I first read this gothic fairytale when it came out a couple of years ago. And to this day, it’s a story I can’t quite forget. Part of it is because it’s one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. Its prose is heavy with metaphors and intensely lyrical, and there’s so much it says not just on the page but between the lines, too. The other reason why this book resonates so much with me is because of its exploration of human relationships. Be they romantic, familial, or friendly. Don’t get me wrong, these relationships are not perfect. Far from it, they are dark, deeply flawed, and often toxic. But how many of us have loved a friend with our entire hearts, only to have that relationship end badly?
That dive into the darker side of human nature is exactly what makes The Last Tale of the Flower Bride a gothic dream. One that envelops you and somehow allows you to escape the increasingly strange world we live in. While at the same time reminding you that dreams are not enough to get away from some of the things that plague us.
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani ChokshiOnce upon a time, there was an unnamed bridegroom who fell in love and married Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada. She was a beautiful heiress with a mysterious past, and she agreed to marry him on one condition. He could never pry into her life before they met. That was easy enough at first, they were deeply in love. But one day, Indigo is called back to her childhood home, and our unnamed narrator goes with her to the House of Dreams. Once there, he is unable to resist the call of Indigo’s past. Especially since the house seems so willing to share it with him. What he finds there are the traces of another girl. Her name was Azure, and she was Indigo’s best friend. They were as close as sisters until the day Azure disappeared without a trace. She’ll tell us her story on her own, as we slowly unravel Indigo’s secrets. In the end, this tale will ask you: what is more important? To know the truth or to preserve the dream? |
If this sounds like a book that is more vibes than plot, that’s because it is. But the payoff is absolutely worth it, especially considering how Chokshi weaves different fairy tales into the story to talk about some very interesting topics, like who can afford to distance themselves from the real world to live in a fantasy? Do we truly know those we love? How much can we forgive?
Striking that perfect balance between escapism and awareness can be challenging, especially in our current society. But in the end, aren’t fantasy and the real world intrinsically linked? After all, fiction and these darker stories that explore the human psyche are often used to understand real-world issues through a different lens.
You may have noticed I didn’t give too much away when I talked about The Last Tale of the Flower Bride. That’s because I really believe it’s best to know as little as possible before you dive in. But know that what I did choose to tell you can only begin to explain how well-written and intricate this novel is. And how important its message can be today.
So yeah, you should definitely read this gothic fairytale and let Roshani Chokshi plunge you into her house of dreams—you won’t regret it.
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This week, we’re highlighting a post that celebrates the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby! Revisit F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic (and emblem of assigned reading) and get a crash course on the book’s history, including challenges encountered by its readers and adapters. Read on for an excerpt and become an All Access member to unlock the full post.
January 16, 2025, marked the 100th anniversary of the publication of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. The New York Public Library celebrated with a party, following a special performance of the Broadway musical adaptation of the novel. Simon and Schuster recently released a new audiobook with an introduction by Jesmyn Ward.
The novel’s theme of reinventing oneself is timeless. The ideas of living a lie by reinventing yourself and wealth making people callous are equally resonant today. How did this novel become so influential, especially on other American novels, and a fixture on high school syllabi? Was it always a bestseller? What aspects of Gatsby hold up, and which ones have aged terribly?
Fitzgerald’s original title for The Great Gatsby was Trimalchio in West Egg. I think the publisher was right to change it. Trimalchio is a character from the ancient Roman work The Satyricon. Combined with the fictional West Egg neighborhood, this reference is cryptic. Gatsby is now an icon in his own right. He doesn’t need a classical allusion for us to notice the theme of excessive wealth.
In a 2014 NPR interview, Maureen Corrigan, the author of So We Read On: How The Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures, explained how Gatsby became popular. Initial reception was mixed, ranging from the headline “Fitzgerald’s Latest a Dud,” to Modernist poets like T. S. Eliot saying they loved it. When Fitzgerald died in 1940, Gatsby was unpopular (but not out of print). A few years later, it was republished for US service members in World War II, and 123,000 copies were given to members of the military through the Armed Services Editions.
After World War II, Gatsby was no longer an obscure book with mixed reviews. It was considered a classic and became a staple of countless high school syllabi. Constance Grady wrote that Gatsby was ideal for many 20th and early 21st-century English teachers’ emphasis on New Criticism. It’s a great choice for close readings of short passages and analyzing symbolism. However, historical context is also crucial and should never be downplayed, especially in terms of bias.
The Great Gatsby possibly condemns white supremacist theories but uses racist language elsewhere. Tom Buchanan reads white supremacist books and goes on racist rants. Daisy mocks him for this. It’s easy to read this as condemning Tom’s overall bigotry. However, Fitzgerald also expressed racist and antisemitic views in real life.
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