[hider=showspoilers]From reading comment threads I've learned that a lot of people didn't actually care for Oberyn in the books. The actor really shined and made us love him.

And it was the episode's creators and director who decided to make it as gruesome as it was.

My point is, OP, that GRRM wasn't solely responsible for you getting a fistful of feels shoved up your bum. The "story" wasn't necessarily meant to be THAT brutal.[/hider]