dreaming.

I started reading this in the last few days of February 2025. My reading slump hit, and according to Goodreads, I picked it back up again around July. I stopped reading again, and saw that according to my last Tumblr update, the last time I engaged with this book in any meaningful way was 12 October 2025. Below is the link to how I was feeling at the time, which was Catelyn II, p. 306.

https://www.tumblr.com/plutonianlogs/797195509085372416/a-clash-of-kings-by-grrm-update-im-currently-on?source=share

It's been maybe two weeks since I got back in the groove of reading, and I finally made progress! I'm on Arya VII, p. 414.

First things first: Save me, Jon Snow! I ranked his POV sixth (out of eight) in AGOT, and boy, Jon Snow said he was not okay with that! He's had literally only three chapters so far, but they were by far my favourite, and I find myself really craving the North beyond the Wall. I really enjoy him as a character, and his supporting cast is great. I'm glad that so far, at least, his chapters are keeping in step with how I wanted his story to continue in my review of AGOT (linked below), as I only really enjoyed him at the beginning and the end. I didn't really like the Wall itself. Well, I didn't like it during Jon's "training montage" chapters, for lack of better wording. He's been much better beyond the Wall.

https://www.tumblr.com/plutonianlogs/788699605484421120/im-currently-reading-a-clash-of-kings-by-george?source=share

I've never complained about a Sansa chapter; there've only been two so far, but it's still the same. Same thing with Catelyn. We've only had one Davos chapter so far, but I like his POV. Bran, I ranked last in POVs for AGOT, but wrote that it was less about disliking him and more because someone had to be last. In that review, I said his chapters were simultaneously boring and interesting, and that I was worried about the magic stuff moving forward because of it. Well, I really, really like the spooky magic stuff going on with Bran. Bran IV has been one of my favourite chapters so far. Meera and Jojen's presence has been so refreshing.

Daenerys is finally within the walls of Qarth. I can't wait to read the chapter in the House of the Undying because I've heard/read great things about it. Dany's chapters have unfortunately been boring, which again is really disappointing considering how great her chapters in the back half of AGOT were.

Theon. Just Theon. The Iron Islands are a dreary place, my God. I don't know if I'll be able to stand reading about him there. I can deal with Theon himself fine, for the most part, and Asha I don't mind, but everyone else might be a problem. I know the consensus seems to be that the IIs are full of dumbfucks, and I can already taste that as easily as Theon can taste the salt air.

Arya has reached Harrenhal. I sadly had to remember that the Arya-Tywin connection doesn't exist in the books, so Harrenhal will be pretty different. But I'm liking things so far. I still feel the things I felt about Arya based on my past review + progress report, but I'm hopeful. She's finally off the road, lol!

Lastly, we have Tyrion. I still stand by what I said in my last progress report. I still think the King's Landing "politicians" around him are the most interesting things about his chapters (personally). Cersei, Littlefinger, Varys, they all brighten up his chapters for me. I love me a pretentious asshole, but I don't like that pompous feeling I get here. I honestly think it's the sheer number of chapters he gets that bothers me. It's like every other chapter is Tyrion, and it frustrates me because my favourite POVs have way, way less. Tyrion and Arya are both on their sixth chapters, and I feel it, painfully so. I'm looking at the wiki and there's another Tyrion one coming soon. At least the people whose favourite character is Tyrion were having a feast with him here.

As for me, I'm only warmed by the sight of so many Sansa and Jon chapters in the back half of the book. In general, though, I'm feeling more positive about this book than I have in a long time. I'm also half-reading Fire & Blood, and taking in all the ASOIAF discourse from the shows (I loved A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms/haven't properly sat to watch House of the Dragon outside the first two episodes, though I'm taking in all the discourse). I actually started The Hedge Knight a while back and might switch between this and that to help me along if I get stuck somewhere.

I wanted to make note of this line from Meera to Bran:

"You were sitting at supper, but instead of a servant Maester Luwin brought you your food. He served you the king's cut off the roast, the meat rare and bloody, but with a savory smell that made everyone's mouth water. The meat he served the Freys was old and grey and dead. Yet they liked their supper better than you liked yours."

I'm wondering if I should try to make sense of this or just leave it at the back of my mind. I initially wanted to do chapter-by-chapter updates but I think I'll just update when something memorable happens, and then fill in the blanks in that post. Also, the most memorable chapter so far has definitely been Jon III. The characters, the imagery (the icy glaze Jon wakes to that he thinks Sansa would find enchanting). It's been a long time since I read it, but I remember laughing out loud at some point, probably when Sam told Jon he'd hoped they could help Gilly. Jon was just absolutely finished, lmao.