So I finished the second-to-last Jon chapter and another Barristan chapter ("The Discarded Knight") and I've begun one of Quentyn's chapters on page 1169 of 1489 (1407) in my ebook.
Some random thoughts-
> Mormont's raven saying Jon's full name was bizarre, both to Jon and the reader. And the raven says, "King" before he says "Snow, Jon Snow, Jon Snow." Could that be Bran, but why would Bran say king? Is there some other skinchanger in the raven? Also, when Theon is praying to the old gods in front of Winterfell's heart tree it seems like the tree calls to him at one point. Could that be Bran as well? GRRM leaves Bran at arguably the most interesting point in his entire story arc.
> Speaking of bizarre things, Melisandre's chapter is so weird. The sense I get is that she wants and needs Jon Snow, possibly even on a sexual level. She's desperate for Jon Snow's trust and she misinterprets some of the fire's visions to gain that trust (mistaking the girl in grey on a dying horse for Arya Stark when in actuality it's Alys Karstark [even the names are similar]). But the question is why does she need and want Jon Snow? For what purpose? Clearly she still believes that Stannis is Azor Ahai reborn, so why is she so desperate for Jon's alliance? It makes no sense.
> There's a lot of gods competing for man's attention now. The Old Gods, Melisandre and her god R'hllor, The Many-Faced God with Arya, and the Seven of westeros. In ADWD, R'hllor is often described as a "jealous god" and consuming. Despite these drawbacks, R'hllor clearly has powers though. Melisandre's visions so far have all been true as has the red priest Moqorro's, who Victarion picks up.
> I feel sad for Quentyn Martell. Everyone is telling him to go back home and he obstinately refuses. I admire his resolve but I have to question his wisdom for someone who is reputedly so bookish. It was sad to hear Barristan Selmy's take on him: "[Daenerys] wants fire, and Dorne sent her mud. You could make a poultice out of mud to cool a fever. You could plant seeds in mud to grow a crop to feed your children. Mud would nourish you, where fire would only consume you, but fools and children and young girls would choose fire every time." That's so lugubrious and depressing, especially from Quentyn's point-of-view. If I were Quentyn though, I'd heed Selmy's advise and get the fuck out of Meereen....
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