I really don't know what her appearance has to do with it one way or another but, eh. I hear this a lot from men making refernce to woman actors. I think its pretty ugly. Anyway, I think she's an excellent actor and has done well with the character. Those scenes with Tywin? The torment she relives whenever she talks about her family? Even that teary eyed scene when she couldn't get rid of Needle. Man, she's been great. Not to mention she's been loads of fun. She'll live to the end.
Speaking on Shireen from the book, GRRM Martin may have disclosed what happens to her but we do not know the circumstances. They may be very different as readers know Stannis and Shireen are in very different places right now.
This season has had some pretty off stuff. First, Sansa makes NO sense at all. I thought we were going to see a more clever, stronger Sansa that can play the game and will take less ****. A lot of ways we've seen this very thing, but then in the next scene she's acting like the naive little girl. Wtf.
Dorne, for me, has been the first time I've genuinely been disappointed with some in this show. The set has been outstanding, no complaints there. But the Sand Snakes have been very meh. And, this is my bigger complaint, they've turned Jaime and Bronn into baffoons. I was so happy when I learned Bronn was returning AND that he'd be teamed up with Jaime for Dorne. Very different from the books but what the hey! Bronn has always had a humorous edge and with Tyrion they made a really fun team. It seems they're trying to do the same with Jaime and Bronn but they've downgraded them to looney toon like antics. That **** in the Water Gardens??? Are you ****ing serious??? [emoji38]
There has also been some gratuitous BS this year. Like finding out Meryn Trant is a ****. Why? Oh, just because. I was fine with Arya killing him without that nonsense.
And I think the Shireen/fire scene was well executed all around. You could see Stannis was both in pain but absolutely dogmatic and twisted for his quest to win. He also looks sick. His eyes are sunk and dark, he's obsessed in the most diabolical way. He's become deeply twisted, almost possessed.
Overall, this is still my favorite show and they've departed from the books a good bit but they've done a great job with it. I'll always prefer books to shows but I am not a book purist when it comes to adaption and fans that are end up sounding idiotic and infantile sometimes. Still, I must admit this season has been the weakest even with some great episodes. Honestly, I hope they do wrap it up in 7 seasons and make the next two seasons mind blowing and go out on top rather then go on and on and run the risk of going to ****s-ville. I prefer shorter shows rather then shows with 10+ seasons.