It’s Thursday and you know what that means! “Turn to Page 394” Thursdays! I’m so glad that I finally have time to make another one of these. I really really enjoy writing them.For those of you who don’t know, “Turn to Page 394” Thursdays was a blog hop created by me, in order to honour a great actor (Alan Rickman), as well as a great character (Severus Snape). Since Alan Rickman left this world on a Thursday, that is the day on which I have chosen to host this blog hop! You can see more details in my initial post here.

How does it work? You pick a book (that’s long enough, of course), turn to page 394 in that book, and post a passage, or the whole page (whichever you think will be more
interesting), and then discuss it! I’ve been having fun with it, and all are welcome to join! Just share the link to your “Turn to Page 394” Thursday post in the comments below, and share the button for the blog hop in your post (not required, but it would make me happy!)

This Thursday, I have decided to discuss another one of my loves…my reasons being that 1) I love this series, 2) I love the characters, 3) there shouldn’t be spoilers for anyone, and 4) there may be less copyright issues…I hope.

So today…I shall turn to page 394 of…

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin!

This book has been around for some time (August 6, 1996 to be exact), but I didn’t know about it until my father came home with the box set of the first 4 books from Costco one day. I looked the box set over, and notice the “A new original series from HBO” banner on it. I saw Daenerys and her brother, Viserys, on the side of the box set, and I became very intrigued by their pale hair. So, I decided to look up the show, and see what’s up!

I became even more intrigued, and so I decided to watch the show…and I never turned back! It has become one of my favourite shows, and story lines of all time.

While some people become confused and frustrated with multiple and convoluted story lines, I love them. The more complex and intertwined, the better!

It should come as no surprise then that I fell in utter love with the series. Once the first season of Game of Thrones had finished airing, I decided that I would read the books. (I normally read the books first, but because I had started watching the TV series first in this case, I wanted to finish that first, before delving into the books).

I found myself struggling a little….not because I dislike Martin’s writing or because the books are long. I like both of those things, but rather because I had technically spoiled the first book for myself by watching the show, and I knew what was going to happen at every turn. I did enjoy taking in the extra information which the TV show just couldn’t fit into their episodes, but…it was still a struggle.

But anyway…page 394 of this book is about halfway through this book, and with how long the book has been around, as well as the TV series, I am hoping that I won’t spoil anything for any of you, haha. To provide some context, this chapter is narrated by Daenerys, and falls at the end of said chapter.

Warning: adult language and imagery!

“I had Doreah sew it specially for you,” she told him, wounded. “These are garments fit for a khal.”
“I am the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, not some grass-stained savage with bells in his hair,” Viserys spat back at her. He grabbed her arm. “You forget yourself, slut. Do you think that big belly will protect you if you wake the dragon?”
His fingers dug into her arm painfully and for an instant Dany felt like a child again, quailing in the face of his rage. She reached out with her other hand and grabbed the first thing she touched, the belt she’d hoped to give him, a heavy chain of ornate bronze medallions. She swung it with all her strength.
It caught him full in the face. Viserys let go of her. Blood ran down his cheek where the edge of one of the medallions had sliced it open. “You are the one who forgets himself,” Dany said to him. “Didn’t you learn anything that day in the grass? Leave me now, before I summon my khas to drag you out. And pray that Khal Drogo does not hear of this, or he will cut open your belly and feed you your own entrails.”
Viserys scrambled back to his feet. “When I come into my kingdom, you will rue this day, slut.” He walked off, holding his torn face, leaving her gifts behind him. Drops of his blood had spattered the beautiful sandsilk cloak. Dany clutched the soft cloth to her cheek and sat cross-legged on her sleeping mats.
“Your supper is ready, Khaleesi,” Jhiqui announced. “I’m not hungry,” Dany said sadly. She was suddenly very tired. “Share the food among yourselves, and send some to Ser Jorah, if you would.” After a moment she added, “Please, bring me one of the dragon’s eggs.”
Irri fetched the egg with the deep green shell, bronze flecks shining amid its scales as she turned it in her small hands. Dany curled up on her side, pulling the sandsilk cloak across her and cradling the egg in the hollow between her swollen belly and small, tender breasts. She liked to hold them. They were so beautiful, and sometimes just being close to them made her feel stronger, braver, as if somehow she were drawing strength from the stone dragons locked inside.

Sorry about it being such a long portion (the whole page haha), but it’s just so good! I didn’t want to leave anything out. I think that this part of the book (and the TV series) is very important, because Daenerys finally starts to awaken. When she stands up to Viserys, who has been bullying her all of her life, we all kind of realize that she has grown as a person…and we also catch a glimpse of who she has the potential of becoming.

I love Daenerys. Ugh. So much. While my top 3 are Daenerys, Jon Snow, and Tyrion Lannister, I adore Daenerys simply for the strength she puts forth, despite physically being such a small woman. I see her as one of the most important fictional characters right now, simply because of the example she sets for young girls, and women in general.

I’m also pretty happy that this strong female character was birthed from the mind of a male author! Despite what some may say about George R.R. Martin, I really commend him for that, and for creating such an intricate fictional world that we can so easily lose ourselves in.

Have you guys seen the show? Read the book/s? Both? And if so, what do you think? What I’ve generally seen is that people either love or hate the series.

Buy on Amazon.ca: A Game of Thrones
Buy on Amazon.com: A Game of Thrones

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