"One evening, my father asked me if 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, a traditional ghost marriage is used to placate a restless spirit. 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 Lim's 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.
The Ghost Bride sounded like it was going to be a very interesting read. I loved the idea of the combination of paranormal with ancient Chinese practices. Li Lan is told that she's wanted as a ghost bride for the Lim family's late son. She was supposed to be betrothed to his cousin, but plans have changed. Now, Li Lan is being haunted by her ghostly fiance, and while trying to ward him off, gets herself stuck in the spirit world. She has to find her way back or else lose her body forever and be bound to Tian Ching forever.
I really liked The Ghost Bride in the beginning and at the end. Unfortunately, the middle is extremely boring and not all what I was expecting to happen. Tian Ching is a spoiled, entitled brat, so it's no wonder that Li Lan doesn't want to marry him! But he tells her that he was murdered by his cousin, and at first it seemed like Li Lan was going to try to solve this while roaming in the land of the dead. Instead, she just wanders from place to place, trying to avoid Tian Ching and his minions. While I loved the set up of the after life, the plot was super slow and I simply didn't cared.
It wasn't until the fourth part when The Ghost Bride regained my full attention. Lots of stuff is happening! There's a murder mystery, body napping, and romance! I'm sad that it was all crammed into this last section, but it's what I had been wanting to read the entire time! I also want to know what comes next for Li Lan after that ending! The end was a bit predictable, but I really liked it!
