This is probably an unpopular view, but I honestly think A Feast for Crows is the best ASoIaF so far. The titular "feast" is the aftermath of war - both literally, as the crows descend upon the carrion, and figuratively, as some take the opportunity opened to them as the five kings are cleared off the map. It is, indeed, very slow paced. Very little actually happens throughout this book, but that somber, slow tone is so very suitable for the subject matter, and it allows GRRM to take a more ponderous look at the meaning of the events he has described so loftily so far in the series.

This book focuses primarily on events at the heartland of Westeros, with some digressions to Dorne and Braavos - the latter being the least fitting to the general themes of the book (and man, wouldn't that scene between Cat and Sam have been much better if Cat's identity was only revealed in the next book?). Without a doubt, Brienne's storyline is the most powerful of all. More than anything, that is because of the monologues of her companions on the road. The septon's description of the lives of the broken men was downright haunting. This surprised me, given the almost comic relief nature of her storyline in the TV show. I also thought that a book without the big favourites of the books would be lackluster, but now I'm almost wary to continue to the next book without the protagonists of Feast for Crows. At least I won't need to wait six years for it...