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
Reading a chapter which has got something to do with Asha Greyjoy is like going on that first date with that person you have only known of through fantastical urban legends and stuff and then they buy you pizza and you start crying in the middle of no where because they some how know you’re allergic to anchovies and then you realise that no you’re not on a date, you’re at the gym on a treadmill and fantasising about someone who will never know you because they are fictional
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
