Saddest moment in the books.

[Lemon Cake]

It's not a very original answer, but the Red Wedding was the thing that left me feeling the most devastated. In particular, the moment when Robb was killed was like a blow to the stomach for me. It was the only time I seriously considered walking away from the books for good; I didn't think I could take more horror and heartache after that.

Obviously, I was not able to follow through on that intention.

[Natalia Borgia]

I don't even remember this part. Besides, hair cutting pales next to head removing. Ned's death, followed by the Red Wedding.

Happened as she was getting slaughtered during RW.

[Petrichor]

Lady's death

The Red Wedding

Arya sending Nymeria away

Ygritte's death

I would include Ned's death, but that was more of a holy shit, what the hell just happened kind of moment rather than a sad one...

EDIT: Oberyn Martell's death. Especially seeing as he was only trying to avenge his sister's death. :crying:

[Cap Ou Pas Cap]

Sansa's snow castle gets me everytime. It is the first time she really even tries to deal with what happened to her family emotionally and it ends with her Aunt being pushed out a sky door. Sansa is by far the saddest story so far (with the possible exception of Theon).

The things that girl had to see, and the enviroment she had to endure it in, were heart wrenching.

How can Sansa's story be the saddest and even "by far"? Seven hells.

The snow castle scene was beautiful and ended with Littlefinger needing a good kick in his guts, but that is all.

[clover]

All I could think about was what was going through Sansa's head during her wedding to Tryion.

She was stuck with the Lannisters, never going home, would never see her family, lost out on the proposal from the Tyrells, and Tyrion is not her dream man

She probably thought her life was over. Every dream or hope or wish she had died there.

ANd then Joff's offer about having her still. UGH!!!

I can't believe that outwardly she still was courteous and herself and still kept her chin up somewhat.

[HyacinthGirl]

I'd make a list but there are just too many... the Red Wedding takes the biscuit.

The Red Wedding takes the whole damn biscuit factory.

[Candor]

How can Sansa's story be the saddest and even "by far"? Seven hells.

The snow castle scene was beautiful and ended with Littlefinger needing a good kick in his guts, but that is all.

Oh, I don't know ... because different people react differently to the same situation? :bang:

[Derfel]

The fate of the Ironborn of Moat Cailin, they thought they were going back home...

"The one-armed man walked at the head of the procession, limping heavily. His name, he said, was Adrack Humble, and he had a rock wife and three salt wives back on Great Wyk. “Three of the four had big bellies when we sailed,” he boasted, “and Humbles run to twins. First thing I’ll need to do when I get back is count up my new sons. Might be I’ll even name one after you, m’lord."

"A few of the ironborn muttered thanks before they shambled off toward the cookfires in the center of the camp. One of the Codds even tried to kiss Lord Ramsay’s ring, but the hounds drove him back before he could get close, and Alison took a chunk of his ear. Even as the blood streamed down his neck, the man bobbed and bowed and praised his lordship’s mercy."

But then...

"Somewhere in the night, men were screaming."

They just got flayed.

[The King in the South]

How can Sansa's story be the saddest and even "by far"? Seven hells.

The snow castle scene was beautiful and ended with Littlefinger needing a good kick in his guts, but that is all.

Probably the fact that she was held hostage for months on end, beaten, abused, taunted, forced into marriage at age 13, all well she hears about how her family is dying.

I don't think she just meant the freaken snow castle scene was why the entirety of Sansa's story is sad.

[NickSnow]

The Red Wedding is no doubt one of the most heart-wrenching scenes in series, but for me the saddest moment was Ygritte's death. When she says to Jon "So this is what a real castle looks like." (or something along those lines), and then dies, I just felt miserable. In her dying breath, we understand that Ygritte (and the Wildings in general) are quite simple and innocent. So sad.

[Cap Ou Pas Cap]

Probably the fact that she was held hostage for months on end, beaten, abused, taunted, forced into marriage at age 13, all well she hears about how her family is dying.

I don't think she just meant the freaken snow castle scene was why the entirety of Sansa's story is sad.

Probably the fact that she was held hostage for months on end, beaten, abused, taunted, forced into marriage at age 13, all well she hears about how her family is dying.

I don't think she just meant the freaken snow castle scene was why the entirety of Sansa's story is sad.

Of course she did not mean only the snow castle scene. Only that it was a scene in "the saddest story by far". Thank gods it at least serves to make me smile. But puzzles nonetheless. Is it because Sansa is the only one who passes for "young and beautiful" heroine? Let's go point by point.

- Quite wonderful life in Winterfell (admittedly, there was an unsettling shortage of singers, but Old Nan had good stories to tell)

- And then the Lady vanishes. True, this was sad. Was it cruel fate or her own fault? Is this where I mention Mycah? Well, his story probably wasn't that sad or important.

- Very nice time at Kings Landing where she enjoyed a prince just exactly suited to her wishes ("I don't want someone brave and strong! I want him!")

- Her father was taken and killed after she decided to prefer her new shiny royal family and not her old one by going to Cersei over Ned's head (pun unintended). I think it is nice that Hound calls her "little bird" just like Varys calls his "little birds". Of course, the girl did not want anybody get hurt, I bet she simply did not think about anybody else except that they are denying her what she wants. Is this that sad part? I think GRRM had Joffrey taking her to see those heads on spikes not only to show that Joffrey is a monster, but for Sansa to see what she has done. You know, like Jaquen taking Arya to carry "Weasel Soup". You spoke the word, you must know what it costs and what youhave caused.

- And then she was held hostage, Joffrey had his men strike her on four separate times. She held herself quite well. Sad? Quite.

- Marriage to Tyrion. The man is not a joy to the eyes and a Lannister. But he was nice to her from A to Z.

Is this the saddest story ever told? I don't know. Snow White was made to endure even seven dwarves. Poor girl. Is this the saddest story in aSoIaF? I hear every villager tickled by the Tickler voting "Yes!".

[The Oncoming Storm]

Jon's "death". I began to cry when I read Bowen was crying. It just broke my heart. You, more of less good guys, shouldn't fight among yourselves!

Quentyn's death. He was boring, but Missandei's remark made me BAWWWW. Poor boy. He didn't deserve it. Dunno how GRRM manages to describe such a horrible death with such a poetic style, all the while not losing from the naturalism.

[David C. Hunter]

For me the hardest thing to read about was the massacre of the shield islands. All the daughters were forced to serve the men naked while the dad was forced to watch then all the women were given to the men, they lost all their territory. Idk why but that was the saddest moment for me.

[Cap Ou Pas Cap]

Oh, I don't know ... because different people react differently to the same situation? :bang:

I think if you found a child on the street sobbing over a fallen leaf, you might stop and ask "how come, are you allright"? Because there is some ccommon treshold.

[kephv]

Arya - her guilt over the butcher boy's death and her illusions of safety being shattered afterwards. Her last RW chapter and all subsequent chapters where she remembers the hole in her heart.

The RW - Robb's death, Cat's death, and everyone getting slaughtered.

The Ned's death and his family's reaction to it.

Ygritte's death.

:crying:

[littlespider]

- And then she was held hostage, Joffrey had his men strike her on four separate times. She held herself quite well. Sad? Quite.

You are only counting the number of times that she is struck in the text. There are very clear indications that she is beaten quite a number of other times -- old bruises when she is dressing for Joffrey's Name Day tournament, for instance. Some find Sansa's story much more relatable, and can relate to its sadness more than, say, Arya's or Catelyn's. You might try, but you're not going to convince anyone that Sansa's story is not sad who is already convinced of it.

And you left out quite a number of important points: most notably, being married to a Lannister at the time that she learns that the rest of her family has been massacred. By Lannisters and their allies. Being told by a Lannister about this. She has absolutely no one that she can turn to. One of the saddest moments in the books is when Tyrion hears her sobbing on the other side of the door, alone.

[Sound_of_winter]

everything everyone said about the red wedding, for sure, and Ned. But the scene where Bran discovers Maester Luwin in his final moments was really sad :crying:

[littlespider]

everything everyone said about the red wedding, for sure, and Ned. But the scene where Bran discovers Maester Luwin in his final moments was really sad :crying:

Oh man, that was gut-wrenching!

Mine, in addition to Sansa sobbing alone on the other side of the door:

--Stalwart Shield

--Mycah

--Ygritte's death

--"she was a good girl, and always remembered her courtesies" :frown5:

--the moment when the sword goes through Robb's heart. I knew Bad Things were going to go down, but it just seemed completely unreal.

--"Six days later..." :crying:

--as others have said above, Catelyn and her hair, a moment before her death. A juggernaut of pain focused into a quotidian detail, sharp as a needle.

[Cap Ou Pas Cap]

Some find Sansa's story much more relatable, and can relate to its sadness more than, say, Arya's or Catelyn's. You might try, but you're not going to convince anyone that Sansa's story is not sad who is already convinced of it.

That is the difference between stating "the story IS the saddest (by far, gods help)" and "this story MAKES ME sad". Because the first one implies that the objective true is stated. And in this case it had to be challenged.

I think people should simply clarify that they like Sansa (or whoever else) best an therefore her aching toe means more than a whole tortured village. And I agree that everyone finds what he likes in these books.

I think Sansa is not that interesting but she was there for many important events, accumulated experiences and now might become someone worthwhile.

[Arkh]

Sansa's snow castle gets me everytime. It is the first time she really even tries to deal with what happened to her family emotionally and it ends with her Aunt being pushed out a sky door. Sansa is by far the saddest story so far (with the possible exception of Theon).

Hmmm. Her own sister seems to be having a much, much worse time.