Aaarrrgggggggggggg!!!!!!!!! It ends in such a way that I am half tempted to dig straight into the next book, but I feel that I need time to absorb everything that I just read. 
 This is, by far, my favourite of the series so far. Seriously. Awesome. I know that Martin can be long winded, but I felt that his words were put to good use. They all had their place. As did the characters. It is a full cast, but they are all growing on me. Even the evil ones. 
 Redemption is a major theme, which added a much appreciated touch of ambiguity and doubt to the story. Friends and foe become one and the same. Who can you trust? It's best to expect nothing, and trust no one. More than once my jaw literally dropped open. I LOVE not being able to see something coming! No character is safe, because Martin is changing all the rules! 
 I can feel the draw between the characters, their stories pulling at each other. It drove me completely nuts! From my vantage point I could see how things would work out differently, if only.....