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A review by kbrooke
Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Happy release day to Rose in Chains by Julie Soto! A dark romantasy following Rose, a political prisoner enslaved in the home of a powerful man from a rival kingdom. It is not a light read, but it is gripping if you are a dark romance fan.
As a fan of the original Dramione fanfiction, it was hard not to compare the two. The story is romance centric and carries the ruinous, morally grey energy of the original well but, ultimately, I have the same complaint with the traditionally published novel that I did with the original fan work. It's too long. Easily forgiven with the creation of a whole new world but the world-building felt pretty thin, and unfortunately, the book dragged in the middle for me. Soto nails the tension and messy, complicated dynamic between the characters though and it is absolutely worth the ride if you're into dark romance with lots of angst. Thank you NetGalley, Julie Soto, and Hachette Audio for the ALC.
As a fan of the original Dramione fanfiction, it was hard not to compare the two. The story is romance centric and carries the ruinous, morally grey energy of the original well but, ultimately, I have the same complaint with the traditionally published novel that I did with the original fan work. It's too long. Easily forgiven with the creation of a whole new world but the world-building felt pretty thin, and unfortunately, the book dragged in the middle for me. Soto nails the tension and messy, complicated dynamic between the characters though and it is absolutely worth the ride if you're into dark romance with lots of angst. Thank you NetGalley, Julie Soto, and Hachette Audio for the ALC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Violence, War