The Ghost Bride in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

Jul 10, 2019 Maryam rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, audiobook

Enjoyed this book very much. I picked as part of my Read Harder Challange and I'm happy that I came across it. Very interesting book about the culture and traditions of old Malaysia which was affected by China. ...more

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Apr 05, 2017 Nadine in NY Jones rated it it was ok

Shelves: young-adult, era-mid-late-1800s, fantasy-and-sci-fi, romance, paranormal

The problem with the dead was that they all wanted someone to listen to them.

Tough to rate. 2 stars, but I think I would have enjoyed this a lot more if I didn't have pre-existing expectations.

This just wasn't what I expected. I was excited to read a book from a Chinese Malaysian author, and I expected it would be intricate, beautiful, mysterious, and magical. (Yeah, okay, I did judge this book by its cover ... and the rave reviews I saw). But it's not.

This reads like YA, although - confusin ...more

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Mar 26, 2019 CrystalIsReading on StoryGraph rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, audio, fantasy, diversity, ownvoices, bildungsromans, asian, 2019-reading-challenge

While The Ghost Bride may not be the best piece of writing I've read all year, it is certainly one of the most immersive and engrossing and enjoyable stories I've read in a long time. The further I read in this story, the more difficult it was to put down, and the more I thought about it while not listening to it (as in, "when will this work day end? I want to listen to more of my book." or waking up in the middle of the night, and thinking about listening to the book.). I am not a big fan of gh While The Ghost Bride may not be the best piece of writing I've read all year, it is certainly one of the most immersive and engrossing and enjoyable stories I've read in a long time. The further I read in this story, the more difficult it was to put down, and the more I thought about it while not listening to it (as in, "when will this work day end? I want to listen to more of my book." or waking up in the middle of the night, and thinking about listening to the book.). I am not a big fan of ghost stories, and really dreaded this challenge from the #popsugar #readingchallenge this year. But instead I found a treasure, and I'm so glad I impulsively picked it up.
I think I was drawn in from the moment I read the description. Colonial Malaysia? Chinese death and burial traditions, including marriage contracts involving ghosts? A young woman haunted by a ghostly suitor? Yes please!
I love when audio books are read by the author, so I gave this one a chance. It was totally worth it. Yangsze Choo does a lovely job of reading her own story, with accents and different voices. My only complaint would be that she read a little fast--if you have a player that can set the recording to play slightly slower, you may be able to follow it easier. Otherwise it was a delightful audio book.
Sometimes I get frustrated when a heroine tends to impulsive and nosy, but, despite some bad choices, I generally didn't feel that way about Li Lan. Not only does she admit her own flaws with some chagrin, but I can also understand how a girl of strong intellect and remarkable education for a woman of her time and culture might chafe at the restrictions placed on her by her society, and might be curious at what lies outside of those bounds. Does she always make the best choices? No, definitely not. But she grows a bit as the story progresses, surviving tenaciously in one form or another, loving and losing and learning. She's a fun, spirited (haha), tenacious, intelligent character, who is easy to cheer for.
Li Lan is surrounded by interesting characters, from her weak and lonely scholarly opium addict father to her scolding but fiercely loyal amma/ nurse, to the many members of the Lim family into whose orbit she is thrown. from the weak and spoiled deceased heir of the family, to its handsome and charming new heir, Tien Bai, and the extended members of their family, to the denizens of the ghostly world she encounters, including, perhaps the mysterious, charming Er Lang. All of them were vivid in my mind. (And if I was picturing the characters in this story as the cast from Crazy Rich Asians, please don't blame me. The author's accent is so similar to several of those actors. Henry Golding as Tien Bai? Yes please. Also, that whole cast is outrageously gorgeous.). Also, it was delightful reading another book with white people as the incredibly small minority of the cast. Hooray for diversity.
The story took A LOT of twists and turns. Some of the "twists" were so heavily foreshadowed, there was no missing them. Others came as a total shock to me. Repeated shocks. I really can't say much more than that without giving away spoilers. (So go read it yourself!) But the different settings and worlds, both the colonial Malayan setting and the world of their dead, both so richly drawn, drew me in and kept me fascinating, while the unexpected developments kept me guessing.
I wish that the ending had been a little longer, and yet I acknowledge that this ending was probably perfect for the story. I just like even more happiness at the end, when I've been through such a journey with the characters(s). This was a journey I did not want to end, and I was very disappointed when it did. Now I have to find something to cure my book hangover, which is a pretty tall order right now. These beaded wedding shoes will be tough to fill. ...more

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Oct 08, 2017 Danielle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, woc, 2017

Li Lan is an outsider in a slowly depreciating household who realizes her one chance at a nice marriage is dashed when a strange request floats her way. With a ghost tethered to it. But when a hasty mistake throws her deeper into the mystery, she has to be careful who to trust to find her way back to her life.

I loved this super engrossing novel about thinking you know where your life is going and what you want, only to realize you basically know nothing. Li Lan reminded me of being that age of 1 ...more

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May 05, 2019 Christina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, popsugar-2019-reading-challenge

Popsugar 2019 Reading Challenge: A ghost story

A fairy tale full of rich mythology, an intriguing plot, a hero's journey for our young and courageous heroine, a delightful romance and overall really deeply satisfying. ...more

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