Yangsze Choo

About Yangsze

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Official Version:

Yangsze Choo is a NYTimes bestselling novelist and a fourth generation Malaysian of Chinese descent. Due to a childhood spent in various countries, she can eavesdrop (badly) in several languages. After graduating from Harvard, she worked in various corporate jobs and had a briefcase, while writing fiction on a coffee table at home in her spare time. 

Her debut novel, The Ghost Bride, was a New York Times bestseller and now a Netflix Original series. Her second novel, The Night Tiger, was a Reese Witherspoon Bookclub pick and a Big Jubilee Read selection for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. She lives in California with her family and loves to eat and read (often at the same time). Her upcoming third novel, The Fox Wife, and all previous books would not have been possible without large quantities of dark chocolate.

Yangsze is happy to visit bookclubs via Zoom! You can find her on her website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Unofficial Version:

EatingCake-circle

Actually, I just like food a lot. This candid shot is from a lovely party where you can see everybody else is interacting with other people. I am interacting with a piece of cake…

144 responses to “About Yangsze”

  1. Nursery Rhymes Avatar
    Nursery Rhymes

    I don’t know whether it’s just me or if perhaps everybody else experiencing problems with your
    blog. It appears as if some of the written text within your posts are
    running off the screen. Can someone else please comment and
    let me know if this is happening to them too?
    This might be a issue with my internet browser because I’ve had this happen previously.
    Thank you

    Reply
  2. hart Avatar
    hart

    really enjoyed this book I hope there is a sequel.

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!❤️

      Reply
      1. Choo koon took - Alex Choo Avatar
        Choo koon took – Alex Choo

        Hi, I am Alex Choo Malaysian. I have a pretty written story line (my personal opinion and these are true story). I don have knowledge in this industry. I looking forward to connect any party who interested to work together in my written work. I am not a scammer. I am 63 years old (retiree).I can be contacted : alex.choo.k.f@gmail.com. H/p 60122895966. Please do contact me and feedback with advise. Thanks and have a nice day

      2. Choo koon fook Avatar
        Choo koon fook

        Sorry spelling mistake in my name- on earlier post it should be Choo koon fook (Alex Choo).

  3. Aoshiblue Avatar
    Aoshiblue

    I just saw on Netflix there is a new series called the Ghost Bride and seems to be based on your book since the main character is Li Lan! Can you tell more about this? Since the first season is shown as Volume 1, does that mean we will finally have a second book coming?

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      Yes, the series is indeed based on my book (though it will have a slightly different storyline)! I’m so excited about it and can’t wait to watch it. In fact, I’m heading to Taipei next week for the Netflix premiere! As for a sequel to The Ghost Bride, I’m afraid there isn’t one yet… I’ve currently working on a different novel, which I hope you’ll also enjoy, and am open to writing a sequel in the future! 🥰

      Reply
    2. abi Avatar
      abi

      please write a sequel!!! i am heart sick for er lang. hahahahaha. how could you not write about their life together 😭 😦

      Reply
      1. yangszechoo Avatar
        yangszechoo

        I’m so happy that you enjoyed the book! One day I would certainly love to write about their life together and their further adventures!❤️

  4. Jeremy Avatar
    Jeremy

    Having lived for several years in Malaysia, Your charm for capturing the food, architecture, culture and colonial history made me nostalgic. Thanks for writing this beautiful story. I really enjoyed how you managed to subvert the “Sherlock” style genre. It really is a universal tale which offers a critique of the social mores and gender norms of women in South East Asia while cleverly paying homage to Confucian values. I also liked the witty humor that is woven well throughout the story. Looking forward to more historical fiction like this with strong intelligent heroines.
    Jeremy

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      How lovely to hear that it brought back memories for you! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the book, as I’m a big fan of Sherlock Holmes myself (and have longed to write a mystery since I was a child)! I will try my best to keep writing 😊

      Reply
  5. The Night Tiger: Book Review – The Girl In The Jitterbug Dress

    […] The Night Tiger, Choo chose three characters to tell her enchanting tale: Ren, Ji Lin, and Dr. William Acton. We […]

    Reply
  6. SERIE LA NOVIA FANTASMA – SERIEMANIAC Noticias de Series de Televisión

    […] novia fantasma es una serie basada en la novela homónima de Yangsze Choo. Una serie multigénero que mezcla el thriller, suspense psicológico y las dosis de […]

    Reply
  7. Pedro Luis Martín Olivares: SERIE LA NOVIA FANTASMA – Pedro luis Martín Olivares| Cine | Blog Oficial Avatar
    Pedro Luis Martín Olivares: SERIE LA NOVIA FANTASMA – Pedro luis Martín Olivares| Cine | Blog Oficial

    […] novia fantasma es una serie basada en la novela homónima de Yangsze Choo. Una serie multigénero que mezcla el thriller, suspense psicológico y las dosis de […]

    Reply
  8. Marisa Sims Avatar
    Marisa Sims

    Thank you for posting

    Reply
  9. Sha Avatar
    Sha

    I just love love and absolutely love your books.. when’s the next one coming out?? I can’t wait😭

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so glad you enjoyed my books and am currently working on a third novel. 🥰❤️

      Reply
      1. Ann Ng Avatar
        Ann Ng

        Can you tell us broadly what’s this book is about.?

        Can’t wait to read….

      2. yangszechoo Avatar
        yangszechoo

        I’m afraid I’m just muddling my way through it, not having an outline (as usual!). 😅I had the hardest time describing The Night Tiger to folks when I was writing it “ummm, it’s about tigers, and dancehalls, oh, and a train that goes to the world of the dead”, and am also having the same issue with my third book. Right now it’s set in Manchuria (northeast China) and Japan in 1908, but that may all change depending on where my research goes. I hope you’ll enjoy it too!

      3. Sha Avatar
        Sha

        Wow… Yayyyyyy.. I’m happy.. fightoooo ohhh..

      4. Sha Avatar
        Sha

        Wow… Sounds exciting 😁

  10. Malaysia – Earth Reading Avatar
    Malaysia – Earth Reading

    […] Yangsze Choo was born in the Philippines to a family of Malaysian descent. Her father worked as a diplomat, so the family lived in many different countries as she grew up. Yangsze graduated from Harvard University in 1995 before becoming a published author. She currently lives in the United States with her husband, but makes frequent trips back to Malaysia to visit her parents and other family members. […]

    Reply
  11. Michele Avatar
    Michele

    I loved both of your books! Actually I listened to them as audiobooks and your voice and the way you read were absolutely delightful! I’m so excited that you’re working on a third book and anxiously await it.

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      I’m so honoured and delighted that you enjoyed the audiobooks! It was very fun to read them aloud. Thank you very much for listening! 😍

      Reply
  12. Melissa Meeks Avatar
    Melissa Meeks

    I’m writing a supernatural family drama and came across Ghost Bride in my research. I’m so glad I did! I loved it so very much. Thank you for writing about this rich mythical world. I loved your protagonist’s transformation — how having seen the afterlife she couldn’t quite go back to the world of the living. A beautiful depiction of how grief and trauma can change us, preparing us for some greater challenge than we could have imagined before. Looking forward to reading the Night Tiger. Congratulations on the Hello Sunshine selection!

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      Hi Melissa, I’m so glad you enjoyed The Ghost Bride! I wish you all the best in your research and writing —happy reading and hope The Night Tiger is fun for you too!😊

      Reply
  13. Mary Doyle Avatar
    Mary Doyle

    Dear Yangsze Choo,
    I have so enjoyed your stories— Your writing is so beautiful, delicious, intriguing, I can’t say how wonderful—- I love what you’ve created and look forward to more💗 Thank you
    ~Mary

    Reply
  14. marydoylestudio Avatar
    marydoylestudio

    Dear Yangsze Choo,
    I have so enjoyed your stories— Your writing is so beautiful, delicious, intriguing, I can’t say how wonderful—- I love what you’ve created and look forward to more💗 Thank you
    ~Mary

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      Hi Mary, thank you for your kind words! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed my books and will try my very best to keep writing (aided by lots of chocolate!) 🥰

      Reply
      1. marydoylestudio Avatar
        marydoylestudio

        You have a beautiful mind/heart/soul – so no doubt more good things will come— be it stories or whatever your creative endeavor may be. ❤️!! 🌼

  15. Mickey Avatar
    Mickey

    Dear Yangsze,

    I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Night Tiger! In the last 12 months I’ve developed an interest in Malaysian historical fiction, and I’m so happy to have come across your book. It strongly captured the zeitgeist of colonial Malaya in the 1930s, and the intersecting plots in Ren and Ji Lin’s lives are utterly fascinating. I could not put the book down and finished it in two days.

    Also, super cool to see we share a common faith and corporate background in consulting 🙂 Looking forward to reading your other/future works (and very much hoping there will be a sequel to The Night Tiger!)

    Best,
    Mickey

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      Hi Mickey, I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed The Night Tiger! I’m currently working on a different novel, though I’m certainly open to writing a sequel in future. Thank you so much for your kind words. 😊

      Reply
  16. Justyna Kutrzepa Avatar
    Justyna Kutrzepa

    Dear Yangsze,

    I absolutely love, love, LOVE your books! They’re so mesmerizing and incredibly hard to put down once started. Your choice of words and characters is impeccable. Every page just flows into the other so gracefully and the descriptions are so vivid that I feel like a fly on the wall. You have an amazing gift- thank you for sharing it with the world! Wishing you all the best! 🤗

    Warmest regards,
    Justyna : ))

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      Hi Justyna, thank you very much! How wonderful to hear that you enjoyed my books—I am at this moment working on a third novel (and just happened to be taking a tea + biscuit +chocolate break when I saw your comment), and will try my best to keep chugging along! Wishing you the best for the upcoming holiday season.

      Reply
  17. Consiglio di lettura - The Ghost Bride - RadioEco Avatar
    Consiglio di lettura – The Ghost Bride – RadioEco

    […] Ghost Bride, romanzo di esordio di Yangsze Choo, mentre racconta le vicende fantastiche e ultraterrene di Li Lan, dipinge un interessante quadro […]

    Reply
  18. kl4567 Avatar
    kl4567

    Dear Yangsze Choo,

    I absolutely love your book! I never read a English fiction book based on Malaysian history and it is really a good book that I’ve read numerous times! I hope you work more on amazing books in the future and also a sequel to ghost bride!

    -KR

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      Hi KR, thank you for your kind words! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed it, and even reread it several times—what an honour! I’m currently working on a third novel and will try my best to finish it. Happy Chinese New Year!🥰

      Reply
  19. Ipoh Girl Avatar
    Ipoh Girl

    The story in The Night Tiger was absolutely thrilling. As someone born in the Kinta Valley, I was delighted to read the book !
    I did not stop reading til 3am when I reached the last page !!!
    Please write a sequel.

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      How wonderful to hear from an Ipoh girl! I’m so delighted you enjoyed it (I also enjoyed going back to Ipoh to do some makan “research” when I was writing the book!). And yes, I would love to write a sequel to their story one day. Best wishes! 😍

      Reply
      1. Ipoh Girl Avatar
        Ipoh Girl

        Dear Yangsze,
        Looking forward to the sequel to The Night Tiger ! C;

  20. testmcphp Avatar
    testmcphp

    I’m reading The Night Tiger and enjoying learning about old Malaysia.

    I’m curious to learn more about your background. What did you study at Harvard? Where you born and raised in the USA?

    Reply
  21. Yenli Avatar
    Yenli

    Dear Yangsze,
    I read both your books in 2019 within a span of a few months and have been hoping to read another book of yours soon. Really love old Malaya stories, especially I am also half an Ipoh girl myself. Whenever I pass thru Batu Gajah, I can’t help but think of your book. I wish you well and REALLY looking forward to your next story.

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      Hi Yenli, thank you for reading my books—and how lovely to hear that you think about them when you pass through Batu Gajah! I’m currently trying to finish the first draft of my third novel (fingers crossed!), and I hope you’ll enjoy it as well! 🥰

      Reply
      1. Ann Ng Avatar
        Ann Ng

        Hi Yangsze,

        What’s the adventure that you are bringing to us in your 3rd book? (Share please 🧐 … peekaboo …) looking for to reading it.

      2. yangszechoo Avatar
        yangszechoo

        Hi Ann, the new novel I’m working on is set in northern China in 1908, and it’s a detective story about women who turn into foxes! I hope it will be a fun read 🙂

  22. MJ Avatar
    MJ

    Just wanted to say how much I adore your writing. Thank you for giving me so much pleasure through your artistry! It’s been a while since I’ve recaptured the feeling of being a young girl hidden under the bedcovers past bedtime, tearing through a novel.

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      Hi MJ, awww… that’s so lovely to hear! I too have felt that guilty thrill of reading late, and am so honored you enjoyed my book! Thank you very much 🙂

      Reply
  23. Jude Avatar
    Jude

    I really, really love the Night Tiger! Probably my favorite amongst all I’ve ever read! First time I am re-reading a book. It has inspired me to buy more books with Asian and SEA settings. I do wish (though it was hinted) for a sequel. Would love to know what happens next in Singapore!

    More power to you! The Ghost Bride is on queue.

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      Hi Jude, what an honour to hear that! I’m delighted that you enjoyed The Night Tiger and yes, when I was writing it, I did have a sequel in mind… I’m currently working on a different third novel, but would love to write more adventures for Ren and Jilin in future. 🥰

      Reply
  24. Ipoh Girl Avatar
    Ipoh Girl

    Congrats Yangsze!!!
    Just read that “Night Tiger” is one of 70 listed in the Big Jubilee Read, a campaign to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II.
    It is certainly an OUTSTANDING piece of work.
    Can’t wait to read your third book…quite sure similar to the “Night Tiger” I will be reading all night …
    C;

    Reply
    1. yangszechoo Avatar
      yangszechoo

      Thank you so much—I was thrilled and so honoured to be part of the Big Jubilee Read! Am working away on my new book and hopefully will finish it soon!😍

      Reply
  25. THE MASTER LIGHTNING BOLT Release Day Celebration: More Top Ten Mythology Fiction Books (Besides Rick Riordan’s stuff) – Sea of Ink Press Avatar
    THE MASTER LIGHTNING BOLT Release Day Celebration: More Top Ten Mythology Fiction Books (Besides Rick Riordan’s stuff) – Sea of Ink Press

    […] The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo (Chinese […]

    Reply
  26. A Recap of Bookbie Club’s February 2024 Favorites! | Bookbie Avatar
    A Recap of Bookbie Club’s February 2024 Favorites! | Bookbie

    […] her ranks are A.J. Finn, acclaimed for his riveting psychological thrillers, and bestselling author Yangsze Choo, known for her captivating historical fiction like The Night […]

    Reply
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