Reviews with content warning for Death - La novia fantasma

The concept of this book was amazing and the magic and mystery behind it (mixed with the deep sadness I felt for Li as she tried to navigate in a world where women were seen as lesser and unimportant) were unbelievably well written. I was so close to giving this book four stars. However, the last hundred pages felt unbelievably rushed and I felt like there was so much more we needed to know. It made the ending (which was good) feel lackluster. I would have loved another 20-30 pages.

Nonetheless, I do recommend everyone read this book, especially women. This book was a deeply beautiful example of what it feels like to be a woman, the pressure that is put onto women, and it is a great reminder, in the midst of the story, that women have gone through so much to get where they are today.

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lectora21's review against another edition

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adventurous slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

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_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

I still like Yangsze's writing but I couldn't get into TGB as I did with TNT bc Li Lan wasn't very likable and the part where she's in the Plains of the Dead is a boring chunk of the book and Li Lan's thirsting over Tian Bai and then, out of the blue, Er Lang took me out. Like I get it, she's repressed and all but not every random dude you see is a snack calm down! Also either I'm misreading these blurbs or they're misleading ASF
bc this book went in such a different way from what I had thought lol But still, the afterworld's world building and the richness of the different folk beliefs, culture and heritage, and Malaysian and Chinese history throughout the story make it worthwhile to stick around. And the whole messiness with Fan and the Third Concubine and Madam Lim and Yan Hong gave it the Telenovela feels (tm) and I love that ish so much lmao. And Er Lang his character did nothing for me for the most part but I'll admit he was sexy with Li Lan and I liked that, I guess. The last 20% was fun though, it was ok, I enjoyed reading it but is not its best xoxo

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bookwyrmknits's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

This was a fun read, though the part of this book that I enjoyed the most was the setting. The description of Malaya, both the living and the dead versions, were rich and evocative and reminded me of a Studio Ghibli movie. This would not be ideal for everyone; while I enjoyed lingering in the different parts of the world Choo built for this book, if you're looking for a fast-paced book you aren't likely to find what you're looking for here except for in a few places where Li Lan gets in trouble and needs to escape.

The side characters of Amah and Old Wong were my favorites, though Li Lan herself was also enjoyable to read. I also enjoyed some of the other side characters a lot as well, though for all of them (except Amah and Old Wong) I had at least a few moments when I questioned their motives. All of the characters that we spent any length of time with were well developed and nuanced, often having echoes later in the story that I didn't anticipate.

One thing that I don't remember knowing before I started reading which would have been very helpful is the audience. I don't remember now if I had expected an adult or YA book, but this is definitely a YA book with an incredibly naïve protagonist getting herself into scrapes that an older, more experienced character would not. (So I guess it's good, from a story perspective, that she was so sheltered.)

Side note: while there is a love triangle of sorts in this book, it didn't bother me the way that trope usually does. I suppose that's because of the way it was handled, and because I could see the changes in Li Lan happening in what seemed like a very logical fashion.

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booksthatburn's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Li Lan finds out her father is considering a ghost marriage for her to the recently deceased son of a rich family, then she starts being visited in her dreams by the odious spectral suitor himself.

I like Li Lan as a protagonist. She seems practical and able to go with the flow, adapting to her very strange circumstances even though she's definitely stressed by what's happening. The worldbuilding flows seamlessly, giving context in a way that was appropriate to each moment without making me feel like it has paused for me to catch up. That's helped a great deal by the fact that much of the book functions as a tour of this book's version of the Chinese afterlife, and Li Lan is new to almost as much of it as I was. There's also a lot of detail about colonial Malaysia as a setting, focusing on what's most relevant to Li Lan's life.

The plot has remarkably few pivotal events, as much of it focuses on Li Lan's journey from place to place or her efforts to get some piece of information. It takes a very long time before she has what she needs to change anything, and even then she's trying to get back to the formerly unremarkable status quo of having her spirit reside in her body. Along the way she learns the messy history of her family and the Lim family, the ways they've been frustratingly entangled long before her father considered one of their sons as a potential husband for her. Keeping things complicated, the one he originally considered isn't the ghost suitor but his cousin. Technically by the end there are three different potential suitors, but that develops slowly throughout the book. It manages to not feel like a "girl has to pick between guys book" even though that's an integral part of the premise.

I especially enjoyed the lively cast of secondary characters, both the living and the dead. The tangle of their (after-)lives is a huge focus and was very intriguing (even if rarely happy).

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kaneebli's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

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bookreadingelf's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious 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? No

5.0

This book is about a girl who may be married to a dead son of an important family, becoming the bride of a ghost. I thought this would be a fine book until it really made me feel emotions ranging from really rooting for the main character to thinking ‘If she does not end up with a certain character, I will give this book 1 star’. I also liked the notes at the end of the book with extra information.

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nodogsonthemoon's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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