Before I start, Turgonwarflame asked in the comments section how I felt about Robb becoming king, and I thought I'd bump that up to being the introduction to this post. So, how do I feel about Robb becoming king in the north? I don't really have very many feelings on the matter. Martin deliberately removed us from Robb's point of view, choosing only to deal with it via hearsay from other characters. That's sad in a way, because I really think that Robb could be an interesting character to deal with during this time period. His father just died, his mother is around, everyone is looking to him, Jon is off to the north, how does he feel about everything that is going on? How does he feel about being a boy who was playing with blunted swords the year before, but now leads an army of thousands? Why does he feel he needs to send his mother away, so the lords will listen to him more? In general though, he's still a kid, albeit a very mature, very smart kid. He's making mistakes, and I think when all the local lords declare you king, you go along with it. He wasn't going to turn down the crown, but I think the lords of the north are doing it as a naked power grab, and because they see in Robb someone they can manipulate, rather than for any genuine love they have for the boy.
Still, Robb has great potential. I hope they return to his story line in the third book. On to today's findings:
Catelyn: She plays well the voice of reason. I think some people would look at Catelyn and only see a timid woman who shrinks from combat, as she tries to advise seemingly everyone around her not to fight. But that's a ridiculously limited analysis. She doesn't want no one to fight, she just wants to make sure they're killing the right people; Lannisters. Furthermore, every time she opens her mouth to tell one of the men that they're being foolish for whatever it is they're doing, she's almost always right. In that sense, I don't think she makes women look weak, I think she makes men look stupid. You go girl. I think my favorite scene with her so far in the entire series was the scene in the sept near Storm's End the night before the Battle That Never Happened. All of the Starks have had this moments, where they stop and collect their thoughts, put things in perspective, and seek guidance. I think it's what sets them apart, as a family, from everyone else who are too busy with the present to see the past or the future. And okay, what the heck is up with the shadow assassin? This is the first real overt piece of magic we've seen in the series thus far. Sure there's the dead waking, and Khal Drogo being saved from death that resulted in his being infantilized, but Stannis sending a murderous projection of himself to slay his brother? We've reached a new level. I can only guess that it's the effects of the witch he keeps with him, and it's supposed to be the magic of Asshai. I wonder what else is to come so far as magic goes, but I think Stannis just got promoted a half dozen levels on my list of people to watch.This was a big section of the book for Catelyn. I think it's interesting that she's taken Brienne into her service. They are both strong women, but in different ways.
Sansa: Okay, maybe I was a little harsh on Sansa in the past. She's certainly having her dreams and fantasies broken down (perhaps even more systematically than Arya), and she's certainly suffering. Maybe she isn't toiling away as a scrubbing maid, but I think she's far more susceptible to humiliation than Arya is because of her greater femininity. But then, the effects of being beaten aren't really limited by gender. As I said above, it's odd to only hear tidings of Robb via others, through rumors, whispers, ravens and stories. Sansa might not be openly defiant, but she's not as stupid as I was accusing her of before. She's learning. We're seeing someone go from completely naive to someone who is learning the hard way that lying is the only way to get through. So she learns deceit in a trial by fire. She's still pinning her hopes on being rescued...but perhaps no more than Arya is. Also, this book has left me extremely cautious of ever giving anyone credit for doing anything nice, but way to go Tyrion in rescuing her from Joffrey's torment. I don't know what he hopes to gain out of it later, maybe nothing. He says he intends to send her away when the conditions are right, and I'm inclined to believe him, but, you never know.
Jon: Dun dun dun! The plot thickens! No way of really guessing what that buried mess was, but I have a couple of guesses. Either they have a traitor, someone who left his cloak behind and ran off into the woods to join some other group, or perhaps the clothes are Ben Stark's, and he's hiding amongst the locals or perhaps even with Mance Rayder's people. I'm starting to wonder when we'll return to the plot of guessing who Jon's mother is supposed to be. I'm also trying to figure out if, as a reader, I'm supposed to be able to guess who it might be based on the information I have so far. We were led to believe that it was some random girl from when Eddard first went off to war fifteen years ago. An important girl, mind you, but no one we'd know. I just don't see, from the female characters at hand, who it could be. Martin could really screw with us and make it Cersei, but that's beyond my ability to suspend disbelief. Unless Cersei got him drunk, I don't see it. That only leaves Catelyn's sister, Lysa. She's nutty as an acorn now, but before she married Jon...and then there's the comment from Catelyn's father about Lysa and a "young stripling" and that Lysa's husband was much too old to satisfy her needs, and Jon Snow/Jon Arryn (though that connection would be bizarre, unless he really is Erryn's heir, and not Ned's, but he took the Black, so it's irrelevant). The whole thing makes my head hurt.
Bran: Alright, it's pretty clear that Jojen's dream is about Theon attacking Winterfell. The concept of green dreams is odd to me. How many of these are self-fulfilling prophesies? Either way, they've already shown to be metaphorical rather than literally true, which means anything can happen...though it does seem likely that the flood is still going to kill Mikken and the others, only through swords rather than drowning. I really want to see Bran step up and become a more active player in his surroundings. I know he's still young, but he has so much potential. Of all the terrible things that have happened, the sack of Winterfell, should it come to pass, would probably be a gut-punch only rivaled by Ned being killed. It's like a home away from home for me. I feel safe hanging out with Bran in the godswood. Of all the tumult and chaos in the world around the characters, Winterfell is my one safe place, untouched by war, a place of youthful innocence...now watch Martin pull a Whedon on me and destroy my last realm of joy and safety.
Tyrion: What's Littlefinger up to? Tyrion just consented to giving him a pretty big grant of authority. What happens now?
Theon: Perhaps he has a tiny bit of Stark in him. Enough to feel guilty. I would say he's caught between two worlds, but no, he's still a Greyjoy. It's like he grew up a Protestant but was fostered by a Catholic family just long enough to feel a little guilty about his sins, but not guilty enough to not do them. I'm already seeing him take Winterfell via subterfuge by exploiting the friendships he made there. I hope that Bran and Maester Luwin and the others are wise enough not to let them in, especially with the warning from Jojen, but I fear none of that will happen. I only hope that when Theon's time comes, one of the Starks is the one to pull the trigger. These books are giving me a lust for revenge like I've never known, and I demand to be sated! Also, if Theon does anything with Eddard's bones that Catelyn is sending north, I'll kill him myself.
Arya: I like that they identify so strong with wolves. For a moment when she feels back in control, like a real, free person again, she associates that with being a wolf again. Kind of interesting since wolves are hunters, and hunt in packs, and are loyal.
Like Arya, I'm starting to gather my own catechism of people I'd like to see die a horrible death. Joffrey and Cersei are at the top of it right now, but other names are bubbling to the top (yeah Theon, I'm looking at you!). In the first book, I hoped that bad things would never happen. In the second, I pray that I get to see these people die horrible deaths for their crimes. Maybe my hopes are dying a little, but my desire for retribution is alive and well.
No comments:
Post a Comment