As far as notable recordings of these songs, my favorites aren't included in the book, but I'll name them anyway. Lothlorien's "The Cruel Mother" is my favorite version, and Loreena McKennitt puts her own spin on a song with many names, which she calls "The Bonny Swans" - another great one.

It also emphasizes the power of spinning narratives through song and how these narratives are often influenced by misogyny, racism, or both. It also reminds us that sometimes the subjects of these songs have their stories sensationalized, and the truth can even be lost in that sensationalization.

All in all, Rose in Chains is a pretty engaging read, and I can't wait to see how things turn out for our heroine!

But their relationship can't remain as it is if it's to grow into something better, and we left off at an interesting turning point in that relationship. I'm curious to see how the balance of power rights itself between Briony and Toven, as well as within the book's world as a whole.

Right now, she isn't valued for who she is, but I believe Toven eventually will. Their relationship is currently in a weird gray area where he has power over her but isn't "using" her the way he's expected to, and there have been moments where she sees a rare softer side to him. The plot thickens!

Briony is magically gifted, but she goes from being told to dim her brilliance so as not to outshine her brother to having her magic be coveted the same way land or gold is. She's trying to survive with limited power, and I'm curious to see how she reclaims her power, because we know she will!

Furthermore, the majority of Bomard's most powerful people are men who happily engage in this exploitative system, meaning that Bomard is not an inherently more egalitarian and just society than Evermore, despite what Mallow says. Which means Bomardi society will likely shift as the story goes on.

It's also interesting how Mallow insists that Bomard is a superior land for allowing women to rule/lead, but she has no issue with the heartspring practice and shows no interest in stopping it. She's the sort of woman who's fine with other women being exploited/abused if she keeps her own power.

This whole practice reminded me of how marriage should ideally be a loving, equal, mutually beneficial partnership, but the reality is that it has long been used as a way for patriarchal men to own and exploit women, treating them like trophies and servants who only exist to make their lives easier.

Even the name heartspring makes them wound like wells to be gathered from rather than people. And unsurprisingly, the vast majority of heartsprings are women being owned/exploited by men. It's a patriarchal system that took a "power with" relationship and turned it into a "power over" dynamic.

The heartsprings are bought and sold like cattle, their magic parasitically drained instead of mutually shared/strengthened with an equal partner. What is meant to be freely given is forcibly taken instead. They're all denied rights, bodily autonomy, freedom of choice, and personhood.

The concept of heart magic and how it's used in this book seems comparable to how marriage should ideally be vs. what it's historically been for women. Heart magic is supposed to be a shared bond that strengthens both parties, but the villains treat their "heartsprings" like resources, not partners.