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A review by book_concierge
The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
3.0
From the book jacket: One evening, my father asked me whether I would like to become a ghost bride …
Though ruled by British overlords, the Chinese of colonial Malaya still cling to ancient customs. And in the sleepy port town of Malacca, ghosts and superstitions abound. Li Lan, the daughter of a genteel but bankrupt family, has few prospects. But fate intervenes when she received an unusual proposal from the wealthy and powerful Lim family.
My reactions
Choo’s debut novel is an unusual mix of historical fiction (set in 1893 Malacca), Chinese folklore, magical realism and paranormal romance. I admit I wasn’t expecting very much from this story, but I was surprised how quickly I was drawn into it.
I’ve traveled to Asia several times and to Malaysia three times. I was totally immersed in the sights, sounds, smells of the culture and fascinated by the folklore and afterlife mythology. I thought Choo did a marvelous job setting the scene and bringing the colonial era to life.
However, I found Li Lan a frustratingly puzzling character. Was she a naïve teenager caught in a romantic fantasy? An intelligent female heroine? A strong-willed young woman who knew her own mind? I was alternately cheering for her as she puzzled out the intricate web of deceit and subterfuge perpetrated by the Lim family, and wanting to slap her silly as she vacillated between wanting one thing or another, or ignored sound advice because “I just had to find out …”
All told, this is a strong debut. I appreciated much about Choo’s writing style and would definitely try another of her books.
Though ruled by British overlords, the Chinese of colonial Malaya still cling to ancient customs. And in the sleepy port town of Malacca, ghosts and superstitions abound. Li Lan, the daughter of a genteel but bankrupt family, has few prospects. But fate intervenes when she received an unusual proposal from the wealthy and powerful Lim family.
My reactions
Choo’s debut novel is an unusual mix of historical fiction (set in 1893 Malacca), Chinese folklore, magical realism and paranormal romance. I admit I wasn’t expecting very much from this story, but I was surprised how quickly I was drawn into it.
I’ve traveled to Asia several times and to Malaysia three times. I was totally immersed in the sights, sounds, smells of the culture and fascinated by the folklore and afterlife mythology. I thought Choo did a marvelous job setting the scene and bringing the colonial era to life.
However, I found Li Lan a frustratingly puzzling character. Was she a naïve teenager caught in a romantic fantasy? An intelligent female heroine? A strong-willed young woman who knew her own mind? I was alternately cheering for her as she puzzled out the intricate web of deceit and subterfuge perpetrated by the Lim family, and wanting to slap her silly as she vacillated between wanting one thing or another, or ignored sound advice because “I just had to find out …”
All told, this is a strong debut. I appreciated much about Choo’s writing style and would definitely try another of her books.