The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is Roshani Chokshi's adult debut and a stunning fairytale-esque story about history and its secrets. Told between alternate POVs of the bridegroom who is uncovering his wife's secrets with each day they spend together in her childhood home and the mysterious best friend who disappeared after graduation, each chapter brings you closer to the truth while challenging the ideals of friendship, love, and magic.

isbn: | pages: 304
      publication date: February 14, 2023 | source: physical 
     genre: adult fantasy, fairytale, literary fiction
     rating: 9/10

     A M A Z O N    |    G O O D R E A D S 
    B O O K S H O P *    |    B A R N E S A N D N O B L E S
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It's been a few months since I've finished Flower Bride but I genuinely still get chills just thinking about it. This is a story that's mesmerizing in the best way and perfect if you're a fan of gorgeous prose that weaves the natural world with the supernatural. Indigo is otherworldly, for lack of a better term, and we explore her life through the lens of those whom she loved most. 

"some individuals are like portals, the knowing of them makes the world a far vaster place"

The story is told in alternating timelines between Indigo's unnamed bridegroom and her childhood best friend Azure. Through their perspectives, a little bit more of Indigo is revealed from her motivations to her intrigues. The quote above really captures the entire reading experience as the narrators reveal just enough to add more pieces to the puzzle, but never enough to give you the full picture. We are taken through Indigo's return to her childhood home and the last moments with her estranged aunt while trying to figure out what truly happened with the disappearance of her best friend.

"sometimes, fairy tales are little more than a litany detailing acts of devotion"

Once you begin Indigo's story, it's almost impossible to stop. The bridegroom's curiosity matches that of the reader's as we try to unravel the mystery of Indigo's past. It's the classic tale of an unsuspecting man marrying someone just a little magical and being tempted by the allusive past. On the other hand, Azure represents an Indigo that is untainted by the responsibilities to adulthood. A time where she is free to offer milk to the fae and don expensive pearls to mimic the otherworld's lavishness. The magic of their youth portrayed through the slightly tinted lens cruelty and a desire for the unknown.

As the two timelines come closer to merging into a single truth, we see the harsh realities of growing up replace the innocence of childhood wonder and imagination. The fractures that appear take us full circle to the present. This story was truly a masterful exploration of choices, love, and accepting the little bits of magic we have in this world.

"only a shattered promise yields a rich, glittering yolk of a story"