This book absolutely changed everything about how I read. Any time I tried to pick up any other book before finishing this one, all I could feel was a distinct desire to be reading this instead. Ned Stark tries to navigate politics as the Hand of the King, Bran recovers from a traumatic injury and begins discovering capabilities he never knew he had, Jon works his way up the ladder as a recruit at the Wall, Arya tries to live in King’s Landing while still pursuing her passions, and Sansa is stuck between love, hurt, and loyalty between her betrothed and her family. The storylines were complex and nuanced but understandable and the writing style was so good it made many other books after it feel like children’s books in comparison. Truly an incredible read.