Book Club June Review: Rose in Chains by Julie Soto

I'll be honest here. The main reason I chose this book was because of Tasia's artwork on the paperback cover (see above). She drew the characters so beautifully that it was impossible not to desire a copy of it. And then I heard Rose in Chains by Julie Soto is actually based on a Dramione fan fiction. If you've been here since the Alchemised days, you would know that I am obsessed with that pairing. So how could I not choose this as June's book club pick?

Rose in Chains follows the events after the dark forces have won the war, and Briony Rosewood is stripped off her magic and sold to the highest bidder at an auction. The latter turns out to be none other than Toven Hearst, the same guy that teased her all throughout school. Torn by her complicated feelings and his cruelty, Briony slowly realises there might be more to him than what meets the eye.

Our Rating

⭑⭑⭑

Despite some of the more cliche plot beats, we actually enjoyed this book. The romantic scenes were entertaining, and we were invested in what happened to the characters. It was also an easy read with fast-paced scenes.

***Spoiler Alert*** - The next section will most likely ruin some of the surprises in the book if you haven't already read it, so read on with caution!

Our Comments

• On Plot & its Inspiration: Maybe I should have known as soon as I found out the history behind this book (i.e. this being a Dramione fan fiction and inspired by Alchemised), but I didn't think it would be this similar. From the villain searching Briony's memories to her being imprisoned on Toven's estate, it all feels rather identical to SenLinYu's book. In that case, Rose in Chains reads more like a fan fiction. However, it would be a lie to say we didn't gobble it all up. There were many scenes that were questionable and needed further editing, but we enjoyed it all the same. Somehow, Soto made us invested in the plot because we were curious to see how she could veer from the source material.

• On Briony & Toven: To be honest, we both didn't quite understand the love story between Briony and Toven. On the one hand, it didn't make sense that Toven would go to such lengths for her even if he did have feelings. On the other hand, Briony's obsession with Toven and therefore her inability to see the severity of war felt quite unrealistic. She was also supposed to be the intelligent one, but she didn't seem to quickly pick up on simple clues (e.g. his dirty fantasies about her revealing his true feelings, the meaning behind her magically boosting her twin brother). Whether we understood the intentions or not, we were still invested in the tension between the two and wanted something to happen. (The kiss was definitely not enough!)

• On Magic: Here is where Kay and I are a bit split. Whilst Kay liked the magic system and thought it was quite inventive and interesting, I felt it lacked creativity. It was a simple as mind magic being powered by pulling the thread between the eyes and heart magic coming from the heart. Maybe Soto will expand on it more in the next books, but at the moment I am not completely fascinated by the magic system. Also, we were not sure if the dragon was really that necessary. Again, the creature might become more relevant in the next instalment, so Soto deserves the benefit of the doubt.

• On Genre: I think we both have romantasy fatigue because they are all starting to sound the same. Characters tend to act in ways that are not comprehensible and tend to put more emphasis on their love life than the plot (which I know is a part of the genre). I am strongly of the opinion that if I'm going to read a book that focuses mainly on the romance, it better have some spice!

Would We Recommend It:

Kay - I would recommend as I did enjoy reading it, but be warned that at times it felt like a direct copy of Alchemised.

CY - I would recommend this to people who enjoyed Alchemised, but couldn't go through another angst-filled book. You might just have to turn a blind eye to some of the plot holes.

Book Club Questions:

If you have a book club, or you're buddy reading this with a friend, here are some questions you can contemplate to make your discussion a bit more interesting. And as always, we'd love to hear your thoughts or answers in the comments!

• How did you react to Toven slapping Briony? Is it forgiveable?

• Do you think Briony and Toven's relationship is believable?

• What did you think of the magic system?

• What are your predictions for the second book?