A Feast for Crows is the fourth installment of A Song of Ice And Fire series and deals primarily with the events following the end of the War of Five Kings, where Tommen Baratheon is declared as the legitimate king of Westeros after Robb Stark, Renly Baratheon and Balon Greyjoy are killed, and Stannis leaves his stronghold of Dragonstone to defend the Wall against the attack from the Wildlings. The name of the book refers to the carnage and destruction of the wars that took place following the deaths of Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark.
A Feast for Crows follows immediately after the third book, A Storm of Swords, but covers the story through POV of only a few characters in Westeros, not including The Wall, and along Narrow Sea. Characters like Daenerys, Tyrion or Jon are not covered and any information about them is through POV of other characters. Due to absence of many fan-favorites in this book, it received a lot of negative criticism.
The book describes the politics of war and the carnage that follows. While Tommen has been crowned as the king of Westeros, Cersei is trying to rule as Reagent, a step which is met with much resistance from her uncle Kevan, who declares that he would accept the position of The Hand only if she were to return to Casterly Rock, and from the Tyrells who don’t express their hatred of Cersei directly but try to spread their reach across the Small Council and the people. Cersei eventually succeeds in placing people who would do her bidding, and getting Tyrells out of court, but her plans backfire when she is imprisoned for a crime she has tried to pin on Margery.
The aftermath of the war is witnessed by Brienne who is looking for Arya Stark, as promised to Catelyn Stark. During her travels, she finds a lot of people mourning the dead or villages pillaged. Through her POV, it is hinted that the Hound, Sandor Clegane, might have survived the war and may be living anonymously in a Sept with priests. She is eventually captured by Catelyn and Brotherhood Without Banners and is forced to choose between supporting them or death. She chooses fighting for them.
Arya Stark sets sail for Braavos where she trains to be an assassin at the House of Black of White with the Faceless Men. She meets Samwell Tarly there, who has been instructed by Jon to reach Citadel and become a Maester. Upon learning of Daeron’s abandonment of Night’s Watch, she murders him, upon which she is blinded by the Faceless Men. Euron Greyojoy is crowned as king of the Iron Islands. He instructs Victarion Greyjoy to leave for Meereen to woo Daenerys for him. However, he decides to woo her for himself as a revenge for adultery with his wife.
Sansa Stark goes in hiding with the help of Petyr Baelish after he murders Lysa Arryn, with plans to marry her to the heir of Vale. It is also discovered that Doran Martell, despite his harmless demeanor and placid personality is planning revenge on Lanisters by trying to get ties with Daenerys and supporting her.
A major point is Cersei’s feelings, which so far have not been explored in the books. Cersei has been depicted as a cruel, wicked woman. Her character is shown to have more grey shades in this book. She has been turned cruel and distrustful due to her treatment as an object to form marital alliances. She expresses anger for any discrimination due to her sex. Brienne suffers from same issues. She is often bullied for her looks and size and is constantly jibed at for carrying a sword and wearing an armor.
Like other books in A Song of Ice and Fire Series, this book covers a lot backstory and thus foreshadows events that might take place in succeeding books, particularly the horn that would control the dragons, or the dragon piece in Cyvasse hints at Doran’s plans to get Daenerys to support his cause.
