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A review by kfriend
Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
4.0
Rose in Chains is a haunting, emotionally charged fantasy that sinks its claws into you. Julie Soto weaves a rich, gothic-tinged tale that masterfully blends dark political intrigue, morally gray decisions, slow-burning tension, and searing romance—all wrapped in an immersive fantasy world and dual-timelines that make this alluring and intriguing. I’ve not read Soto’s work before, but this certainly ensnared me.
At the center of it all is our heroine Briony Rosewood—a brilliant, strategic leading lady forced to endure a patriarchal society that crowns her less-capable twin brother, Rory, the “chosen one.” After a truly devastating tragedy and failed prophecy, Briony ends up imprisoned and sold at a twisted auction to the highest bidder—none other than Toven Hearst, her academy nemesis, the boy with a smug smile and silver hair of a notoriously cruel and depraved family. And so we dive into a fantasy world brimming with darkness and tension and heartache.
Briony’s strength is quiet but fierce. Watching her transformation—from a girl shadowed by duty to a woman burning with new found purpose—was the most satisfying parts of this story.. She doesn't start off as the firebrand she begins to transform into, and that growth makes her journey even more impactful. She’s the driving force of the story, and so far, what I like most about Rose in Chains. Her story aline would compel me, absent of romance.
Toven, on the other hand, is a mercurial and unreliable yet somehow alluring leading anti-hero. He’s part charming enigma, part infuriating man-child. Both fascinating and frustrating. He can be an entitled brat full of volatile energy (most of the time in fact), but we see glimmers of something deeper, someone who might be capable of love—and change. I’m not quite sold on him yet, but that’s okay- I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface of what’s going on there. We’re meant to not be truly clear on if we can trust him.
This is peak enemies to lovers tension. From old rivalries to forced proximity, the chemistry between them simmers and then explodes. Every encounter pulses with tension—whether it’s resentment, their rivalry, or something hotter bubbling beneath the surface. Their complicated pasts and unequal power dynamic) add grit and a dangerous edge to the romance. And the dual timelines give a lot of substance to their complicated and tense dynamic.
The supporting cast is just as interesting. Some characters you’ll love, others you’ll constantly question if you should—and that moral ambiguity only enriches and adds more tension the world. I’m not a huge fantasy reader, and for me the world building both left me with some questions, but the lighter touch I guess also made it feel less focal and thus more light handed, which worked for someone like me. It did feel a little heavy, content-dumpy to start which made the pace feel slow at first, but once over that hump, I was pretty sucked into this. The world itself is brutal and unforgiving—but also really intriguing. But if you’re here for super high fantasy, I’m not sure this feels that way. Which again, worked for someone like me who prefers my fantasy on the looser side.
I did really enjoy Soto’s writing- it’s lush, lyrical in places, with a great gothic atmospheric quality that makes the imagery vivid and the emotional range sharp. And the darkness felt provocative and compelling (vs. salacious/for shock)- there’s thought themes and point of view here.
The audio is also absolutely the way to consume this. Ella Lynch was fantastic. She brings so much to the performance, and makes this an even more immersive read.
Rose in Chains is an alluring dark fantasy- emotionally intelligent, powerfully penned, and absolutely addictive. The cliffhanger definitely leaves you thirsty, so excited to see where this goes next.
Side note: I did not read the fanfic origin of this story, nor do I know much about fanfic of that particular fandom as I’ve never read any. So I can’t speak to the degree to which this mirrors her original story.
At the center of it all is our heroine Briony Rosewood—a brilliant, strategic leading lady forced to endure a patriarchal society that crowns her less-capable twin brother, Rory, the “chosen one.” After a truly devastating tragedy and failed prophecy, Briony ends up imprisoned and sold at a twisted auction to the highest bidder—none other than Toven Hearst, her academy nemesis, the boy with a smug smile and silver hair of a notoriously cruel and depraved family. And so we dive into a fantasy world brimming with darkness and tension and heartache.
Briony’s strength is quiet but fierce. Watching her transformation—from a girl shadowed by duty to a woman burning with new found purpose—was the most satisfying parts of this story.. She doesn't start off as the firebrand she begins to transform into, and that growth makes her journey even more impactful. She’s the driving force of the story, and so far, what I like most about Rose in Chains. Her story aline would compel me, absent of romance.
Toven, on the other hand, is a mercurial and unreliable yet somehow alluring leading anti-hero. He’s part charming enigma, part infuriating man-child. Both fascinating and frustrating. He can be an entitled brat full of volatile energy (most of the time in fact), but we see glimmers of something deeper, someone who might be capable of love—and change. I’m not quite sold on him yet, but that’s okay- I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface of what’s going on there. We’re meant to not be truly clear on if we can trust him.
This is peak enemies to lovers tension. From old rivalries to forced proximity, the chemistry between them simmers and then explodes. Every encounter pulses with tension—whether it’s resentment, their rivalry, or something hotter bubbling beneath the surface. Their complicated pasts and unequal power dynamic) add grit and a dangerous edge to the romance. And the dual timelines give a lot of substance to their complicated and tense dynamic.
The supporting cast is just as interesting. Some characters you’ll love, others you’ll constantly question if you should—and that moral ambiguity only enriches and adds more tension the world. I’m not a huge fantasy reader, and for me the world building both left me with some questions, but the lighter touch I guess also made it feel less focal and thus more light handed, which worked for someone like me. It did feel a little heavy, content-dumpy to start which made the pace feel slow at first, but once over that hump, I was pretty sucked into this. The world itself is brutal and unforgiving—but also really intriguing. But if you’re here for super high fantasy, I’m not sure this feels that way. Which again, worked for someone like me who prefers my fantasy on the looser side.
I did really enjoy Soto’s writing- it’s lush, lyrical in places, with a great gothic atmospheric quality that makes the imagery vivid and the emotional range sharp. And the darkness felt provocative and compelling (vs. salacious/for shock)- there’s thought themes and point of view here.
The audio is also absolutely the way to consume this. Ella Lynch was fantastic. She brings so much to the performance, and makes this an even more immersive read.
Rose in Chains is an alluring dark fantasy- emotionally intelligent, powerfully penned, and absolutely addictive. The cliffhanger definitely leaves you thirsty, so excited to see where this goes next.
Side note: I did not read the fanfic origin of this story, nor do I know much about fanfic of that particular fandom as I’ve never read any. So I can’t speak to the degree to which this mirrors her original story.