For all the hype leading up to it this novel ends up as a bit of a mixed bag. It comes with all the things that George R. R. Martin is loved for; gritty realism, sudden deaths, and the intricate workings of a very detailed world. But perhaps, by this point, too detailed? It is his greatest strength, and yet it seems to be working against him now. There is so much left to happen that the things that do happen are never quite enough, the plots so spread out and lengthy that they begin to feel unnecessary. When added with the previous book in the series A Dance With Dragons shows that the storylines are buckling under their own weight - and yet despite it all it leaves you with enough hope that the next novel might finally reach all the goals Martin is aiming for. Fingers crossed.