Re-reading the beginning and end of AFFC instead of reading ADWD like I should be doing.
[[HUGE SPOILERS for A Feast for Crows and A Dance With Dragons]]
“Throw the apple,” Alleras urged again. He was a comely youth, their Sphinx. All the serving wenches doted on him. Even Rosey would sometimes touch him on the arm when she brought him wine, and Pate had to gnash his teeth and pretend not to see.
“If only it worked that way with apples, no one would ever need go hungry,” said Alleras with one of his soft smiles. The Sphinx was always smiling, as if he knew some secret jape. It gave him a wicked look that went well with his pointed chin, widow’s peak, and dense mat of close-cropped jet-black curls.
Cut for more badassery.
All you Westerosi make a shame of loving. There is no shame in loving. If your septons say there is, your seven gods must be demons. In the isles we know better. Our gods gave us legs to run with, noses to smell with, hands to touch and feel. What mad, cruel god would give a man eyes and tell him he must forever keep them shut, and never look at all the beauty in the world? Only a monster god, a demon of the darkness
“
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Kojja Mo, A Feast For Crows Summer Islanders are the best hands down seriously |
also I love that the first thing little King Tommen will do when he can sit on that uncomfortable chair is outlaw beets
AFFC SPOILERS: Gilly feels posting
Up to the chapter were Sam and Aemon and Gilly are on that big ass boat to see the Tarly fam and all. And Gilly is crying her heart out and she is scared as fuck on top of being surrounded by awful neckbeards. Also yeah the part where Jon Snow is a douche and swaps Gilly’s baby with another so that if the event should come up where a child needs to be sacrificed- the child of higher privilege is spared and Gilly’s will get killed. Because Jon Snow is a Champ and Gilly is Weak and Awful and The Worst. Apparently. (I understand that the situation is a lot more complex than that but srsly tho)
And I hated every bit of that chapter. And now I have fears for Gilly and the way fandom neckbeard dude bros will handle her in the show. Or how Neckbeards handle her now in the books.
You know, it’s not just neckbeards but some lady folk who believe Gilly is The Worst (She so annoying! She keeps crying!EEEW SHE’S SO WEAAKKKKKK) and now I must post because if I don’t post I will screech.
Ok. So list of things we have learnt about Gilly
TW: Incest, rape, Craster, GRRM writing about women folk
- I don’t know how old Gilly is, but I’d expect her to be quite young
- Craster was her father and he was probably the father of Gilly’s mother too
- Making Gilly related to her mother
- Also keep in mind that Gilly was pregnant with Craster’s child
- think of the mind fuck there
- and all of that happened in the most abusive, most nonconsensual way possible
- i don’t even want to get into detail because Craster is the most unecessary character ever along with Gregor Clegane and Ramsay Bolton
- That’s how awful he is
- and that’s who Gilly had to live with for all of her life
- on top of that she doesn’t even know about the world beyond where she lives
- in all honesty she has probably lived in fear from the moment she came into the world
Break time here because let’s all look at that list for a moment. Think about the fact that this is what she has lived with for all her life. Her drive in wanting to get the fuck out should be applauded. That in itself is a special type of badass and the kind that defines a survivor.
Also keep in mind that Gilly has never known of a world outside of Craster’s keep. She has never seen the sea or a giant body of water for that matter. It’s also fair to say that she just doesn’t know a lot of things and none of it is her fault. Idk about you lot but after such a traumatic life, a sudden change in environment would mentally scar a person.
On top of the whole having your baby swapped with the possibility of your own child getting killed.
Just. Ugh. It was awful enough reading about people being awful to a survivor of incest and rape and all that. But to hear it in real life and for people to suggest that Gilly is bad because she is weak or is a Bad Female Character because she is weak is incredibly fucked up. I have no words.
Being weak doesn’t mean that you are bad. After experiencing what Gilly went through, if she is weak- can you blame here? And even then, the fact that she still carries on after such a traumatic life- is weak the best you can come up with? And considering that we have this creepy idea going around that a female character has to be strong in order to be good is incredibly fucked up.
Bluh bluh bluh I have no words and I have Gilly feels and people can be awful and now I am rambling
AFFC SPOILERS: ughh fuck this chapter
I am a wreck
Cersei watching that tower go up in flames and the way she feels cleansed and all. I am sobbing for her. This is perfect. This whole scene was perfect. You actually want to bow your head to this woman for the while, regardless of how you approach her.
You know- people always go on about how it’s the men who make this series
nah brah
It’s the women.
AFFC SPOILERS: Cersei Lannister and being a mother post part 2
Said it before, will say it again- it’s not new when we all say Joffrey was a shit. He was an awful person all round and yeah. Just a shit.
But curse these Cersei chapters. In the midst of hating Joff- you forget what he meant to Cersei. I’m up to the part where it’s Tommen’s wedding and mama Lannister has seen her baby cough up on some wine and no lie I was shrieking with her.
And you know, it’s easy to be like “hahaha incest ew” when it comes to Cersei. But (slow, yes) I’ve come to realise that the importance of Joff, Myrcella and Tommen to Cersei goes beyond them being just her children. Again, not defending Joffrey and I’m still happy he’s gone but let me ramble for a bit.
TW: Domestic violence, Domestic abuse, Marital violence, Robert Baratheon
Stating the obvious here but Cersei hasn’t had the best of luck. Ever. She was told from the get go that she would forever be the lesser human because of her sex, and it is her sex (we’re talking about the most highest ranking woman here) that does hold her back. Cersei was never allowed to be in charge of herself. Or her own body. For the years that Robert Baratheon harmed her- the most powerful woman in Westerosi society- she couldn’t do anything about it.
And like, that’s where Jaime, Joff, Myrcella and Tommen come in. In a world where Cersei was blocked from her own autonomy- I’ve always seen that Cersei having these children from Jaime and refusing to bear any for Robert is like her ultimate rebellion. It’s like her way of saying “you may take my body- but you can never take my claim or my identity”. And with Joffrey gone- there goes a part of that rebellion, that spirit that she invested herself into for so long.
Her children are an extension of all the things that Cersei was meant to do, but never could. I cry for Cersei still, when I read about the pain she feels about her children. But it’s a differnet type of pain. It goes beyond the type when one loses a child.
For Cersei- she’s lost a part her identity. Her claim. Her fight for visibility got taken back a bit when Joffrey left. When Myrcella was sent to Dorne. All she has is Tommen.
And yeah. I dunno- I’m just going to squat in the corner of my room and cry some more because Cersei Lannister happened.
