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nujibuji's review against another edition
3.0
The ending felt too rushed compared to how vividly the rest of the book is developed, otherwise it would have been 4 stars for the imagination and concept.
hudakhl's review against another edition
5.0
I love this story. I first read the hardcover quite some years ago and have just finished the audiobook. So good!
theangrystackrat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This was a really fascinating modern folktale. I enjoyed the voice of the main character and her journey to find her own strength and get an idea of what she wants for her life. I was a little thrown off by the style of the writing but once you get used to it - its actually quite enjoyable. You can tell that the book was a labor of love from the author - from the historical accuracy and care taken with the mythology to the reading of the audiobook (also done by the author).
cjeanne99's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
After a slow start - I thoroughly enjoyed this story of Li Lan - the 18 year old "spinster" daughter of a widower with debts. Her father makes an arrangement for Li Lan to become a ghost bride to the dead son of a merchant family. When the son begins to visit Li Lan in her dreams - claiming he was murdered by someone in his family - Li Lan and her Amah visit a medium for advice on how to ward off the spirits. The medium helps Li Lan - by giving her a draught that almost kills her - allowing her spirit to move into the world of the dead. As she travels in the spirit world, Li Lan learns that many of the beliefs her Amah has about spirits - scoffed at as superstitious by many - turn out to be true. She stays in the spirit world with her dying body being cared for by Amah, and begins to collect information to support Lim Tian Ching's claim that he was murdered. She meets other spirits, some friendly, some nefarious, and learns about human nature.
Had no idea that the book was produced as a television show.
Including a link to a study guide summary.
https://www.gradesaver.com/the-ghost-bride/study-guide/summary
Had no idea that the book was produced as a television show.
Including a link to a study guide summary.
https://www.gradesaver.com/the-ghost-bride/study-guide/summary
texreader's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
When the ghost of a wealthy young man and his living family seek the betrothal of Li Lan to the deceased, an ancient rare Chinese custom, Li Lan embarks on a journey through the land of the dead to discover more about him, his family, & the man she thinks she loves. The afterlife mirrors the real world in shadowy ways. We follow her semi-ghost (not dead yet) as she meets the long-dead. What an imaginative story and I especially like the ending! It doesn’t end with a cliffhanger of any sort, but it does beg for more books. This book is set in Malaysia I’m not sure why because the story could have been told anywhere within the Chinese diaspora. The notes at the end do describe a bit about Malaysia, which I found enlightening. But for the unusual setting of Malaysia, I highly recommend this book. Now…to find the Netflix series!
jade_the_book_lover's review against another edition
4.0
It's a really good book I really enjoyed reading it and I'll probably read it sometime in the future that would recommend it to people if I knew they were into this type of book
deschatjes's review against another edition
3.0
Not at all what I expected- most of the book takes place in the world of the spirits, but it was an interesting look at Chinese “beliefs/superstitions” and particularly to learn in the afternotes how many of these are endemic to overseas rather than mainland communities.