The Long Night

I was a bit disappointed and a bit confused

Yes, I get what they were going for, the sheer confusion and bloody panic of battle. So the smoke, and fog, the confusion. Were well done. I imagine quite realistic but it is a fantasy series with dragons and zombies. So maybe realism is not your friend.

In fact it was

I think we got cheated.

Okay

Let us get Ayra, out of the way. I do not see Ayra as Mary Sue. One thing I like about the novels is seeing Ayra broken at Harrenhal. We see her become a mouse. Literally no one. She just about manages to avoid rape.

What I think we are missing is the connection between the Braavos and the faceless men, and the White Walkers. My view is that the Faceless men as the heirs of slaves. Fear the Night King, more than anything. It would be slavery for eternity So all men must die, is a promise of hope.

Ayra trained by the faceless men brings an end to the threat of eternal slavery. That is a good idea, but this was just not develped. I suspect the real reason why Ayra killed the Night King is because she has a brilliant agent

It also IMO links Ayra to Jon Snow's mother.  The She-wolf. I think you can see a call back to Ayra protecting /liking Jon. But it came out of nowhere. Or the story was potted at a glacial pace.

Also, we will now learn what?
Will Westeros have normal winters and seasons?
If the Wall is down, and now never needed. So the Seven Kingdoms can overrun the Free Folk
Was there anything behind the White Walkers. Are they just Ice demons

I also think we should have had more deaths. We had The Red Woman, okay. Mormont. And One of the Night's watch. It is obvious Sam Tarly has plot armor. He must survive to bring Jons claim to the Iron Throne. Several times I thought Brienne was dead. Pod survives which is nice. But you never get anywhere by being nice. The only shock is probably Lya Mormonts death, but even she kills a Giant

The dead rising in the crypt was actually terrifying

But in the end I felt cheated. Was it for this?