The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi is a gothic romance that unravels the story of Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada.
 
In it we follow the husband of Indigo who is a medieval scholar, and he was interested in a grimoire that belonged to the Casteñada family heritage and through that he meets Indigo. I really liked his perspective as I’m also fascinated with medieval times, and I liked to see his lens and fascination on it and on Indigo.
 
Indigo is such a fascinating woman and with each page you learn more about her and all the secrets that are around her. That made me inhale the story in one go as I couldn’t put it down and just wanted to know all about her. Indigo goes to her family’s home, the House of Dreams, and that setting with its haunting atmosphere was just incredible. At the same time, you learn about her childhood friend Azure who disappeared without a trace and that only enhanced the mystery element of the book.
 
Overall, this story could captivate me and if you like gothic stories, you definitely need to check out this one. 4 stars.
 
(ARC kindly provided in exchange for a review.)

Haunting, sumptuous and disturbing, this novel transports you through a twisted fairytale.
With vivid, visceral imagery akin to Mexican Gothic, Chokshi’s writing captures your attention and takes you along for the ride.

I found the first 20% of this book a little slow, but couldn’t put it down once Indigo and Azure’s friendship settled into otherworldly obsession and mystery. Finishing the story felt like a loss.

Evocative
- Dark
- Suspenseful
- Otherworldly
- Secretive
- Deliciously gothic

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride was an utterly intriguing story full of otherworldly insinuations. It started with a relationship between Indigo and a man who became her significant other. He never really quite knew Indigo and so he longed for her secrets...that became a runaway train of suspense.

The story was told in some past and present and it tracked Indigo's friendship with Azure during their teenage years. This past and present worked really well and each time the narrative switched I got swept up in that phase of time.

Did I like Indigo? I'm not sure, I did like the man of the piece and I did like Azure and some of the side characters. Despite the foreshadowing, that ending blew me away and I closed the book with a wow feeling and a sense of completion.

The writing in this piece is evocative, sometimes through a mist. The narrative was alluring, sensual but also twisty with an underlying evil at times. I loved the experience with this book and I think fans of A Dowry of Blood will love this.

Thank you to Hodderscape for the review copies.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is Roshani Chokshi’s adult novel debut. I’ve read some of her young adult fantasy before and enjoyed it, and her short story was one of my stand out favourites in the Arthurian anthology Sword Stone Table. Chokshi has a magical way with words, able to turn a simple sentence into something that draws you into her world and doesn’t let you escape again. And this writing is really where The Last Tale of the Flower Bride excels. A mythical, haunting story told in lyrical prose that almost manages to hide how dark it truly is. This is a lot more literary than much of what we write about here, but it skirts enough on the side of the uncanny and horrific that I think there is a lot of crossover, especially for readers of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, V.E. Schwab or perhaps a gothic Madeline Miller.

The story weaves the atmosphere of fairy tales with the fervor of a gothic fever dream, making the reader lose sight of reality and fantasy along with the characters. The story follows a bridegroom, married to a mysterious woman named Indigo, her dying aunt and Indigo’s childhood friend Azure, who disappeared without a trace. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a novel not driven by plot but by relationships and vignettes, by moments and characters. If you are looking for a linear story or a straight-forward novel, this is probably not the right read for you.

Indigo and Azure, their obsessive friendship destined to end in tragedy (this is not a spoiler, this sentence is actually taken from the cover copy), are a delicious trainwreck waiting to happen – a broken relationship that develops over years but neither can extricate themselves from it. And the way it does end? Unexpected and brilliant, and one of the best moments in the entire book. And the bridegroom and Indigo have such an interesting relationship too, driven by curiosity and mystery, by myths, stories and gifts.

This will not be a book for everyone, but when it does click, this lush, atmospheric story of trust and dysfunctional relationships, of love in all its forms will resonate with you for a long time after you’re done with reading. I know I am already tempted to reread it and see what elements of mythology I can pick up on to look into on a reread – Chokshi clearly drew on her South Asian heritage for this novel, and as someone unfamiliar with the corpus of traditional stories, I am curious to learn more. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is inspiring, romantic, but also very dark – I think there’s much to like here for the Grimdark reader.

Originally posted: https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/review-the-last-tale-of-the-flower-bride-by-roshani-chokshi/

I really wanted to like this one. I loved the cover and the title, and am a huge fan of gothic literature and it felt like this one would have all the right vibes. Dark and romantic.

However, I read this several weeks ago and promptly put my kindle down and forgot about it. I usually do reviews immediately after reading a book while it is fresh in my mind, but forgot about this as soon as I picked up another book and only remembered to review when I was looking at my shelf. I had to click on it to read the synopsis to check this was actually the book I read.

I can't remember much about this other than reading the first chapter and wondering what on earth was going on. I didn't buy the relationship between the two main characters at all - I just couldn't imagine what would bring them together other than an immediate physical attraction, let alone bring them to marry each other.

It felt like the author tried to bring all the gothic elements into this - but it felt overdone and cliched - almost like a fairy tale gone wrong - with the fairy garden, the glass coffin, the house that has a character of its own, the mysterious housekeeper who can't stay overnight, the use of the doppelganger, a Narnia like cupboard, the husband who is the outsider trying to resolve a decade old mystery, the rich girl who entrances her poor friend. Just too much.

I struggled with this book! But that's probably a fault of my own. I read so many great reviews and the story intrigued me.

The writing is were I struggled. It's very prose like and poetic. Every sentence is a metaphor and though it's beautiful it feels heavy. Like you're focusing more on analysing a poem instead of enjoying the story.

I also feel like the pacing just feels incredibly slow.

Trigger warning for anyone who struggles with toxic relationships.

I’ve been a fan of Chokshi since I first read The Gilded Wolves so when I saw that she was writing a gothic fantasy I was incredibly intrigued. The Last Tale of The Flower Bride definitely delivers! I absolutely adored the characters of Indigo and Azure and reading about their relationship with one another as well as their individual motivations. Even though I predicted the final twist, I still found myself on the edge of my seat throughout the book and I think it was carried out in a very satisfying way.

After finishing this book: I'm not sure how I feel about it. I loved the description of the book and the fantasies, and lore that it promises to weave into the story. This book did not disappoint but I feel it was missing something or it was perhaps overdone?

Two stories are told in this novel and i felt the story of the girls was more interesting than the story of the couple and what happened to the husband's brother mystery. The ending i didn't see coming though i should have! All in all, there is something about this book sticking to me but i don't know how i feel about it. I guess that this makes this book a really good one and memorable because I'm not forgetting it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The smartest fever dream I've ever read...

...or why @roshanichokshi is beyond brilliant, but a little scary sometimes 🖤

This might have been my favourite book of the year- and definitely the one I was proud to catch the plot twist before the big reveal! This story is enchanting, immersive, magical, haunting, and a tad disturbing here and there. Or in short- perfect!

I'm in awe of Roshani Chokshi since reading the Gilded Wolves trilogy, but in case you haven't- The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is blurbed by V.E. Schwab, Alix E. Harrow and Holly Black. Just so you can appreciate why getting an ARC was an absolute dream! (Thanks @NetGalley !)

this is such a phenomenal book the story was captivating and the characters were all so well written the setting was so eerie and beautiful written i felt like i was really in the story and the characters interaction with. eachother felt like real conversation and o was observing them. , figuring out the secrets and watchung then unfold was captivating i was alwasy left hingry fir more and couldn’t put it down

Oh my word. This book is beautifully written, ethereal and magical, with a solid creepy element and a storyline that slips and slides out of your grip. Highly recommended.

Ah Roshani Chokshi, just *CHEF'S KISS*

This book revolves around three people, the MC, Azure (the other MC) and Indigo. I can't even remember if the MC has a name, I don't think it is ever mentioned or maybe I just don't remember it because it's in the first POV so it isn't even used at all. But anyway, the story is in two timelines, the past which is told through Azure's POV and the present, told through the other MC's POV who is Indigo's husband.

This book was such a treat to read. It was admittedly a bit tough to get into for the first 10% or something but after that? It pulled me right in and I read the last 80% of it in ONE sitting!! Well not exactly one but y'all know what I mean!

The prose, the narration, the storytelling was so good, I want to give it a million stars because of it!! The atmospheric writing, the gothic imagery, the spooky stuff, and oh, have I mentioned the writing style, yet? So lyrical, so beautiful but also just so *CHEF'S KISS*!!! I truly don't have words how to explain that writing. Highly steeped in magic, folklore, tales and myths and just!!!!! I'm not much for fairytales but oh, this book is definitely the best fairytale I ever have and ever will read.

The story I've to say was a bit predictable for me. Doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it but I did see it coming. But it was still fun to see what made Indigo, Indigo and Azure, Azure. Their lives, dynamics and their relationship gave a lot of insight and added a lot to the story too.

I don't have much to say about the other MC since I feel like all his POV was just always folklore this, fairytale that and Indigo, Indigo, Indigo.

Highly recommended to Chokshi fans, gothic and spooky literature fans and fairytale lovers!

Actual rating: 4.5

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride
The magically intricate and entrancing language of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride captures attention immediately, and leads the reader on a fascinating journey through an intriguing and engrossing landscape which skilfully combines fantasy and reality.
The characters hold a mystery which is compelling, leading us through a series of dances and developments, beautiful descriptions and vivid depictions. There is a thread of danger, desire, even doom which holds attention and tension through to the very end, if the end is truly ever reached.
A masterpiece of visual and verbal delight.
Highly recommended

What a wonderful and terrible mystery.
It was the name of the book that got me interested and the blurb that made me look for and ARC. When I started to read it, I was a bit confused at first - while the blurb makes Indigo out to be the main character, the story is written in the POVs of her husband, simply called The Bridegroom, and Azure, a childhood friend of Indigo.
But this was actually perfect. Indigo is supposed to be this mysterious woman and not knowing her exact thoughts and emotions was perfect for that. We see her like everyone does - a strange creature, a phantom. And like everyone else we don't really understand her.

From the very first page the characters were what took me in. They were terrible people, but those shifty and mysterious characters nailed the strange and haunting atmosphere. The relationship between Indigo and the Bridegroom is strange and terrible and toxic, just like all the characters, but I still was entranced by them.
The story itself took some time to start. I've seen reviews compare it to Bluebeard's wife and the Bridge to Terabithia and in a way I agree with those comparisons. At the very least I can see where they stem from.

The story is not high fantasy. It takes place in our world, our time. Airplanes fly, electricity exists. But it doesn't feel like our world. It's much more mysterious, with Magic always lapping at the edges. I don't know if I would've preferred to have it simply take place in a different world. Nothing to take you out of the flow like mentions of Narnia and Dune, but there was something about the mystery of never knowing if everything was truly magic.

The writing was gorgeous. The author really managed to use beautiful language to create an uncanny feeling. "I will never forget how she sparkled - her dress the colour of bruises, a collar of amethysts at her throat" or "If you combed through enough fairy tales, untangled their roots, and shook out their branches, you would find that they are infested with oaths". This combination of horror and beauty creates an amazing feeling of upcoming dread that made it impossible to put the book down. But still, it was a book to savour, not one to read in a single afternoon.
It was horrifying and lovely and strange and definitely worth reading.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder&Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

It's a dark tale, centered around Indigo, her stories told by Azure, her childhood friend, and Indigo's nameless husband. It has magical themes and explores fairy tales, with Indigo and Azure increasingly obsessed with finding a path to the Otherworld. But Indigo is holding secrets, and it's her husband's inability not to pry that brings the story to it's shocking conclusion. 

It starts off slowly and I wasn't sure what to make of it at first but I'm glad I stuck with it because it's brilliant. It's gothic but not spooky, more chilling and mysterious.

The House of Dreams, Indigo's childhood home, is a central part of the story. It feels alive through Roshani's prose and it makes me want to visit. The split between Azure and the husband as storytellers works well too, the different voices giving the reader a full background into Indigo's life. I don't want to say too much as I'd like to keep it spoiler free, but if you like magical and gothic vibes, then this is one for you. 

Thanks to @netgalley @hodderbooks and @roshanichokshi for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful, beautiful dark fairytale. Absolutely enchanting and magically written, The last tale of the flower bride will warm your heart before the final lines. The characters are mesmerising, I so deeply adore Indigo and Azure's poetic relationship! And the whole reflexion on dreams and fairytales and magic ? I say masterpiece ♡

I just feel I should start this review with the phrase "Once upon a time" because the book is something of a fairy story. Indeed there is a man - one of the main characters in this - who is an expert on myths and stories. He believes in them and aspects of his life has a fairytale quality to them. In the course of his studies he meets up with a reclusive woman who is the heir to a fortune. To his surprise they marry quite quickly.

Indigo - for that is her name - gets him to promise that he will not pry into her past. This has echoes to him of various myths and stories and he is deeply in love with her so the idea doesn't bother him in the least. However curiosity may get the better of him… Their relationship is a rather strange thing (as befits a book like this?). Indigo's estranged aunt becomes ill and so she and her husband go to her childhood home. It is called The House of Dreams and is certainly a character in this story. It becomes clear to Indigo's husband that Indigo has lost a best friend called Azure but Indigo won't talk about it. Azure's voice tells parts of this story too. There is a gradual unfolding of the past coupled with changes in the present.

This is a dark and twisted tale for the most part. It is also quite Gothic and haunting. I often felt as though I was on the borders of different worlds and reality - that is good writing. There is also a fae feel to this - can we trust what we see or think we know, what might be obstructing our vision? As I said the writing here is very good and feels other worldly.

If I have an issue with this it would be with the characters. With Azure probably excepted (& the house!) I didn't feel anything for most of them. I guess that, while I enjoyed this, I never found it as compelling as I thought I might however that is as much me as the book. Those who like fairy stories that are edgy and dark will enjoy this but it was for me a slightly slow read.

"The Last Tale of the Flower Bride" is a gothic fairytale set in modern times. Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada belongs to a colossally wealthy family (perhaps signalled by part of her surname). When she marries, the deal she makes with her husband is that she will keep the secrets of her past hidden, However, as time goes on and fragments surface, particularly in relation to her friendship with the now missing Azure, the bridegroom struggles to keep his end of the bargain.

Whilst there were elements of this novel I enjoyed; I found this book very difficult to get into. Somehow the modern setting jarred with the fairytale elements. The narration from the bridegroom was very one dimensional, with the focus on Indigo and little on him or how their relationship developed so quickly and intensely. There were high levels of toxic elements in the relationship. As a result, I found reading it an unenjoyable slog and I would struggle to recommend.

I found it really challenging to read this story. The language used was hard to engage with. The plot had promise and the mystery woven throughout was interesting. The twists and reveals towards the end were a bit shocking, but mostly predictable.
The ending was also a bit rushed, in my opinion. Overly descriptive when it didn’t need to be.
I think if you are a fan of the author, you will like this story.

Intricate and beautiful - almost horrific in places but incredible like a myth or a fairytale.

A thriller and a romance split between two points of view. A story set at the backdrop of fairytale and reality.

I adored the writing and the way Chokshi seamlessly blended mythology, folklore and the need for magic.

Though the plot took a while to pick up for me I greatly enjoyed the overall story.