I honestly have never been more confused in my entire life and that’s saying something. That’s also probably a lie but we’re going to ignore that. This review is so long overdue (quite literally - I read this book in FEBURARY while in Taiwan during break for crying out loud but damn was I on a reading spree back then) but I did promise to eventually write a review and here it is! This book was equal parts beautiful and confusing and I’m going to attempt to make sense of my jumbled thoughts I recall while reading this book so grab some bubble tea and let’s dive right into it. 

The story opens up introducing a happy couple. A beautiful marriage between a scholar of myths and a heiress to a fortune with a dark past. Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada is equal parts mystery as she is beautiful and the two lovers, despite their differences, find comfort in one another and exchange a bargain: he can have her heart with the promise of a happily ever after but in exchange for her love, he must never inquire into her past. But when Indigo learns of her estrangled aunt health deteriorating rapidly, the couple is forced to return to her childhood home, the House of Dreams. The bridegroom will find himself unable to resists the cries of the crumbling manor that whisper for secrets to be unveiled with the promise of answers. For within the walls, lurks the shadow of another girl who is long gone: Indigo’s childhood best friend Azure. As the manor slowly reveals Indigo’s secrets, the bridegroom becomes forced to choose and search between fantasy and reality even if that could yield in catastrophe. 

I don’t even know where to start with this except to say that reading this book was so confusing and magical and I really don’t know what’s real anymore good lord. The magical aspect? Absolutely stunning. I was so emersed in the story and the sprinkles of magic throughout only made it all the more better even if it was an absolute headache to follow. I actually felt like I could just walk outside and enter this world of magic and mystery right this second which is definitely credited to the beautiful writing because what the actual heck Roshani Chokshi. The writing is just straight up mesmerizing and I am way too dumb to follow along but nevertheless it was so pretty and I was so confused but who cares. This book was just equal parts odd as it is pretty and I’m living for it. 

The bond between the bridegroom and Indigo is one I was surprised to find that I was rooting for. At first it kind of felt to me that the love between the two was slight obsession which seemed to be fueled by intruige and curiosity. However, it’s hard to miss the mutal trust that emerged between the two and even while the bridegroom was prying in places he wasn’t supposed to, he still felt a sense of loyalty and love for Indigo which totally earned brownie points. Indigo herself is a mystery. To be fair we see more of her through the flashbacks of Azure’s chapters in the book but learning about her past and her character was one of the coolest things, contrasting that to the present and very cryptic Indigo. 

I’m not sure how much I can say without giving too much way about the book but I will say that I did throw my kindle across the my cousin’s bed when I finished the book and proceeded to text my sister in a frenzy despite it being like 5 am in America because I wasn’t allowed to screech my feelings out loud. This book was absolutely amazing and literally everything about it was just beautiful. I was way too invested in a book thats not even 300 pages which is also huge props to Roshani Chokshi because she mangaged to absoloutely blow my mind with a book that’s half the size of most YA novels. Anyways that’s a wrap! I’m actually surprised I managed to write this much about a book I read nearly 7 months ago but I present my very late and hopefully comprehendable reveiw about one of the most beautiful books I read in 2023. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m on my way to make my very own key to the Otherworld.