Steeped in traditions and ritual， this story brings to life another time and place -- even the intricate realm of the afterworld， with its protocols， pathways， and stages of existence， a vividly imagined place where one’ s soul is divided into three， ancestors offer guidance， misdeeds are punished， and hungry ghosts wander the earth. Immersed in the richness and magic of the Chinese vision of the afterlife， transcending even death， Peony in Love explores， beautifully， the many manifestations of love. Ultimately， Lisa See’s new novel addresses universal themes： the bonds of friendship， the power of words， and the age-old desire of women to be heard.

這個故事描述的是錯綜復(fù)雜，有著自身禮節(jié)與運轉(zhuǎn)方式的陰間世界。作者以生動的想象描寫了這樣一個死后世界：人的靈魂被分為三部分，祖先們提供指導(dǎo)，罪孽得到懲罰，饑餓的鬼魂四處飄蕩。浸淫在中國文化對來世的認(rèn)識和想象中，《牡丹還魂記》探索了愛情超越生死的表現(xiàn)形式。最終，鄺麗莎的新小說表達了相同的主題：友誼的羈絆，言語的力量和女人長久以來希望得到話語權(quán)的愿望。