Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Reading Game of Thrones for a book challenge

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Capricorns are usually organised. But if you take a look at my bookshelf, you’ll doubt that I’m a Capricorn. Chaotic book shelves make my mom gasp every time her eyes fall on it and wonder loudly when I’m planning to organise it, to get the usual answer: “Well! Will get to it once I have some free time!.”


And what more free time I could ask for than being under lockdown and temporary homebound? With a sigh of despair – anticipating the hard work facing me- I climbed the chair and started clearing the upper shelf. My blind cat Kiki took a sudden interest in my rare effort and showed her support by sitting next to me, moving her head up and down sagely as I picked up the stacks and placed them on the ground.


I was amazed by the number of books that had been pushed to the back without me noticing. I had a collection bought between 1999 and 2017 and never read. I decided to position them in front, and take all the new books and stack them behind. This was my mission for 2020: finish the old books before starting the new ones! One of the books that I came across was a bulky volume of A Game of Thrones, that my brother gifted me ages back and eventually got sucked into the black hole I call my bookshelf.


I managed to finish two books of the old stack before Ramadhan, when my brother walked into my room wondering about the Game of Thrones book he’d given me long ago. I replied half-heartedly that it’s on my to-read list and he smiled: “How about we read it for Ramadhan? We haven’t had a reading competition in a while!”


Well, what we call a reading competition isn’t really one as I always end up winning- despite my brother’s effort to hinder me by misplacing the book mark (he still doesn’t realise that I memorise the page number I’m on (cunning Capricorn!). I took the bulky book out and divided the 674 pages in the month of Ramadhan. Then I messaged my close friends announcing that I’m taking the first step into the Game of Thrones realm that I’ve resisted for too long. My Spanish friend was the most excited as he’s been nagging me for years to watch the series.


Being a huge GOT fan and a collector, he promised to send me a podcast of character analysis (and maybe some recipes from the GOT cookbook he got for Christmas, if I’m interested). Wishing to have shared his enthusiasm, I promised to keep him updated on my progress.


The first few chapters gave me a headache as there were many characters from different houses and histories to remember. Not to mention the phrase: “winter is coming” that was getting on my nerves (it was already getting too hot here).


My brother found my grumbling rather amusing! After days of reading the book, I got the hang of it and started enjoying it despite being a fantasy, something I rarely read. George R.R Martin is the king of detailed description no doubt. I found most of the characters interesting, especially Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister. I finished the book in three weeks. My brother promised to get me the rest of the books for future reading competitions (P.S: he’s not done reading yet. Never compete with your big wise sister!


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