Post by cosmos on Nov 4, 2017 0:06:16 GMT -5
So, I just finished reading A Game of Thrones for the first time and I have some thoughts.
In general I really liked that GRRM's prose is very clean, very direct, almost without description. It makes the times when he has to go descriptive all the more stronger specially during the dream sequences. His actions sequences also benefit by the cleanness of his prose which makes for me, a non-native English speaker, a very easy and entertaining read.
About the individual characters, starting with the POV ones:
In general I really liked that GRRM's prose is very clean, very direct, almost without description. It makes the times when he has to go descriptive all the more stronger specially during the dream sequences. His actions sequences also benefit by the cleanness of his prose which makes for me, a non-native English speaker, a very easy and entertaining read.
About the individual characters, starting with the POV ones:
- Poor Ned: his entire arc is about chipping away a honorable from his honor. As the story progresses, he compromises more and more until his last act is a false confession that couldn't save him. You can't really stop to feel like Ned died with a lot of regrets, going all the way back to Lyanna's promise. Ned is the kind of character that you root for even though you know he is ill-equipped to deal with situation.
- Poor Cat: she is the literal embodiment of her family's words: Family, Duty, Honor. And in this precisely order. In the her last chapter as she's trying to convince the lords to sue for peace, you can feel her despair as they acclaim Robb king. I can understand why she is polarizing, but considering how she and Ned are practically two peas in a pod concerning honor and duty I can't escape the feeling that a lot of criticism launched at her is rooted in sexism.
- Jon: to be frank Jon as character didn't impress me, but I did enjoy his arc and growth from a character that was a sulky teen unaware of his privileges to someone more socially conscious of his advantages. That he go out of his way to help Sam really shows his development as does the returning to the Watch after his friends go after him. Also can I say that the show did a A+ casting choice in Kit. It was so easy to imagine his brooding face while reading Jon's chapter.
- Dany: not gonna front here. FAVE. CHARACTER. EVER. Loved her growth and development. Her taking charge attitude when she start to grow into her own, finding ways within the parameters of the society she is inserted in order achieve her goals. And her last four chapters are a roller-coaster, going from strength to strength. Can't wait to read her in the next book.
- Tyrion: definitely GRRM's best realized during the first book. Great characterization but he doesn't really have a story arc in the first book, first serving Jon's arc, then Catelyn's and finally Tywin's. Hopefully the next book is better for him.
- Arya: for a fan favorite, I was very indifferent to her arc, probably because she had no reasons to develop beyond spunky girl until her last two chapters.
- Sansa: I actually enjoy her arc even though she suffered from the exactly the same problem: static development until her last two chapters. But unlike Arya, it was fun watching her being consistently blind to the realities of the world. Until her last chapter of course.
- Bran: I thought I would dread his chapters but I really loved them. Him coming to term with his new condition is heartbreaking but so well done.
- Non-POV characters: I was surprise how little Jaime and Theon registered tom. Specially considering their characters' importance later. And it wasn't the lack of POV from them. Lysa, Tywin, Robb, Petyr and others really felt real unlike those two.