floyuki702 's review for:

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
5.0
challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
 Rose in Chains by Julie Soto was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and this audiobook narrated by Ella Lynch was done so well. Her voice was able to really transport me into the world of Briony Rosewood and Toven Hearst. When I finished it in 5 days, I was surprised at how the book had a lingering effect on my thoughts. 

Note: Please take the time to listen/read the content warnings. This book is not meant for children and is marketed as New Adult.

As a reader of the original fanfiction that Julie Soto posted on Ao3, I made sure to separate the two works in my mind. Although there are similar story beats, the world she built is pretty well thought out. With the use of a non-linear timeline, it does help build out a map of the world if you are just listening to the book. While I wish I could physically see the map, the descriptions of the places and how the seasons were still gave enough context clues of how far north one might be.

Continuing on to the characters, Briony's flaws and motivations were really easy to pick out. Toven, on the other hand, is kind of a grey area. I would not really classify this as a full enemies-to-lovers, but it still has some semblance of that. All of the surrounding characters give extra life to the story and help flesh out the overall threat to Briony's world. I do wish she was given just a bit more interaction with certain characters to really drive home the importance they may have in any future plots.

The reasons for the context warning are pretty evident just a few chapters in. While not as intense as some other books readers may be experienced with, it is still a rough subject matter. Is it necessary to the story? Yes. It actually is a major plot point and is not really something that can be skipped. 

Finally, when the epilogue happened, I was surprised and look forward to all future books set in this universe!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this book.
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