The Last Tale of the Flower Bride: the haunting, atmospheric gothic page-turner

by Roshani Chokshi

'Gorgeous and ornate' Holly Black

'Lingers like a fever dream' V.E. Schwab

Do not look. Do not ask. Do not pry.

A sumptuous, gothic story about an obsessive female friendship cursed to end in tragedy, a marriage unraveled by dark secrets, and the danger of believing in fairy tales - the breathtaking adult debut from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi.

Once upon a time, a man who believed in fairy tales married a beautiful, mysterious woman named Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada. He was a scholar of myths. She was heiress to a fortune. They exchanged gifts and stories and believed they would live happily ever after - and in exchange for her love, Indigo extracted a promise: that her bridegroom would never pry into her past.

But when Indigo learns that her estranged aunt is dying and the couple is forced to return to her childhood home, the House of Dreams, the bridegroom soon finds himself unable to resist. For within the crumbling manor's extravagant rooms and musty halls, there lurks the shadow of another girl: Azure, Indigo's dearest childhood friend, who disappeared without a trace.

As the house slowly reveals his wife's secrets, the bridegroom will be forced to choose between reality and fantasy, even if doing so threatens to destroy their marriage . . . or their lives.

Combining the lush, haunting atmosphere of Mexican Gothic with the dreamy enchantment of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a spellbinding and darkly romantic page-turner about love and lies, secrets and betrayal, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive.

'A fairy tale in the oldest and truest sense' Alix E. Harrow

'A shimmering tapestry' Yangsze Choo

'Dark, haunting, and thrumming with mystery, magic, and love' Sue Lynn Tan

'An opulent, engrossing tale' Kiran Millwood Hargrave

'Darkly gorgeous and utterly entrancing' Shannon Chakraborty

'An intoxicating fever dream' Emily Henry

• ISBN10: 1529384044
• ISBN13: 9781529384048
• Publish Date: 16 February 2023 (first published January 2023)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
• Imprint: Hodderscape
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 304
• Language: English
• URL: https://hachette.co.uk/titles/roshani-chokshi/the-last-tale-of-the-flower-bride/9781529384048/

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

Book Summary:

Indigo Maxwell-Castenada is the luckiest man alive. He's always been fascinated by fairy tales. So imagine what it felt like for his dreams to come true – as he quickly found himself in the center of one.

He married a mysterious woman with dark secrets. All she ever asked of him was that he never delved into her past or looked into the shadows lurking behind her. A simple request, right? Perhaps for those that don't know the depth of folklore – and the warnings behind them.

My Review:

Yes! I've been SO looking forward to Roshani Chokshi's latest novel. Her world-building and storytelling style is fantastic. Let me tell you - The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is no exception to this rule.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a twisty fairy tale, though, at times, it feels more like a thriller. The darker and gothic vibes are strong, and it is perfection. Combine this with the intrigue, and it's easy to see why so many people are talking about this book.

Speaking of, there are two primary perspectives to The Last Tale of the Flower Bride. That was a pleasant surprise. Rather than making the truth more apparent, the two seemed to help obfuscate the truth. Right up until the end, when everything clicked into place.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is the perfect book for fans of gothic fairy tales, intrigue, and surprisingly emotional and complex tales.

Highlights:
Gothic Fairy Tale
Leaves You Guessing
Twisted Tale

Trigger Warnings:
Death
Stalking/Controlling Behaviors
Bullying
Sexual harassment/Pedophilia/Grooming
Self-Harm
Animal Death

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