Svetlana's Reads and Views

Name of Book: The Ghost Bride Author: Yangsze Choo ISBN: 978-0-06-222733-1 Publisher: William Morrow Type of book: 1893, Malaya, ghosts, afterlife, Chinese hell, possession, marriage, poverty, class, vices, Chinese communities in Malaysia, death, immortality Year it was published: 2013 Summary: "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 fo...

Name of Book: The White Pearl Author: Kate Furnivall ISBN: 978-0-425-24100-4 Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group Type of book: 1941-1942, World War II, Malaysia, boats, twins, affair, murders, revenge, secrets, Japan Year it was published: 2012 Summary: Malaya, 1941. Connie Thornton [her last name in the novel is Hadley]. plays her role as a dutiful wife and mother without complaint. She is among the fortunate after all-the British rubber plantation owners reaping the benefits of the colonial life. But Connie feels as though she is oppressed, crippled by boredom, sweltering heat, a loveless marriage. . . Then, in December, the Japanese invade. Connie and her family flee, sailing south on their yacht toward Singapore, where the British are certain to stand firm against the Japanese. En route, in the company of friends, they learn that Singapore is already under siege. Tensions mount, tempers flare, and the yacht's inhabitants are driven by fear. Increasingly de...