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sappix's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Murder, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Death, Child death, and Drug use
Minor: Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Adult/minor relationship
karapillar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Violence, Abandonment, Grief, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Murder
Minor: Incest, Gun violence, Drug use, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Alcohol, and Vomit
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Gaslighting, Grief, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, and Violence
chaptersofamylea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
3 ⭐️
The writing style was beautiful but I think in some ways it got lost within its purpose and made it a little hard to read. I did guess the ending and found it a struggle to read because I knew what was going to happen. I loved all the tid bits of all the fairytales though.
TWs: paedophilia, child neglect, death of a family member, depiction of injury, drugging, murder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, and Murder
saucy_bookdragon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"They know neither the contours of our hearts nor the cold hands that shaped them."
This is, in fact, Roshani Chokshi's most magical book.
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is an absolutely dreamy, mesmerizing story that starts off enchanting but gets darker as it goes. It swept me in and asked that I savor it, hence I didn't rush finishing it! I'd recommend going into it blind and not reading the rest of my review, though I don't include any major spoilers.
It's beautifully written, filled with lush metaphors and descriptions that often allude to and reference fairytales and mythology. I found myself constantly stopping to write down lines. It's a magical story that demands equally magical writing! Though some may find it confusing, I found the plot to be easy enough to keep up with and was only occasionally confused by some descriptions. The story reads like a contemporary written as if it were a fantasy!
The story is not only beautiful, but also tragic and haunting. Going beyond romance and into obsession. Going back and fourth between two timelines; one with an unnamed bridegroom who knows nothing about his wife's past, and another that tells the story between two girls who are obsessed with each other and 100% in love with each other romantically and this is one of the most homoerotic things I've ever read. Both of these timelines connected by the enigmatic Indigo. It's focused heavily on a small cast and character study, allowing the cast to be fleshed out as we learn more and more about Indigo's backstory.
I'd highly recommend Flower Bride to anyone looking for a gorgeous Gothic story. Especially those who are in love with fantasy, despite the lack of fantastical elements!
TWs: death, blood and gore, pedophilia including sexual touches and advances, grief, abuse both physical and emotional, cutting of palms for ritual purposes, alcohol consumption
Pre-review April 2022
I posted an Instagram story about being excited for this that Roshani Chokshi reposted and in her repost she said "strangely, this is my most magical book... without a drop of magic?" which considering that her previous stories have dealt with gods it's absolutely WILD that this is her most magical one. Can't wait to read it!
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol and Pedophilia
Minor: Death of parent, Self harm, and Drug use