Reviews

A Red-Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire

lavendermarch's review against another edition

4.0

Took me a little longer than usual, but it was still great. Toby and Tybalt are my OTP. I can't wait for them to get married!!!

Reread May 28th, 2021
I remembered nothing of this installment in the series (beyond that it involved Silences and elf-shot), so it was like reading a new book. At any rate, let me tell you - it delivered! This was... rather brutal and heartbreaking at times, with the usual snatches of comedy and camaraderie. We visited Silences, and

Spoiler

overthrew Rhys the racist butcher, and saved Walther's family. Toby offered to help save the changelings at the end with either herself or the hope chest. I hope she does. She's a hero to the last.

Toby and Tybalt nearly broke me in this one. I love them together, but there were some close shaves that left me worried (not for the strength of their relationship, just for their lives). We saw a lot of vulnerability from Tybalt. May comes out to play in this book, and she's very helpful to Toby in Rhys' court. Walther

Spoiler

finds a cure for elf-shot!

The Luidaeg doesn't really feature in this one at all. On a side note, I hope we meet Oberon at some point. We meet Joe, one of Tybalt's contemporaries. I liked him. Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book, and would recommend it. Bring the tissues and a punching bag, because I was furious as much as I was sad at some of the events and realities that Silences revealed to us. 4.5 stars.

Spoiler

Last thing: Toby claims Quentin as her "semi-adopted son!" I love it! So cute!

karenholmes's review against another edition

5.0

So what I finally dreaded, has arrived. I've been dragging this series because I was afraid that it will end and I would be so hooked that I'd need more. And now I need to get more patient and wait for Seanan to finish a new one. Gosh! This will kill me.
Loved everything in this book. The interactions, the stakes, visiting a new Kingdom and a new knove. It's great when you see characters grow throughout the books and this one has been great for this. We've seen a more mature Quentin, a more reflexive October and a wonderful relationship with Tybalt.
Keep them coming, please! I love this world!

daisyblu3's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

eddisfargo's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful tense

4.75

celiapowell's review

3.0

Yes, these Toby Daye novels are fairly formulaic (massive disaster! Toby will save the day! She will be pissed off and constantly babble in wisecracks which gets slightly annoying! Very perilous circumstances threaten! Some terrible things happen! Toby saves the day!) but I still really enjoy them, and I liked that in this one we see Toby in a happy relationship rather than romantic tension being another element of the story.

siandee's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

kristie_beth's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

disabledbookdragon's review

adventurous challenging emotional funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

maraya21's review against another edition

3.0

⭐ BR with my Waifu & Speedy Margauxales over at the MacHalo Asylum ⭐

Quentin spoke first. “So this was fun.”
“Yeah,” I said.
“We should do this every week,” he said.
“I will drown you in the ocean and send your parents a very nice card to tell them how sorry I am,” I said.
“Be sure you include a gift card for Tim Hortons,” he said. “That’s how we say ‘sorry for killing your firstborn son’ in Canada.”
I laughed. So did Quentin. Tybalt just snorted, while Danny looked confused. All in all, it was a pretty normal night for us, and the fact that we had to clean up our own mess just continued the theme.
“All right, boys, let’s kick some sand around before we go to visit the Queen,” I said, and sheathed my sword. A hero’s work was never done.
@5.5% [Chapter 1]

tiffanyxcc's review

3.0

Red Rose Chain is book #9 in the October Daye series. Toby and Tybalt are discussing wedding plans, carefree in the company on the new queen, Arden Windermere. Of course, this is Toby’s world so things don’t stay that way for long, Arden’s best friend and senschal, a cu sidhe named Madden is elf shot, and she doesn’t handle the situation with grace. This is a declaration of war by the infamous Kingdom of Silences. The one we hear about throughout the series for the war in years gone by. That none of the purebloods wish to discuss….

Arden’s solution (due to some bad decisions on Toby’s part) is to send Toby and her friends to the Kingdom of Silences with diplomatic immunity for three days, to attempt to circumvent the war. If you are familiar with the series, you know how unlikely this sounds with Toby’s tact and all.

Red rose chain was certainly an interesting addition to the series. I really have grown to like Walther’s character more. There were some slower parts to the read, but overall enjoyable. The end was fascinating as well. If you are a fan of the series, you will not be disappointed.

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