#Review: A Dance With Dragons (Dreams & Dust)

A Dance with Dragons (Dreams & Dust) by George R R Martin

In this 5^th book in the series, I was very pleased to note that John Snow shares my frustrations about Samwell Tarly. I loved how Martin shows John’s internal struggles with the hard choices forced upon his very young shoulders. I think the thing which the books remind us of very clearly is how young so many of the protagonists are. The TV series can often make them seem a lot older. What makes this aspect of the books particularly poignant for me is that the youth of so many of the characters is a constant reminder of how a world at war forces our children to grow up much too quickly.

For me, the most frustrating thing about this book was that there is so much of it I already know from the television series. I kept reading on in the hopes I was going to get to something new. This is because the books do not stick to a specific chronology in the way the series does.

The other aspect which annoyed me a little was that there was not a whole lot written about my favourite characters. I very much want to know what’s happening to them and how their various journeys turn out. So naturally, I was a little impatient throughout the reading. One aspect of the book I particularly enjoyed was finding out more about the intricacies of Dornish politics even though I know most of the eventual outcome.

So now the end is nigh and it’s on to After The Feast with my impatience riding by my side and urging his garron to ever faster speeds.

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