the last tale of the flower bride by roshani chokshi

Just as we are taught that Melusine’s husband broke his oath to never look at his wife while she bathed, lest he learn a truth he cannot forget, we understand that the Bridegroom will not keep his promise.

Pulling from mythology and folklore from around the world, Chokshi weaves a common thread of love and loss among them. What I enjoyed most about The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is that it is a love letter to the stories that have withstood the tests of time. Indigo and the Bridegroom fall in love and get married with a promise set between them-he must never ask seek to uncover her past, lest their love turn to ash. They play a game of cat and mouse, living out mythological stories and folktales, pretending to be gods and monsters, drawing nearer and yet maintaining a purposeful distance from the secrets that could destroy them both.

On the first page, we meet the Bridegroom on the night he encounters Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada, an ethereal woman who’s as mysterious and she is alluring. This book contains a story within a story. The imagery of every scene is so specific that I had no trouble seeing exactly the picture Chokshi was painting for us-and not only that, but I enjoyed every moment of it, even when the story turned dark. There’s a lyrical quality to this novel, like the words have been lifted from a song and laid bare on the page just for us to hear. Every sentence felt like it was chosen with such care. Related: Roshani Chokshi talks ‘Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality’ and the end of the Pandava seriesĪnd let’s just get this out of the way, right at the start of my Flower Bride book review-it did not disappoint. As a fan of dark fantasy and gothic horror novels, The Last Tale of the Flower Bride was exactly the kind of book I wanted to sink my teeth into. Filled with action and adventure, heart and hijinks, and plenty of love and laughs, it’s not difficult to love her characters and the world she’s built in this series.īut as much as I love middle grade books and how they can still resonate with adults like me, I was beyond excited to hear that Chokshi would soon present us with her adult debut. I’m a huge fan of the Aru Shah books, and they continue to be my favorite series out of the imprint.

It’s true that Roshani Chokshi has conquered the fantasy genre in so many ways, from her young adult series The Star-Touched Queen and The Gilded Wolves, to her middle grade books centering on Aru Shah and written for the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. This The Last Tale of the Flower Bride book review takes a spoiler-free look at Roshani Chokshi’s stunningly dark and beautiful adult debut.

The last tale of the flower bride by roshani chokshi