A Feast for Crows ( a Song of Ice and Fire, book 4) by George R.R Martin

After centuries of bitter strife and fatal treachery, the seven powers dividing the land have decimated one another into an uneasy truce. But it's not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters of the Seven Kingdoms gather. Now, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed while surprising faces—some familiar, others only just appearing—emerge from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges of the terrible times ahead. Nobles and commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages, are coming together to stake their fortunes...and their lives. For at a feast for crows, many are the guests—but only a few are the survivors.Goodreads

Meanwhile back at the wall  reads the last chapter of a  Feast for Crows that's not a chapter. It's a letter or some words from George Martin explaining WHY Tyrion, Bran, Daenerys, Jon, Davos, Stannis and all the other characters are absent! It's very well written this letter and I'm not really annoyed He is after all the story teller and I'm just the eager listener waiting .

On to the book:  it wasn't as devastating as a Storm of Swords but I did have another reluctant phase when I saw that Cersei had chapters . I mean really ?? I had to endure being in Jaime's mind( which I'll admit wasn't so bad and even in aFfC he's becoming more honorable). But Cersei, she's just so fickle and arrogant and paranoid and I could barf. She thinks she's Tywin's son but with breasts (she actually says this or thinks this). In comparison to Jaime: When reading Jaime's pov's I learned more about what drives him and why his done so many bad things. He wanted to be the good guy but some how became the bad one. His character is flawed but he has some good in him . As for Cersei the only redeeming part (maybe) is that she loves her children and wants to protect them. She still mourns her son and is afraid  of losing Tommen. At the same time she wants to be Queen and hates Margaery and plots to have her killed. *really woman get over yourself. Her plan backfires and she ends up lock up aswell just like Margaery. In Jaime's case I came to understand him and now (aFfC) maybe like him a little bit.  Cersei on the other had........

"Whilst you snored, I would lick your sons off my face and fingers one by one, all those pale sticky princes. You claimed your rights, my lord, but in the darkness I would eat your heirs " -pg 693

When I said I could barf, I meant it quite literally. Cersei is disturbed . I think that comes out more in the end. Some time in a cold dark cell might help her. Now I see where Joffrey got it from.

Something I was looking forward too was the Martells. When prince Doran had arrived in Kingslanding in a Storm of Swords , it was impressive. Dorne was the last kingdom to bend down to the Iron Throne,Unbowed,Unbent,Unbroken are their words.They have a lot of history . Doran came for revenge and in a way he did get it. Although wen he died I expected more of a retaliation or a revolt something from Dorn! At first reading about Prince Oberyn and his meekness toward the whole thing. I was disappointed. was this what impressed me so much? Although the sand snakes and Arianne did prove to be like prince Doran. Ariane tried to crown Myrcella but her coup didn't go so well. Her failure on the other hand turned the waves. Prince Oberyn chastises her, he tells her not to mistake his forbearance for patience or meekness. What he does he does in the better good for their hearts desire. what's that you ask? well only vengeance, justice and fire and blood.

Then there's the Greyjoys, Balon's death brings his brothers back Euron 'crows eye comes back from "whoknowswhere" to claim the Seastone Chair. But his other bother Damphair won't have a godless man sit the chair so he goes and calls a Kingsmoot. oh look  at that the thieving pirates have something that resemblance democracy. Notable competitors were Asha and Victarion (another of Balon's brothers) . Euron wins , how? oh you know he has  a horn that can enchant DRAGONS. I mean really we already have a horn that can bring down the wall , Yo Martin you know  that big thing keeping the white walkers out of the realm. Why can't you add magical  blowtorches so the Westorosi people can defend themselves better rather then putting them in horrible places where they're most likely to DIE.

Victarion Greyjoy is an interestingly disturbed character. He often says he has no luck with wives. He's had three. His last wife slept with he's brother Euron which pissed him off immensely. BUT because Vicky didn't want to kill his brother and become a kinslayer he went and killed his wife instead. oh dude you missed the point of compromise..He's still pissed about what happened and I think he feels guilty aswell . He tells himself he had to do it, he often recollects the blood on his hands and her face. He wants revenge so he agrees to do something for his brother. to go and fetch he's brothers lover but he's really going to take her for himself. Oh such brotherly love

One of the castles I love the most is The Eryie. It's brilliant and impregnable. For some odd reasons I like the sky cells , they seem amazing. I'd like to see the view from one, but not long enough for me to get any notions of flying. Sansa has to play the role of Petyr's daughter Alayne. She must be Alayne at all times, even the titles of Sansa's chapters have changed to Alayne to mark this change. I don't like Petyr, he's a sneaky untrustworthy person. Yes, he's smart and could probably sell you anything you don't need but it's hard to trust this guy and now after reading a Feast for Crows I am stumped. Petyr wants Sansa to make Harry Waynwood fall in love with her so they can be married. When he proposes this I'm like * I knew it you bastard littlefinger. Then Petyr explains that Harry Waynwood is a distant descendant of one of Jon Arryn's brothers and when Robert dies Harry would inherit the Vale. No, there's more and when Sansa shows up at her wedding with red hair covered in a maidens cloak emblazoned with the Stark direwolf. The Vale will pledge fealty to her and help get Winterfell back! Petyr Baelish *who are you?! what are you up to?!

Tyrion's absence from this book is felt. Cersei has a bounty on his head and is paranoid Tyrion will come back and try to kill her. Jaime is haunted by Tyrion's words. One of my favorite quotes from the book:

"Jaime," she said, tugging on his ear, "sweetling, I have known you since you were a babe at Joanna's breast. You smile like Gerion and fight like Tyg, and there's some of Kevan in you, else you would not wear that cloak... but Tyrion is Tywin's son, not you. I said so once to your father's face, and he would not speak to me for half a year. Men are such thundering great fools. Even the sort who come along once in thousand years.”

All right you probably want me to shut up now, but the most chivalrous knight I know is Brienne of Tarth, who's currently being hanged but I'm sure she'll think of something.

Although Davos's pov's weren't in this book ,he's name was mentioned a few times. In my aCoK review I said he was dead, and in my aSoS  review it turns out he wasn't dead and now in aFfC he's apparently dead (again) so I'm not going to comment on he's state of existence or non-existence. Let's just say he's MIA

A Feast for Crows, a very fitting name . There are a lot of crows in this book as there are bodies. Lady Stoneheart is adamant on hanging all the Fry's and traitors . She's no longer Catelyn Stark, she knows no mercy. Then again what do you expect from a zombie. Beric Dondarion is dead, he gave he's zombieness to her.

Speaking of the dead, Aemon Targeryn also dies on his way to oldtown. Sam and Gilly honour him by naming Dalla's son Aemon. Aemon Battleborn, Aemon Steelstrong very impressive names. Sandor Clegane is also said to be dead. I kinda liked him.

In this book we leave Arya waking up blind.............grrrr WHY??!

Right I was suppose to stop 4 alinea's ago, my bad. I love this series but I can't say I'm eager to read a Dance with Dragons because it's currently the last book published. Winds of Winter isn't out yet, as far as I know there isn't even a release date, and if I read aDwD now. Then what am I going to do then?! George Martin took six years before he finished aDwD, six years!! May the Seven judge you justly!