The Ghost Bride: A Review

Every culture has different beliefs in ghosts. These beliefs can be how to help them move on. How to keep them happy. Stories about these differences are always fascinating. Particularly when the story is as rich as this one.

The first thing to know about The Ghost Bride is that it started off as a novel. The book was published in 2013. The Ghost Bride came from the creative genius that is Yangsze Choo. With her well traveled childhood it is no surprise that she was able to weave such a tale. It is also not hard to believe that it was picked up by Netflix to become a stream able series. 

The Ghost Bride’s stream-able series was released in early 2020. Anwari Ashraf teamed up with Netflix to reinterpret the story for our small screens. The series is rich and storied.

Li Lan’s family is facing financial troubles, even though her father is trying to hide it. Her mother passed away when she was a small child. Despite all of this Li Lan is kind and mostly cheerful. Then she is given an invitation by a wealthy family friend and it comes with an interesting proposition. If Li Lan becomes a ghost bride to their recently deceased son, her family will be secure. Unsure if she even wants to be married at all, Li Lan is torn. These problems are only the tip of the iceberg as she begins to be called into the underworld and tries to uncover the mystery behind this young man’s death. 

The characters are fascinating. There are plenty of twists and turns throughout the series. The costumes are amazing, and show the mix of English colonialism with traditional fashion. The soundtrack is lovely. The set design and lighting add to all scenes, whether they be of a rich party or the creepy underworld. Some fans of the books do wish that the series would have been more faithful to the written text. However the story is well written and an interesting series to watch. 

It is, at its core, a great ghost story. It is a fun way to be introduced to a different genre of horror. Full of humor and heart I would highly recommend the series. The pacing of the series is perfect. One moment you may be laughing but you could just as quickly be jumping in your seat. In short, it is a great series for those who both love or are new to foreign horror. It is also a great compromise for a group who are split on horror since the story is so rich.

ALWAYS KEEP SPARKLING!!!