From the moment I picked up The Last Tale of the Flower Bride Roshani's writing had me hooked. This book is beautifully written, lushly descriptive and I devoured it in a few sittings.

We follow two timelines. That of The Bridegroom, and also Azure, both characters tangled up in the mysterious life of Indigo, the house of dreams, and her obession with fairy tales and the other world. This book was everything I wanted, I worried how it would end but I thought it was perfect. I have no other words to describe how beautifully this book is written! I'm sad I have to wait until next year to own a physical copy. Stunning!

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the chance to read The Last Tale of the Flower Bride.

A kind thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride has one of the lushest proses imaginable. Roshani Chokshi's prose flows regally and intrically, weaving beautiful magic. Her prose is simply luxurious in every possible way. Some quotes from the book, I'll never forget.

Dreams "might be portents or prophecies, messages or mysteries. Dreams might pass through gates of horn and speak true, or sneak through gates of ivory and speak false. At its heart, a dream is a door."

I'm fairly new in the gothic genre, but I believe that lovers of gothic stories will fall in love with this book. The author's prose is unforgettable. I really liked the premise and the story. I also liked how we switched POV between the mc, the husband, and Azure. For me, it was a lot of things that relied on suspension of disbelief and on "going with the flow without understanding the why's and the how's", which was tiring for me. Sadly, I couldn't manage to get invested in the main characters, either. However, the indirect social commentary and how the author weaved it with the characters and the plot was very well done. Those moments were awe-inspiring and gave off the "wow" effect.

The author's prose was magic, and the book filled my nights with suspense and the beautiful unknown along with the mysteries of House of Dreams.

I am not going to review this because I don’t like this fake gothic genre so feel I would be unfair. I skipped through it . I know others enjoy this so will leave it be.

Let me start this review by saying this might be my favorite Roshani Chokshi book, she really outdone herself with the writing. The prose is lyrical without being overdone, it’s hauntingly beautiful. The story is executed in a spooky way – in the best sense.

I haven’t read a lot of gothic books, but this title made me want to read more from the genre. It has many elements of a fairytale, which I loved. I am familiar with the Bluebeard book, and this retelling is done with a twist to the original story that worked really well.

Reading this book was a wild ride, it intrigued me from the beginning. As a reader, you start by questioning reality and if magic really plays a part in the story. You want to uncover these character’s secrets and know more. You don’t know if the narrators are reliable and you want to find out if you’re being mislead or not.

The pacing was the only thing I wasn’t super crazy about. It started off super strong but things started to get a little repetitive around the middle and I got a bit bored, but then the ending changed everything. I saw the twist coming but I welcomed it, since it was the best outcome for the story.

Even with this minor pacing issues, I’m obessed with the story and the direction it took. It’s definitely worth reading it, and I'll be recommending it for sure.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a slow burning book. For much of it, I was wondering if I would end up giving it 3 stars, only for the final third or so to (happily) prove me wrong. It’s one of those where I needed to give it time.

The story follows an unnamed man, a scholar of fairytales and other myths, who marries the mysterious Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada. Her only request of him is that he doesn’t ask questions about her past. But, with the death of her aunt, they’re dragged back to her childhood home, where the groom can’t help but start to wonder.

As ever, Roshani Chokshi’s writing is gorgeous. It very much suits the story being told: the characters are fixated on fairytales and their own story reads like one too. This is obviously the intent, but it’s testament to Roshani Chokshi’s skill that she manages it so effectively. The writing is poetic and evocative, and it really sucks you into the tale.

The characters, too, are well fleshed out and compelling. They’re not perfect: their flaws are obvious enough, and that’s what makes them so effective. You’re reading about them because they fascinate you, rather than particularly because you like them (although, in a way, they’re “likeable” in the sense that you like to read about them).

So I think what made me sort of struggle with the first two thirds was there was a kind of disconnect between all this and actually being fully involved with the story. That is, I didn’t feel anything. It was only in the last third, where the mystery ratcheted up a notch and where it became genuinely thrilling, that I found myself entirely engaged with it. This is what I mean by slow burning really.

But, overall, this is a book I’d recommend. Especially if you’re already a fan of Roshani Chokshi, but equally if you’ve never read one of hers before.

This was such a great read! I was completely captured me from the get go. This is my first Roshani Chokshi book and certainly won’t be the last. She has an elegant and immersive writing style that will completely transport you.

This book was so perfectly eerie and truly chilling. I didn’t know what was happening most of the time and that was part of the fun.

Depth-full, interesting characters hand in hand with a storyline that will literally keep you on the edge of your seat.

I was so shocked when I was approved for an arc of this on netgalley and couldn't be more thankful for it if I tried!

The premise of this book is what made me request this arc. It's just so intriguing and that doesn't change throughout the entire book. As the pages go on, it becomes even darker and even more gothic than I thought it would and that gloomy atmosphere was perfect as the weather has started to become more autumnal. I began this book intrigued and left it unsettled by the events, especially the last 25%. The twist definitely caught me by surprise and I thought it was SUPER well done.

However, I didn't love it like I so badly wanted to. I think that was more to do with me not vibing with the writing style than the actual story itself. For me, it was overdone and overcrowded. This made it difficult for me to get through this book because sometimes it took a lot to get through it and understand what was actually trying to be said. That is why I have only given this a 3 star, despite loving the story itself, but I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for future adult publications from Roshani Chokshi!

This is a tale of two girls, one who is lost and one who is found, and a marriage threatening to crumble on the precipice of the unknown.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is compelling and poetic in itself. Set in the backdrop of the past and the present, the story weaves on the becoming of the one greatest secret of what happened the night the two girls went to the Otherworld for the last time.

The story is a tragedy, crafted beautifully in the light of poems. A lost poem that centered on Indigo Maxwell-Castañeda. You will feel mesmerized, captive, and be touched. You will feel frustration, anger, and then a devastating sadness that will carve your heart out to be willingly presented for all the others to poke through as it bleeds, slowly detaching life from it.

I felt all those things. I smiled, I screamed. But most of all, I felt pity to the victims of fairy tale, where all tales are not as they seem. They are surrounded by a mist, and only then will you know the truth as you enter.

Shock is an understatement after I learned of the plot twist. I was thrilled and partially excited once I knew. It's the kind of plot twist that I didn't see the coming because reading the last few pages of the book I've come to a resolve that it has a predictable ending...which turned out to be not true.

I was slapped by it like a thousand knives plunging my flesh in all directions in every angle. Everything about this book is soaked in mystery, and only then you will know the truth once you turn the last page.



MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY HODDER & STOUGHTON FOR APPROVING NY REQUEST. I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. AND TO ROSHANI CHOKSHI YOU ARE ONE OF THE RENOWNED AUTHORS I LOOK UP TO, AND THIS BOOK IS BRILLIANT. OVERLY BRILLIANT, MIGHT I SAY. THANK YOU THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN NETGALLEY AND HODDER & STOUGHTON.

A beautifully written book with an original storyline and well developed characters. It is haunting and othic and I loved it.

Favorite character: Azure / Indigo
Three words: haunting / poetic / captivating
Favorite quote: But I had forgotten how certain places can be so old they are alive. So alive they do not simply hunger; they learn to hunt.

A scholar of myths marries the beautiful and even more mysterious Indigo, heiress to a fortune. As they're both fascinated, almost obsessed, by fairy tales and myths, their marriage is full of story telling and the dream of a happily ever after. The bridegroom is enchanted by his otherwordly wife and Indigo shares everything with him as long as he promises he will never pry into her past. He is keen on fulfilling the wish and they live in their own bubble of wealth and fairy tales until Indigo's estranged aunt is dying and they are forced to return to Indigo's childhood home. The old and slowly crumbling estate called House of Dreams seems to have its own magic and it doesn't take long until the bridegroom can't resist the urge to pry around the many dark and extravagant rooms. When Indigo's confused aunt begs him to find someone called Azure, the bridegroom slowly discovers the secrets of his wife and her childhood best friend, Azure, who suddenly disappeared around the time they graduated.

Last Tale of the Flower Bride is one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read! I can't believe how the author is able to write in such a poetic and enchanting way, it made the story even more atmospheric and haunting. I loved how the mystery about Indigo's past and her friendship with Azure slowly unraveled itself and I couldn't put the book down.
The book is written in two different timelines and shows in an enchanting as well as haunting way how the two girls become soul mates and create their own magical world, and then how everything falls apart. It's about coping with neglect and trauma by creating an alternate reality and how it shapes a person as they grow up, in a good and in a bad way. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a story about the power love holds, on how you turn a blind eye to the evil side of the person you love, and how you love them anyway. The story about Indigo and Azure shows in a beautiful and cruel way how love and dependency blur together.
I got Last Tale of the Flower Bride as an ARC but I love it so much, I will buy a physical copy as soon as it's released, because I want it on my shelf. I think it might be the book I annotated the most. It's only the 6th book I've read this year that I've given 5 stars, so I highly recommend it if you like haunting, dark, mysterious, enchanting and atmospheric books!

4+ stars

I could not put this book down, other than to eat, sleep,work etc.
Every spare second I could, I did pick it up.
It felt dark and mysterious and magical all at once.
I loved the fairy tales element to it, but with a twist, and darker.
I was drawn in completely by all the characters, the luxury of the dream house, the otherworld, believing what the girls believed.
The two stories worked so well alongside each other, and I was always eager to get back to the other to see what was/had happened.
I guessed a few of the plot lines by the end, but it did not detract from my enjoyment of the book.
This is a book I'll be buying a fair few times on release. Lucky friends .

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"We are two blues, the neat seam of dusk and dawn. We share a sky, if not a soul, and yet we are cut of the same shades."

Where to begin with this review?
How do I explain how deeply I fell into this sumptuous, gothic tale full of myths and fables and fairy tales?

From the very first page I knew this would be one of those books where the prose itself spins webs around you and tangles you in it's atmosphere. You're unsure if there's a villain, or if your narrators are reliable at all. You're dragged into hazy summer days of youth, into dark memories glazed over with honey, into the unravelling mind of a man who has no idea what his wife is, into the secrets of a woman more faerie than human.

In the past, ethereal girls become soul-sisters in a house that seems alive and a boy remembers a brother his parents say he never had. In the present, mysteries and secrets and hopes unravel.

This was an easy five-stars for me. Effortlessly executed in a softly spooky way, a magical, dangerous thriller that takes you on a journey you'll not forget quickly. Recommended for anyone who enjoyed Mexican Gothic and adores folkloric tales of wives from the sea, flower brides and foolish mortal men.

This book drew me in from the very first few pages with its evocative writing style and intriguing characters. I really enjoyed the overarching gothic and dark fairytale themes.

I was immediately fascinated by Indigo and her backstory and loved the slow reveal and introduction of Azure. The House of Dreams was so spooky and I loved the building tension woven throughout the book as we learned more about everything which had taken place there.

All in all this was a fantastic read and I would absolutely look to read more by this author as their writing style was so unique and impressive.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC.

This was so good. It felt like real magic in the form of a book. I didn't know what this was about going in, but I definitely expected a lot, and it absolutely delivered.

The writing was so magical, so vivid and atmospheric, and it made the whole story seem so real. It felt like you were right there with the characters the entire time. I loved the concept and also the alternating POVs, I preferred the past storyline but both were interesting in their own ways. There wasn't a moment where I was bored with the story, but it kept me hooked right from the start. I loved the blend of gothic elements with magical realism, it was incredibly well done and created such a magical atmosphere.

I also really liked the characters, especially Indigo, and the way everything slowly unraveled was really well done. I did wish the sort of mystery would have been a little less predictable, but I didn't mind that too much since I still enjoyed the way it all came together eventually. I think although this was slow-paced, it worked perfectly for the story Chokshi was telling. I also especially loved how dark this got at certain points since that was distinctively different from her previous works.

I really wish this had been longer since I would have loved to continue reading this for a few more days. This is a story that will definitely stay with me.

Beautifully haunting tale; as always Roshani never fails to disappoint. Crafted with lyrical prose and dark gothic imagery - this book kept me hooked throughout, focusing on the unravelling of secrets in a fragile marriage. Roshani intertwines fairytales throughout the book, giving it a magical feel alongside the gothic. Please read this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.

Wow wow wow. This was everything I needed it to be and more. A haunting, lyrically poetic and compelling novel, this was so well written that once I started I couldn't put it down. The 'Fae' have been slightly overdone in fiction in recent years, but this put a whole new spin on the genre and made it feel entirely new. Is it an exaggeration to call it a masterpiece? In the case of this book, I don't think so. Deserves all the praise and more.

I have been wanting to read Roshani Chokshi's books for a while. The Gilded Wolves trilogy and the Aru Shah series have been on my TBR for ages. But instead of reading those, I started off by reading The Last Tale of the Flower Bride a book that doesn't come out till next year. And after finishing this, I can say that Chokshi is a truly incredible writer. I had no idea what to expect going into this series. But when I started it, I was hooked and I couldn't put it down. I literally finished this in one sitting.

I have not read a lot of gothic books, but after reading this, I want to read more of the genre. The writing in this is lyrical and haunting, reminding me of old fairy tales that were full of warnings. I don't know how much I can say about the story, without spoiling it, but just know this is one book that you're not going to forget.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a masterpiece of the book and I cannot wait for it to be out in the world.

3.75 stars

You know how much I love Roshani Chokshi, she's one of my fave authors, so I was very excited to read her new book.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride was a good, unique story but not what I expected. I think the plot is a bit misleading, because I thought the story would've revolved around their marriage and how Indigo's past would affect their relationship. Instead, the book switched between past and present events and focused mostly on Indigo and Azure's relationship. While the bridegroom (whose name remains a mystery and I don't understand why) had only a marginal role. These POVs were intertwined, leading to the final climax and twist (which I guessed halfway through).

All in all, it was an interesting story characterized by her rich, lavish writing style but I expected a different one.

Wow! Roshani Chokshi really has a way with words. Her writing is magical. From the outset you are transported into another realm. Fantasy isn't really a genre I gravitate towards, but this book really pulled me in. A story of the real world and that of Fae, surrounded by mystery and gothic romance. The characters were interesting, and the description throughout the story made it very easy to picture what the author has imagined. I would definitely recommend this book, and look forward to reading any future publications from Roshani Chokshi.

I would like to thank @NetGalley, @HodderBooks and @HodderPublicity for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

I am speechless. This book broke my brain with its aching, haunting beauty. There is a good book and there is this masterpiece. The writing grips your heart and will not let it go until it is finished devouring you, just like Indigo's Otherworld.

What captivated me the most about this story is what stays mostly implied through the whole book: the everyday horrors no one dares to talk about and how these shape us into adulthood. On the surface level, this book is about fairy tales and how they shape us through our childhood, but below that, it is about coping, turning a blind eye to reality until coming full circle and facing it, recognizing the monstrous and loving it still or despite. But most importantly, it is about unconditional love.

If I had to compare it to other stories, I would say it is a haunting mix of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente, but set in our modern days.

I'm incredibly thankful for Hodder & Stoughton and Roshani Chokshi for the eARC.