My 10 and 8 yo love it; my 5 yo finds it upsetting…my 3 yo wants us to put on a Batman cartoon instead.

There is also apparently a theme of fatalism—wondering if you could have made different choices but then thinking that you do not choose your destiny. There is also a love interest with many suitors…so maybe…but again, you are probably correct…just a Swedish book for him to read!

Thank you! Hmmm…I wonder if the choice was made just because it is a Swedish classic or if there is a message in the themes/plots…or am I looking for too much from TB?

Who caught the title of the book Eric was reading?

To continue with your unintentional pun…having an heir, or even the possibility of one, would help Renly. Stannis producing an heir with his ill and barren wife seems less likely than Renly doing so…he just needs to close his eyes and think of Westeros.

I believe what was meant is that he presents himself as morally inflexible…