Read the warning in this blog's banner before proceeding. Here there be spoilers.
Having made my way through four sections of A Dance with Dragons, a pattern's emerged. Only Daenerys' chapter had bits intended to refresh the reader. They're the parts of narration that often show up in sequels. A paragraph here to explain this reference to an earlier plot point or device, some explanation of why a character matters that's based on past books' events. That sort of thing.
Since Daenerys didn't show up in A Feast for Crows, it's clear why G.R.R.M. included refreshers in her chapter. Hers was also the preview chapter at the end of A Feast for Crows. Curiously, Cersei's first chapter from that book was the preview chapter from A Storm of Swords.
Of course, that doesn't mean that the women of the series are being touted as anything, Cersei's a major player at King's Landing, the core of A Feast for Crows. Likewise, all plots within the reach of her gravity turn around Daenerys, it seems.
Tyrion's on his way to her, just as Selmy was two books back. Of course, Tyrion's chapters are more wit-based than anything Selmy would have starred in. I didn't get the impression that the dialogue in Tyrion's recent chapter was as forced as it was in his first in A Dance with Dragons, since there's much more interrogation going on.
Though, I have to unabashedly praise where praise is required.
Jon Snow's not my favourite character by far, yet Ygritte is definitely in my top three for secondary characters. Her death forced me to close the book and call it a day as far as reading further went, and all because of her signature line.
When Melisandre repeats this line at the end of Jon's first chapter in Dance, I teared up. Ygritte's character resonated so much with me that that's all it takes, just a sign pointing back to her and her tragic death. So well done with Ygritte's characterization, G.R.R.M., well done indeed.
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