plot role at some point. A lot of religion and priests in this book. I'm interested to see what comes of that; it doesn't seem like the type of book where gods themselves will actually show up, but I like all the culture clashes that we've seen so far.
Oh, Asha. I liked you. I think you're probably dead now, though. Wish you'd made it back to your ships.


Chapter 27 (Tyrion):
Yay, Tyrion's not dead again!
Interesting that Jorah's so offended by Tyrion killing his own father. I suspect Jorah and Lord Mormont were close. I wonder if there will be any consequences of Jon now having the Mormont family sword.
If the followers of Rh'llor rise up for Dany, that will be really interesting. Again, we get that the local priests here see her, rather than Stannis, as the prophecy fulfilled.
Vogarro's Whore is AWESOME. I love controlling old lady characters.
Jorah's taking him to Dany! I had wondered if that was his plan. Of course, Dany might still refuse to see Jorah... things are getting very interesting.
One of the dwarves from Joffrey's wedding! I really love how very minor characters can reappear in this series. Though I'm glad I just reread the previous four books, so I still remember who everyone is.
And then the Widow decides to help them. I'm not sure why; did something Tyrion did during the fight make her decide to trust him? He doesn't seem to show any particular courage or moral virtue.
Fantastic last line; I wonder if we really are going to see a major, world-wide end to the slave trade.


Chapter 28 (Jon):
Oh, Allister Thorne. Go away.
If I was Jon, I don't know that I'd have fought Rattleshirt. It could have gone worse, though.
If Jon ever sees Ramsay Bolton's new wife, he'll know it's not Arya. I wonder if Jon is going to mess up the Lannisters' plans.
Dude, how can Melisandre control/make friends with Ghost? That seems like a really, really bad sign. Don't trust her, Jon! She may be right that some girl in grey comes to you for help, but it won't be Arya.


Chapter 29 (Davos):
Yay, Davos isn't dead! I was genuinely worried for a while that the reports of his death in Feast for Crows were going to turn out to be not exaggerated after all.
The letters he writes to his wife and sons are heart-breaking. Oh, Davos. I hope you get a happy retirement. Eventually.
I love Manderly's plot! It is clever.
It will never not be funny that there's a Frey named Rhaegar.
Rickon! I've been wondering what happened to him. What the hell is he doing on the Stepstones? I assume that's where he is, unless there's somewhere else nearby also known for cannibalism that I've forgotten about. Which is possible. I have a feeling Rickon is not going to turn out to be the well-adjusted Stark.


Chapter 30 (Daenerys):
Interesting that Dany asks the knights-in-training to joust, since she's so opposed to the fighting pits. The two are not so dissimilar, I'd think.
Oh, hard decisions. I think it's wise to keep plague outside of the city, and yet it's not good to abandon refugees to their deaths. Dany has had so many difficult choices this book.


Again, please no spoilers beyond this in the comments. I've seen a few other people doing this sort of chapter-by-chapter review, but I really enjoy reading them. Can anyone link me to some?