The Ghost Bride takes place in the Southeast Asian nation of Malaysia, which was at the time of the novel a British colony. Its location close to the islands of Indonesia and the continental Asian nations of China, Vietnam, Thailand, and others made it a useful colonial trading outpost, especially for any sea-based trading. Its prime location also meant that it was a highly coveted colonial asset for much of its history, changing hands between the Portuguese, the Dutch, and finally the British. During World War II, Malaysia was occupied by Imperial Japan and did not achieve its formal independence until 1957. During its history, its proximity to China also resulted in a great many Chinese immigrants moving to Malaysia, either to make their fortune as merchants or to work as indentured laborers, or “coolies,” for whatever colonial power was currently in charge. The British also relied on and shipped in coolies from their other Asian colony, India. In this way, Malaysia and its primary cities, like Malacca, demonstrate a wide variety of cultural influences in their societal make-up and structures.

Malasia’s multicultural background is evident in the novel when Li Lan notes that the city contains many different architectural traditions, from the Dutch-built Stadthuys building to the traditional Chinese

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