The Ghost Bride
A startlingly original voice makes her literary debut with this wondrous coming-of-age story infused with Chinese folklore, romantic intrigue, adventure, and fascinating, dreamlike twists
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 receives an unusual proposal from the wealthy and powerful Lim family. They want her to become a ghost bride for the family's only son, who recently died under mysterious circumstances. Rarely practiced, traditional ghost marriages are used to placate restless spirits. Such a union would guarantee Li Lan a home for the rest of her days, but at a terrible price.
After an ominous visit to the opulent Lim mansion, Li Lan finds herself haunted not only by her ghostly would-be suitor, but also by her desire for the Lims' handsome new heir, Tian Bai. Night after night, she is drawn into the shadowy parallel world of the Chinese afterlife, with its ghost cities, paper funeral offerings, vengeful spirits, and monstrous bureaucracy—including the mysterious Er Lang, a charming but unpredictable guardian spirit. Li Lan must uncover the Lim family's darkest secrets—and the truth about her own family—before she is trapped in this ghostly world forever.
- Pages
- 368
- First published
- January 1, 2013
- Language
- English
- Edition
More editions
▾
Pick a cover to preview.
Shelved by 3 Litcadians
Reviews
Finished October 31, 2014
5★♥♥ To describe this book without any spoilers is complex, especially to describe all the little Chinese traditions, folklores and fairy tales that are interwoven in this book. The description of the book had me thinking of Tim Burton's Corpse Bride... which have little in common now that I've read this, but they both have a dark mood. So I'll try to given a short summary without spoiling the story here. The setting is a historical fiction, 1893 set in Malacca, Malaysia. There is the still some Old Chinese culture mixed in with New Malay Culture and very little of European Catholic culture. And with all cultures, there is some superstitions. Which brings up the all powerful and rich Lim family. Their son has mysteriously died and the very superstitious mother (Madame Lim) believes that a living girl should marry her son in order for him to pass on in the spirit world. So that brings Li Lan, who right at the start of the book, is asked by her nearly penniless father (who still has enough to buy opium) to be "The Ghost Bride" for deceased Lim Tian Ching of the Lin family. And to describe anymore will certainly give away spoilers. sigh I did think it was a pretty good romantic, adventurous, and mysterious story. With a lot of Chinese Folklore. I borrowed it at first, but I liked it so much I went ahead and bought the kindle book. A definite future reread is called for. This is Yangsze Choo’s debut book and I did like her writing style. There was a small slow pace in the middle or so, but I never wanted to stop or give this up. I will be keeping an eye for any more books she'll write. I really liked Li Lan. She is young (18 yo), but she wasn't a typical teen like all the other books I've read. She was actual quite mature for her age. And the character development and setting description was good. I really enjoyed reading this and recommend it for others.
Finished December 18, 2013 · Read 2 times