Thoughts on A Game of Thrones (BOOK REVIEW)

Exceptional in many ways and a brilliant set up to a deeply interesting universe

A Game of Thrones by George R.R Martin was a book that intimidated me for years and years. I spent a lot of time thinking I would be too stupid to read a book like this, after all I struggled with Sarah J Maas at some points so there's no way I could every read something like this.

But I did it.

As it turns out, I am not stupid, I am just a reader who has ADHD and needs to take notes while reading.

A Game of Thrones was both riveting and boring at points. There were moments where I was on the edge of my seat and moments where I was slumped in a heap wondering when a conversation would end.
But what I can say is those boring/long conversations that didn't capture my interest had a purpose, they are setting up things that happen later, and having seen the show and knowing how the plot progresses in the books you can see Martin at work from the very beginning of this novel.
Life can't be all sword fights and romance, we need the slow political conversations to take place for us to get further into the story.

Secondly, to my surprise I had many people tell me this book was sexist... Which made me wonder if we even read the same book....
It may be because I know how the female characters progress but I find Martin's universe to have the most deeply flawed and powerful female characters written by a man of all time. These women are strong despite living in a world that overlooks and ignores them.
Spoiler territory:
Cersei is beaten by her husband and silenced constantly, she silences him at the end and takes over his kingdom using her son as her puppet to rule Westeros.
Danerys is tortured by her brothers and sold to a tribe of Dothraki soldiers for marriage, she wields her power through her marriage and kills her brother, leaving her the rightful heir to the throne of Westeros and the true blood of the dragon.
Arya betrays tradition and at eight years old handles a sword better than the majority of boys twice her age. She is clever, cunning, and a little terror throughout the entire story.
Lady Catelyn takes control over the attempted murder of her son and takes Tyrion hostage when she finds out it was his dagger that almost slew her boy by rallying men into her favor and bringing a full troop to her sister's doorstep.

Not to mention these characters are incomplete, this book is definitely a set up for everything to come but it is a good set up and I'm excited to see what happens throughout the novels.