"A Red Rose Chain" is an achievement for Seanan McGuire. It has all the action, emotion, mystery, and revelation of her earlier October Daye novels, and this time McGuire has nailed the pacing as well. Some of her earlier books have been criticized for lagging at times or being bloated with filler and unnecessary repetition. This book just flows smoothly from beginning to end without gratuitous excursions or needlessly jarring transitions. Kudos to McGuire for continuing to raise the level of her craft!
As for the content of the book, Toby finds herself in the court of King Rhys, an old crony of the queen Toby just recently helped to depose in the Kingdom of the Mists aka the San Francisco Bay area. King Rhys has elf-shot Queen Arden's seneschal, putting him to sleep for 100 years, as part of a declaration of war. Queen Arden has dispatched Toby to Rhys' Kingdom of Silences in hopes of averting a costly and bloody war. Toby knows she hasn't been sent because of her diplomatic skills; she strongly suspects that Arden expects Toby to sow her usual chaos, aborting the war by bringing down the king. Toby wouldn't mind doing taking King Rhys out, if she could find a way; not only is he harboring one of Toby's most bitter enemies, but his cruelty and intolerance, particularly towards her fellow changelings, are deeper than she could have guessed. King Rhys is clever, however, and he will not easily be outmaneuvered. Furthermore, Toby herself has something that the king wants, and he is not shy about telling her that he will have it -- and it is not something she can part with and yet live.
Which, by the way, she does. Just so you know. Live, that is. Also, as a heads-up, if you're like me you will find yourself thinking at around p. 300 that there is no way she will wrap this thing up by p. 358. She does. It is not a cliff-hanger. So don't get too anxious about it.
Overall, I'd say that "Red Rose Chain" keeps the series alive and growing. Toby's evolution as a person and as a fae power continues. She remains vulnerable, partly by choice -- she could abandon her humanity at any time, if she so decided -- and at the same time she learns more and more about the great capabilities and not-so-substantial limits of her blood magic. (By the way, I should slightly dial back what I said about repetition - she does go on too much about what it means to be Dochas Sidhe with power over blood, ability to sense blood, etc.) By surviving this trial, Toby not only gains in reputation, but it becomes increasingly clear that her role, should she survive it, is to clean up faery; perhaps she is even the one to orchestrate the return of Oberon, the absent father of the fae. Having your character rise from humble origins to become a major force in the world is hardly unprecedented in the history of novel series, but it's not always done very smoothly, and very often the character and the novels lose the characteristics that made them appealing in the first place. McGuire is doing a good job of keeping Toby sympathetic and relatable even as she increases her powers and the stakes at risk in each novel.
One more thing: In this novel, McGuire does two things that do not seem wise to me. Make that three. First, she barely uses the Ludaig, who has emerged as one of the most interesting and enjoyable secondary characters in the series. Second, she uses the Ludaig in a way that does not seem consistent with her earlier behavior. I hope she is not turning the Ludaig into Toby's housecat. Third, she allows Toby and her friends to destroy a pillar of the fae way of warfare, one that has persisted for centuries if not millennia. The fallout from this act has to loom large in the next novel , which would be too bad. I don't care nearly as much about the tactics of fae conflict as I do about what the deal is with Toby's mother, why Oberon flew the coop, and other larger issues about faery and humanity.
Bottom line: "A Red Rose Chain" is an excellent addition to this series. Some of the earlier books may feature more surprising twists or more dramatic events, but this book is still full and satisfying. If you've followed the series up to this point, reading this book is a no-brainer. Let's hope that McGuire continues to feed us another one of these fantastic feasts at least once a year into the indefinite future.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Similar items that may deliver to you quickly
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Top reviews from other countries
Samantha Tennant
Just as good on the fifth reading
Reviewed in Canada on September 20, 2019Fantasy News
4,5 Sterne - Tobys Geschichte geht auch nach THE WINTER LONG packend weiter!
Reviewed in Germany on December 7, 2015