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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was a pleasant surprise of being more enjoyable than I thought it would be. It starts off a little slow, but after an unforeseen twist it really picks up and became really fun to read.
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
it was a pretty fun read. i'm not chinese nor malaysian, but i could take some familiarity with the culture, such as the food, clothing, and even the ghosts as indonesia has similar things to its neighboring country. it's understandable that many people have this book as their favorite although in my case, i found it quite difficult to get along with the entire adventure of li lan. earlier last week, i was having my sff reading slump and i actually dropped this book to start some romcoms instead. when i was back, the excitement wasn't there anymore and i'm not really sure why because overall, the story is good, the writing isn't a problem, and the characters are all interesting. however, when i finished this book, everything felt a bit dull and lacking. my reading session felt like a fleeting moment and it appeared that this book isn't very memorable to me. despite that, i actually enjoyed the dynamic between li lan and the people around her. although wearying, i appreciate those moments nonetheless.
awalnya cukup membosankan,, sampe akhirnya Li Lan jadi arwah, baru deh agak seru. Apalagi pas Er Lang muncul,, hahahah
A mix of The Graveyard Book and Hummingbird Lane. Absolutely loved it !
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
I did not have high hopes for this book, I thought it would be a placid read. I was so wrong and it was so good. If you liked the movie Spirited Away you’d enjoy this book. I very much need this to be a series filled with the new adventures Li Lan goes on.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed the story but details and relationships between characters were sloppy, and the writing felt, overall, immature. Lots of telling instead of showing, and over-explanation. For example, Li Lan’s thoughts literally explained how a foreshadow occurred earlier in her journey into the Plains. It felt like handholding.
I loved the setting and the descriptions of Malaya and Malacca in both real and spirit worlds. The characters were all very interesting, too. I loved Amah. And Er Lang, of course.
A good first book. I’m adding Choo’s other books to my TBR list.
I loved the setting and the descriptions of Malaya and Malacca in both real and spirit worlds. The characters were all very interesting, too. I loved Amah. And Er Lang, of course.
A good first book. I’m adding Choo’s other books to my TBR list.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Death of parent
Moderate: Drug use, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Fatphobia