The Ghost Bride

I don't know why this has such a low rating. I found this to be a very enjoyable Fantasy. Acting, cinematography and story were all first rate. I thought the actor who played Er Lang, the Heavenly Guard stole the show.

I hope it was so much more. I don't know the book, but the trailer was promising. It never gets to suspenseful. I wasn't fully engaged to the characters. I wish I was.

I do like the beautiful sceneries of the countryside and the underworld was also well done. The wardrobes were also nice. The daring costumes from Tiang Ching, the colorful traditional Chinese "Qi Po" of the issued, Li Lan's black dressed and the sophisticated western dresses of Isabelle. There were some scenes which was with mr. Wong which were kinda scary.

Funny there was some Cantonese spoken in some scenes. Average series, don't expect too much, watch it for fun.

I absolutely loved the book, so I was very excited to discover this was on Netflix. Unfortunately, it is nothing like the book, only small remnants of the amazing story. I was very disappointed, but watched it through to see how it ended. If you didn't read the book it is a very interesting fantasy show. For me, I wish it was truer to the book, but still didn't mind it as a stand alone.

During another COVID weekend of solo Netflix and chilling, I watched the Korean horror series "Sweet Home," then the quirky "School Nurse Files." I thoroughly enjoyed these vastly different productions, and when "Ghost Bride" was recommended after each of them, I thought, "Why not?" I was unfamiliar with the source and mistakenly thought this was another Korean production.

I cannot comment as to the historical or linguistic accuracy of this show, but I'm glad I decided to watch it. Briefly, the heroine is the only daughter of a spice merchant. Her mother died when she was young, and her father raised her with the assistance of a nanny and cook. However, his business is suffering and his health begins to fail. When the wealthiest family in town presents her with the opportunity to marry the deceased heir, she must decide whether to accept the offer and save her family from destitution.

I binge-watched the entire series. From my point of view, it was an effective period piece set in the 1890s with exquisite costumes and settings. The cast is solid all around. The storyline has elements of romance, humor, drama, and, of course, the supernatural. While I would not describe it as particularly complex, not once did I think that teens were the target demographic. The insight into the religious and cultural beliefs in play was fascinating. I happily recommend.

The plot was well written with action ans romance that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Would definitely recommend it.