Rose in Chains book review

wanderingazuki
Jul 15
14 min read

📢 Azuki note:

This review was written after my first read-through. I’m planning to return for a deeper analysis where I go through each chapter in detail, as this process has already helped me appreciate the story in a much richer way. I expect to write a follow-up review once that deep dive is complete.

⚠️ Spoiler warning: This review contains spoilers for Book 1 and references to the fanfiction Auction.

⚠️ Reader discretion advisory: It also touches on themes of auctioning and human trafficking, so reader discretion is advised.

📚 Background - how I stumbled upon Rose in Chains

After finishing Manacled (which emotionally wrecked me), I needed something that explored Dramione (Hermione and Draco ship) but didn’t feel quite so relentlessly bleak. A friend from book club recommended Rose in Chains, stating it was adapted from another Dramione fanfic.

I was excited but I also wasn’t ready to leave the Dramione world just yet. I needed something to ease me out of it rather than pull me into an entirely new universe.

So instead of jumping straight into Rose in Chains, I stumbled upon The Auction, as another highly rated fanfic in the Dramione community. And once I started, I was completely pulled in.

It carried familiar darkness — war, captivity, morally grey choices — but it felt different in tone. Not lighter exactly, but less suffocating.

While reading, I kept seeing comments about “the parallels” and references to moments that clearly meant something more than I understood at the time. Eventually I discovered that The Auction was part of a larger connected universe. I went back and read the earlier stories first ('The right thing to do')— and that completely changed my experience. When I returned to The Auction, it felt layered, richer, emotionally charged with history.

By the time I finished The Auction, I felt satisfied in a way that made it easier to step away from the Dramione world — at least temporarily.

Which is why it felt like such a happy coincidence when I realised that Rose in Chains was actually adapted from that very same foundation. I hadn’t planned it that way at all. And I’m genuinely glad I read The Auction first, because it undeniably shaped how this story unfolded for me.

🌍 World-Building: Evermore vs. Bombard

The conflict between Evermore (mind magic) and Bombard (heart magic) is one of the book’s strongest elements.

Heart magic is instinctive, emotional, bond-driven.
Mind magic is strategic, intellectual, precise.

The contrast is elegant — and refreshingly different from the Wizarding World magic we’re used to.

I loved:

The concept of familiars and heart springs - being able to boost the heart magician’s power
The terrifying idea of husking if too much heart magic is drawn - which felt like a constant threat with the heart springs sold in the auction
The alternating education system, where students spend their final five years switching yearly between Evermore and Bombard to bridge political tensions

That alternating-school structure was brilliant. It allowed for natural tension, rivalry, and cross-cultural exposure. It also made Mallow’s attack strategically clever — she struck while the Evermore heirs were still in Bombard, trapping them across the border.

However, I did feel that we never fully understood mind magic. I know its suppression made sense plot-wise — especially in terms of control and power — but story-wise it felt limiting. I only began to appreciate its complexity when Briony started learning about mind barriers.

When characters mentioned that Evermore viewed mind magic as “more evolved” and looked down on Bombard as primitive, I found myself wishing we had actually witnessed that arrogance directly on the page. Experiencing that superiority first-hand would have added another layer to Bombardi’s resentment and helped explain the depth of their desire to humiliate Evermore — both during school and later in the auction.

I understand we were reading primarily from Briony’s perspective, and her interactions naturally shaped what we saw. However, at times it felt less like we were shown the Evermore–Bombard divide and more like we were being told it existed. This made the rivalry feel slightly less textured than it could have been, especially given how long-standing and politically embedded it is.

We’re told this tension spans over 500 years, with peace treaties and arranged marriages layered over what seems like a much older hostility. That history suggests something deep and entrenched — a rivalry that should feel almost cultural in its intensity. Yet, I occasionally wanted more moments that brought that friction into focus in real time, so that the weight of that history felt fully present in the narrative.

It isn’t that the story needs to justify Bombardi’s actions, or make them more sympathetic. Rather, it’s that the scale of their hatred — something strong enough to lead to humiliation, control, and the stripping of autonomy through the auction system — feels like it would be even more powerful if we had seen more of its roots playing out on-page.

I also found it slightly strange that mind magicians were not taught how to protect their minds from the beginning — considering the mind is their greatest asset and source of power. We’re told that mind barriers are considered advanced magic, but it felt counter-intuitive that students wouldn’t at least learn foundational defensive techniques. It might have made more sense if basic mind barriers were standard education, while the truly advanced branches involved reading minds or fabricating memories. Structurally, that progression would have felt more logical to me.

👑 Briony and the Weight of a Crown

My biggest struggle was Briony’s passivity.

Even if she was repressed in childhood. Even if she was forced to dim herself to make her brother shine. Even if that suppression shaped her personality. She is still the princess of Evermore!

The girls in the dungeon gravitated toward her. They were willing to die to ensure she escaped because she was their symbol — their centre point of rebellion. That loyalty was powerful. But it made her inaction more frustrating.

Even after seeing her people suffer for her, she doesn’t fully step into leadership.

I understand that this may be intentional to show her character growth across the trilogy. But for me, it came at the detriment of her character. When you position someone as the last hope of a conquered kingdom, I expect a moment of ignition. A moment where she claims that role.

Instead, she often reacts rather than drives.

And perhaps unfairly, she’s compared in my mind to Hermione in The Auction — who constantly investigated, strategised, gathered information, and actively moved the rebellion forward.

Briony is intelligent — she ensured her brother excelled academically without it being so obvious to others. That alone proves her capability. Yet in the present timeline, she rarely leverages that sharpness. She doesn’t push hard enough to investigate the collar, boundary lines, or the tattoos.

Even if she couldn’t achieve her success through academics then maybe she could have shown it differently i.e. being able to manoeuvre politically. Because in the first scene of the story, it looked like she had all these maps of safe houses, she was writing to her allies for help, she was barred from the strategic meetings etc. So I felt it wouldn’t have been a stretch if she were playing 4D chess with the Hearsts and the members of the Ten. That would have been really exciting.

It feels like potential left unused.

Also, she was a ‘lucky’ one where the Hearst family treated her well - even though I’m not fond of the good slave owner troupe - but she knew her friends and people were suffering which made her impassivity even less sense.

I know they say Bombard is a bit more progressive and ‘respects’ women, especially seeing how the new seat is a woman, I do not find it believable that the King would ask the Princess to not shine in her own way. I understand a bit how he didn’t want Briony to outshine her brother as he is the next ruler of their people, but to treat the Princess like this. She wasn’t even considered the spare to the heir - as highlighted in a flashback when General Meers and Rory left her behind in the Bomardi school. Luckily for her the Hearst family helped her escape.

🦊 Toven — The Rose in Chains' Draco

Toven is a fascinating character, though I have to admit my perspective is coloured by knowing he’s the series’ version of Draco Malfoy. Unlike Draco, who effortlessly exudes the “top dog” presence in a room, Toven feels more restrained. He doesn’t overly rely on his wealth or pure-blood status, and even with his father as the eighth in line — the deadliest heart magician and head of the richest family on the continent — there’s a subtle barrier preventing him from openly claiming dominance. I found that restraint compelling: he has to manoeuvre strategically within the Ten and the wider hierarchy, which gives him a different kind of depth.

That said, I sometimes felt like I was expecting the full Draco presence, and instead got a “tamed” version. My admiration for him may be amplified because of that Draco comparison — without that lens, he might have felt less striking. Nonetheless, I still find him intriguing, particularly in the flashback scenes with Briony. These are some of my favourite chapters. Their interactions strike a balance between teasing rivalry (though borderline bullying). Toven deliberately provokes her, yet there are subtle hints of emerging feelings, which makes the scenes feel charged and personal. The rivalry is unlike others I’ve read: he alone knows that Briony is the true top of the class, even though she deliberately puts her brother Rory in the spotlight. That knowledge adds complexity — he sees her brilliance hidden behind her intentional subversion, which makes their dynamic both frustrating and compelling.

Toven’s power level is another element that left me curious. In one flashback, he uses Heartstopper four times at once — only his father has been shown the ability to split cast. Yet later, in a fight scene, he struggles to defeat a non-front line field medic, which leaves me questioning the consistency of his abilities.

From Briony’s point of view, some of his actions — like that flashback with the Eversun family — may appear ruthless, but in reality, he may have been acting to protect her. This is exactly why I hope a future book gives us his perspective: to understand his reasoning and see him as his own character, beyond my Draco comparison.

Finally, I’m eager for a potential second-book perspective from Toven. Experiencing the story through his eyes could deepen our understanding of his strategic restraint, his feelings for Briony, and the nuanced ways he navigates Bombardi society and the Ten. I suspect it might also allow us to fully appreciate the clever, restrained, and sometimes conflicted individual he is, and shed light on his motivations behind the flashback events that, from Briony’s narration, can feel ambiguous or even harsh.

✨ Flashbacks: The Strongest Element

Where this adaptation shines is in the school flashbacks.

Unlike the fanfiction set in Hogwarts and restricted by that, the author had complete freedom to build their shared past from scratch. And it shows the backstory of Toven and Briony. I did enjoy reading their rivalry, banter, and the slow emotional bloom.

As a reader, it’s obvious they care for each other long before they realise it. Toven believes she loves her friend. Briony believes he loves his. That miscommunication tension is beautifully done.

The flashbacks feel alive.

And so if the second book is indeed from Toven’s POV I would love to read these scenes from his perspective so we could read his inner dialogue to make the scenes richer..and to have more!

These were my favourite scenes and I just want more!

♟️The Political Angle — A Missed Opportunity?

This is where I felt the strongest divergence from what I personally wanted.

The auction concept works within a fanfic framework. But in this more fully realised world — with kingdoms, succession lines, other islands on the continent — I kept thinking: Wouldn’t this have been more compelling if it were political marriages instead?

We’re even told in a flashback that Evermore anticipated needing peace treaty marriages once the war ended. Briony’s cousin mentions that she may have to marry a Bombardi heir to secure stability.

So the groundwork for political alliance was already there.

But instead, Mallow chooses humiliation. Public subjugation. Selling Eversuns like cattle.

And I understand this could be to align with her cruelty and desire to degrade Evermore rather than reconcile with it. But politically, it feels risky. Conquering is one thing. Ruling long-term is another. If there are other nations or islands watching, why would they trust someone who does not honour treaties?

It gave me strong Game of Thrones energy — conquering is easy, governing is the hard part.

I think a politically driven forced betrothal between Briony and Toven might have felt more layered than an auction. The humiliation element is brutal, yes — but the political chess game could have been richer.

🐉 Mallow and Power Perception

Mallow is introduced as terrifying — bonded to a dragon, almost untouchable.

Then we learn she was never truly bonded.

That revelation raises fascinating questions:

Was her power exaggerated through fear?
Was it alliance-based with the Ten?
How did she execute a previous Seat without backlash?
How did she get close enough to assassinate Evermore’s king?

I wanted more clarity and backstory here. As she is this world’s Voldemort it might have been unintentionally left out thinking the readers would gradually pick up on her intimidating presence?

With her interactions with Briony and her disdain with Evermore I wonder if she had a traumatic experience with a Rosewood. Maybe the previous Rosewood Princess?

🔟 The Ten Succession and Overwhelm

The Bomardi ten-seat succession system is interesting — but I’ll admit I was overwhelmed.

In The Auction, as I’m familiar with the Harry Potter world, I would recognise the name and it felt like Easter eggs.

Here, there were so many new names introduced at once. On Kindle, flipping back to check rankings wasn’t always easy. Eventually, I adjusted and was able to work out who their original character was in the Auction. But initially, it felt dense.

That density may deepen in future books — but in book one, it was a lot.

🔖 Adaptation and “Fanfic DNA”

This is delicate to say, because I don’t mean it negatively.

But there were moments where I felt the “fanfic DNA.” because some elements felt under-explained, as though the emotional shorthand existed already.

Sometimes I wondered:

Was this intentionally saved for later books?
Or was information assumed rather than fully clarified?

And I caught myself filling in gaps because I was subconsciously comparing it to The Auction. I’d think, “Oh, does this mean the equivalent of that?” And that made me question whether I was completing worldbuilding in my own head.

That’s not inherently bad — but it did affect my immersion.

🌺Larissa and Serena — Dynamics I Want More Of

Larissa was unexpectedly compelling. She carries the personality I almost wish Briony had — that sense of superiority and bite. I would have loved to read more about her relationship with Briony in the past, as in the present it doesn’t feel like there is any mean girl energy.

Her role here is much larger than in The Auction, and I didn’t mind that at all. She’s layered and interesting.

I understand the reasoning behind wanting to learn mind magic but I was really surprised the story took this route. And the fact that in a short amount of time she was able to pick up the mind magic needed to transform herself. And the fact there didn’t seem to be much animosity between them makes me want to know their past a bit more. Was she jealous of Briony?

The dinner scene with Serena was unexpectedly funny in a very subtle way. I loved how quickly it established the contrast in relationships: Serena being on a first-name basis with Briony, while Larissa is still formally addressing her as “Mrs Hearst,” despite years of attempting to win her approval.

It was a small moment, but it clearly showed where Serena’s favour already lies, almost without needing to say it directly. Larissa’s assumption that Serena would treat Briony with the same coldness she had experienced herself also adds a layer of irony to the scene, especially when the reality is the complete opposite.

There’s something really interesting in how effortlessly Briony seems to fit into Serena’s space compared to Larissa’s long-standing efforts. It quietly reinforces Serena’s approval of Briony as someone significant in the household dynamic — and almost hints at her already being positioned as the preferred future daughter-in-law.

I’d love to see more of this kind of interpersonal contrast between characters, because it says a lot without needing explicit exposition.

What I loved about the Auction and the prior fanfics in the series was Hermione’s relationship with Narcissa. It felt like a genuine friendship that even if Hermione did not get together with Draco that she would still have a good relationship with Narcissa. I did miss this in this story. I know they mentioned that it could be that Serena is a seer or that she didn’t want to communicate with Briony until she learnt the main barriers technique but as I had the fanfic to draw from I understand why people were confused as to why Orion and Serena were ‘nice’ to Briony and willing to protect her. Briony reasoned that it could be the Hearst family are playing both sides in case Evermore is resurrected but considering what might happen to the family if they are ever caught it seems risky. I think maybe Serena saw a future between Briony and Toven and is protecting her future daughter in law.

🏡The Missing Mippy and The Living House#

In the fanfic, the house elf Mippy added warmth and loyalty to the household dynamic.

Obviously, that can’t transfer here.

Instead, the house itself functions almost magically — and I actually liked that. It reminded me of Encanto, where the house is alive and responsive.

That adaptation choice worked well but not as well as having another individual in the dynamic.

💔 Rebellion and Emotional Stakes — Where It Felt Weaker

One area where The Auction felt stronger to me was rebellion momentum.

In The Auction, even while waiting for Hermione’s appearance, the supporting characters were planning, building connections, strategising, and exchanging information with the Order. When Hermione smuggled instructions about destroying Nagini to Ginny, it felt urgent and dangerous.

In Rose in Chains, when Briony receives the note “No dragon, don’t Worry” - there was some speculation on who it could be from as only a few characters knew about Briony’s nickname for Rory (Worry) and her responding “Safe”, it doesn’t carry the same narrative weight.

And thinking how she was going to pass the information back to Ginny without getting caught and the message had to be obscure enough in case it was intercepted. And then the intermediary is killed, adding extra tension to the plans.

The intermediary died in this book as well, and the death should have amplified the stakes. But the message itself didn’t feel impactful enough to justify the cost. I wanted more urgency in the rebellion thread.

I was really sad that Briony’s cousin Finola was killed - I know it was meant to add to the stakes but it didn’t feel like Briony mourned her cousin much, especially when it was Toven’s father who killed her. When she found out she was mad at first but realising that Finola wanted to kill Toven and Orion killed her before she could, it felt like Briony just accepted it. I think if it wasn’t Finola who died but someone else the lack of anger might have made more sense. I know they want to say that Mallow really wants to kill the Rosewoods but that death was really upsetting.

🏃Pacing and Trilogy Concerns

I’m excited for what’s coming, but book 1 felt a bit slow. Especially having read the Auction I am worried about unnecessary dragging the story to be a trilogy. But this is probably because I hate waiting for the next book 😂

But I also trust the author’s long-form instincts. If the trilogy lands the way I suspect it might — emotionally and structurally — it could justify the expansion. And she has already added new stuff to the story so maybe it could work.

If the second book is in Toven’s POV I can be excited for that as I love reading scenes from a different perspective, however, as the first book is unfinished, I’m thinking if it’s the same scenes would it add to the story?

💫 Final Thoughts and Rating

Despite my critiques, I did really enjoy this.

I think my love for Dramione and the original fanfic lens probably nudges my rating higher than if I encountered this as a completely standalone fantasy.

If it sticks the landing the way The Auction did, this could become something very special.

Right now, I’m hovering between 4 and 4.5 stars so it's 'Worth a Wander'.

Not because it’s flawless — but because I see the potential. And I’m willing to wait (impatiently) for the next installment.