Book Review: A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2) by George R.R. Martin

I know I'm late to the game with reading George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books . . . A Game of Thrones for you underlings, but I just can't get enough of them. I haven't watched the show yet. I'm old school; I like to read the book, or books, before watching the television show or movie.

All the books in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series take me at least a year to read. It isn't because they're difficult to read as far as the way they're written.  It's more that it is such heavy content, and there are a ton of characters. Because of this, I find myself putting it aside for a little while and then coming back to it. While reading A Clash of Kings, there were a lot of things that made think of other books or movies.

One example is when Tyrion, Joffrey, Sansa, Tommen, and Cersei saw Myrcella off. They are on their way back to the castle, and the poor people are rioting and throwing rotten food at them. It makes me think of the storming of the Bastille in the movie The Man in the Iron Mask. A little while later, Davos is steering through a tunnel and talks about how the last time he was there, there were eyes from starving men peering down at them. This also makes me think of The Man in the Iron Mask when the Musketeers have taken Phillippe out of the prison and are trying to leave by boat, and the rest of the prisoners are watching the escape.

Another example is when Daenerys Targaryen has to drink a liquid and go into a castle. The liquid she drinks basically makes her hallucinate some of her worse fears and she finds her way through the castle. There is a young adult trilogy by L.J. Smith called The Forbidden Game where high school friends are playing an unusual board game where they have to face their worst nightmares and make their way through the make believe house. However, the make believe house becomes real, and if they can't face their worse nightmare, they die.

"I hear the grapes singing on my tongue."

 "I wondered what that noise was. Tell the grapes to keep still, my head is about to split."

I enjoyed Clash of Kings quite a bit. Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister are still my favorite characters, but I found myself liking Arya Stark too. I still detest all the other Lannister family members, and I still don't particularly care for Sansa or Catelyn Stark. Sansa seems like such a whiny, weak girl, and Catelyn still seems very aloof and uncaring to me.

In this sequel, we get to learn more about Theon Greyjoy, and he is quite the womanizer for lack of a better word. Do all 15 year old boys leer and jeer at women like he does? And, it is quite disconcerting that he doesn't recognize his own sister. I know he was gone for a few years, but seriously? As we get to know him better, it makes me not like him at all, especially when it comes to Bran and Rickon. You'll know what I mean when if you've read it. If you haven't, you'll find out.

When it came to the end of the book, I was totally surprised. Can we say, "Holy plot twists, Batman?" I did not see it coming . . . it was a good surprise, not bad.

Does it sound like I'm complaining and don't like the book? Don't worry, I absolutely loved this book, and I've fallen in love with the series. I can't wait to see what happens next. Onward to A Storm of Swords.

Synopsis of A Clash of Kings:

In A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin, a comet the color of blood streaks through the sky. Six families struggle to take the power of the Iron Throne. Who will win?

 

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