46 replies to this topic

[Gran de Lys]

Doran, on 18 July 2011 - 01:31 PM, said:

I'm with Loras here, great chapter. In particular, I loved the way Tyrion made Jorah part of their show. "The bear and the maiden fair" started as some random bawdy song, has been with us as an atmospheric set piece for three novels already (I just looked it up, it's sung in Clash, Storm and Feast). Now, suddenly, it became a plot device! Fantastic writing IMHO. And (because I don't think anyone has mentioned it yet) the first sentence provides confirmation of Mel having been sold as a slave as a child. But I guess that's what we were all assuming anyway.

Excellent point about Mel, Doran. I was trying to remember who kept thinking back to "Lot whatever" -- Melisandre, of course. But as to "The Bear and the Maiden Fair," it was never a random bawdy song. Its first introduction, in the amazing chapter in which Sansa gets sold out, she thinks, to Wyllis instead of dreamy Loras, is a kind of rude Greek chorus that runs along parallel lines to the skewing of Sansa's fate. It's an unpleasant replacement of "her" song (the Jonquil and Florian ballads) and a masterful harbinger of things to come. None of the songs, in fact, are random. From "The Rains of Castamere" to "The Rat Cook," Westerosi ballads are highly significant in terms of plot and character. ASOIAF is a most auditory reading experience. I would love some enterprising musical poster come up with filks for these lyrics, hint, hint ...

[rebel_yell]

i know for a fact that all this tedious nothing is leading to something but if it takes him a decade to finish a book maybe give us a little more in the ones you do finish not always having us look toward the horizon.

[FacelessManOf TheShire]

Good chapter - glad to see Tyrions and Danys story arcs finally converging.

I was wondering if the hermaphrodite character has any more relevance than is imediately obvious. Only because of:

Quote

a willowy creature called Sweets who dressed in moonstones and Myrish lace. “You are
trying to decide if I’m a man or woman,”... Then
she lifted her skirts and showed them what was underneath. “I’m both, and master loves me best.”
... “Lovely,” he said to Sweets,
who had purple hair and violet eyes

We know how hair and eye colour always seems to have relevence in these books.. seemed to be pointed out quite obviously in this little exchange is all.

[Fox65]

I think the ending of the chapter really gave the way tyrion and dany will unite.

Danny married the fighting pit campaigner. Following the wedding He reopened the fighting pit. He will be there the opening day and i am sure dany will be there also. She will see her bear broken and rescue him. And tyrion will be included

[Mista C]

^ Agree.

[EddardCorleone]

I thought this was a great Tyrion chapter!

[Bad Hound!]

I thought it a bit boring.
Tyrion's arc is good overall but his chapters are too small - from the beginning to the end of a chapter, not much has happened and it will take him ages to get to Dany (if that's what it leads to) and do something significant.
I agree that the Yunkish are unnecessarily grotesque - almost clichéd. I get that GRRM wants us to look at Essosi with the same eyes as a Westerosi, i.e. they're different, a bit weird, like I am sure medieval europeans thought of Asians. But I think he is slightly overplaying it. Just my opinion, he is the writer after all, he writes what he likes.

I find myself enjoying the northern chapters (Reek, Asha, Jon) a lot more than Dany/Tyrion arcs.

Funny to see how Tyrion went from not wanting to be recognised (in his first ADWD chapters) to begging to be recognised.

Slavery is horrible and I winced at the description of the Tolosi firing their lead balls with their slingshots on to the knees of the slaves who had attempted an escape. Bloody hell