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In Season 3 of the Game of Thrones TV series,

Theon was castrated after being tortured by Ramsay Snow.

Was this ever explicitly mentioned in the books? I only recall Theon losing a few fingers and teeth in addition to having parts of his skin flayed.

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    It's never explicitly stated, but it is very heavily implied. I don't have the books available in a searchable format though, so I can't provide quotes (hence comment, not answer).
    – Anthony Grist
    Commented Jun 12, 2013 at 15:38
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    @AnthonyGrist Yeah, it seems like the show is a lot more explicit about a lot of things that were merely implied in the books - like when someone would show up disheveled in the book, the show would preface it with a sex scene.
    – Tacroy
    Commented Jun 12, 2013 at 15:41
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    @Tacroy That's to be expected, though, since they're totally different mediums. The way the books are written (a single characters POV per chapter) lends itself to implying things with language and the characters unvoiced thoughts, whereas with a visual medium you do have to make it explicit if you want people to realise them.
    – Anthony Grist
    Commented Jun 12, 2013 at 15:44

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It's implied, but not confirmed that he lost that part. The evidence is firstly Theon thinks about Ramsay having had removed "that other thing" in addition to his toes and fingers. Then during fake Arya's bedding in ADWD:

Ramsay: "Reek, get over here. Get her ready for me."

Theon: "I ...... do you mean ... m'lord, I have no ..... I ..."

Ramsay: "With your mouth,"

This strongly implies that "thing" was removed. Furthermore, Ramsay tells Theon:

But you’re no lord, are you? Only Reek. Not even a man, truth be told.

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  • Funny--I was just (re)reading those very lines last night.
    – Jeromy French
    Commented Jun 14, 2013 at 3:12
  • Reek reek it rhymes with sneak
    – Marriott81
    Commented Mar 26, 2014 at 10:10
  • Also of note that he doesn't like to get naked to have baths...
    – Möoz
    Commented Sep 2, 2014 at 22:01
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Theon does confirm that indeed he missing "that other thing"...

"Read it for yourself," he answered, though he was almost certain that none of them could read. "Lord Ramsay treats his captives honorably so long as they keep faith with him." He has only taken toes and fingers and that other thing, when he might have had my tongue, or peeled the skin off my legs from heel to thigh. "Yield up your swords to him, and you will live."

A Dance with Dragons - Reek II

Now, one could argue "that other thing" could be anything, but I highly doubt it...

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