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Nella terra dei peschi in fiore
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2022)Cina, 1938. La guerra contro i giapponesi le ha già strappato il marito, e adesso minaccia di toglierle tutto. Con la città in fiamme, Meilin capisce di non avere scelta: per salvare Renshu, suo figlio di quattro anni, deve scappare da Changsha e abbandonare il negozio di antichità di famiglia. È l’inizio di una fuga che sembra non avere mai fine, fatta di marce sfiancanti nelle campagne contese da comunisti e nazionalisti – dove anche un semplice gesto di pietà può portare alla morte –, e tentativi di crearsi una nuova vita nelle città martoriate dai bombardamenti. Come unico ricordo e legame con tutto ciò che hanno perduto, un prezioso rotolo di seta su cui sono illustrate fiabe e leggende tradizionali cinesi. Ed è grazie a quel rotolo che madre e figlio sopravvivranno. Prima con la forza delle storie raffigurate, che Meilin racconta a Renshu nei momenti più duri per infondergli speranza e fiducia nel futuro, e poi come moneta di scambio per ottenere due biglietti per Taiwan. Ma quelle storie saranno il filo che continuerà a unirli ancora tanti anni dopo, quando Renshu, ormai cittadino americano, troverà finalmente il coraggio di condividere con la figlia il proprio passato e la storia della loro famiglia.
Tre generazioni e due continenti sono il palcoscenico su cui prende vita questo straordinario romanzo, che non solo racconta in modo unico e indimenticabile la tormentata e dolorosa storia della Cina moderna, ma soprattutto celebra il potere dei legami familiari nel percorso per costruirsi un futuro migliore e trovare il proprio posto nel mondo.
Tre generazioni e due continenti sono il palcoscenico su cui prende vita questo straordinario romanzo, che non solo racconta in modo unico e indimenticabile la tormentata e dolorosa storia della Cina moderna, ma soprattutto celebra il potere dei legami familiari nel percorso per costruirsi un futuro migliore e trovare il proprio posto nel mondo.
432 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2022
947 people are currently reading
80216 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Fu
5 books393 followersMelissa Fu grew up in Northern New Mexico and has lived in Texas, Colorado, New York, Ohio and Washington. She now lives near Cambridge, UK, with her husband and children. With academic backgrounds in physics and English, she has worked in education as a teacher, curriculum developer, and consultant. She was the 2018/19 David TK Wong Fellow at the University of East Anglia. Peach Blossom Spring is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,823 reviews
October 14, 2021
“We can't imagine how dreadful, how terrifying war is; and how normal it becomes. Can't understand, can't imagine. That's what every soldier, and every journalist and aid worker and independent observer who has put in time under fire, and had the luck to elude the death that struck down others nearby, stubbornly feels. And they are right.”
― Susan Sontag, Regarding the Pain of Others.
Some 14 million Chinese died and up to 100 million became refugees during the eight years of the conflict with Japan from 1937 to 1945. ..
This then is the backdrop for Peach Blossom Spring. Not only was there the conflict with Japan, but there was also the Civil War that continued until 1949. The storyline follows a multi-generational family right up to 21st century.
From a life of love, peace and contentment, Meilin and her 4 year old son Renshu, find themselves fleeing from the advancing Japanese army. Their arduous journey is one of fear and hardship, but Meilin will do anything to protect her son, displaying a resilience that brought tears to my eyes.
Across mainland China, they flee from one place to another in their attempts to flee the Japanese, their homes being bombed by enemy fighter jets, or being strafed by low flying aircraft, only to find later, that the Chinese Civil War was equally as threatening. Their only solace is a precious beautifully illustrated hand scroll, telling of ancient fables, which somehow gives them hope.
From China onto Taiwan, and eventually to the US, this outstanding novel is both terrifying and beautiful. The storyline is completely gripping, revealing how, even though you’ve made a new life in a new country many thousands of miles from China, your past life there, still has the ability to engender deep fear of saying the wrong thing or mixing with the wrong people wherever you are, living in fear of what China would do to you.
The characters are rich and compelling, demonstrating some wonderful qualities. The novel paints a vivid, intimate and heart wrenching picture, that will make it difficult to put this one behind me. Simply wonderful!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Headline, Wildfire for an ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
― Susan Sontag, Regarding the Pain of Others.
Some 14 million Chinese died and up to 100 million became refugees during the eight years of the conflict with Japan from 1937 to 1945. ..
This then is the backdrop for Peach Blossom Spring. Not only was there the conflict with Japan, but there was also the Civil War that continued until 1949. The storyline follows a multi-generational family right up to 21st century.
From a life of love, peace and contentment, Meilin and her 4 year old son Renshu, find themselves fleeing from the advancing Japanese army. Their arduous journey is one of fear and hardship, but Meilin will do anything to protect her son, displaying a resilience that brought tears to my eyes.
Across mainland China, they flee from one place to another in their attempts to flee the Japanese, their homes being bombed by enemy fighter jets, or being strafed by low flying aircraft, only to find later, that the Chinese Civil War was equally as threatening. Their only solace is a precious beautifully illustrated hand scroll, telling of ancient fables, which somehow gives them hope.
From China onto Taiwan, and eventually to the US, this outstanding novel is both terrifying and beautiful. The storyline is completely gripping, revealing how, even though you’ve made a new life in a new country many thousands of miles from China, your past life there, still has the ability to engender deep fear of saying the wrong thing or mixing with the wrong people wherever you are, living in fear of what China would do to you.
The characters are rich and compelling, demonstrating some wonderful qualities. The novel paints a vivid, intimate and heart wrenching picture, that will make it difficult to put this one behind me. Simply wonderful!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Headline, Wildfire for an ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
August 3, 2022
i really enjoyed this book, but what made me appreciate it even more was reading the authors note at the end and learning how this novel is actually semi-biographical in nature. what a fantastic way for MF to honour her fathers stories by sharing them with the rest of the world. and its done in such a lovely, tender manner, as well. i mean, just read this prologue:
i love that MF felt inspired to share her familys history.
↠ 4.5 stars
the writing is gorgeous. the story is heartfelt. the characters are real.
i love that MF felt inspired to share her familys history.
↠ 4.5 stars
December 7, 2021
I absolutely love it when I stumble across an amazing debut novel just like this one!
Peach Blossom Spring spans nearly 70 years and follows the life of a family across three generations. Renshu and Meilin have their lives in China uprooted by the war. They flee to protect themselves but danger never seems to be far away. Later, Renshu’s life in America with his daughter Lily is troubled by his past.
I absolutely love it when a book can teach me something. I knew absolutely nothing about WWII in China or the civil war until I read this book. I admit, at times I got a little confused and struggled to follow the narrative. However, I think that is down to my personal ignorance on the topic over anything else. I have been wanting to read more books based in Asian culture and this one was perfect. I found myself researching and wanting to know more, talking to the people in my life who have more of an understanding than I do.
I fell in love with Meilin, her gentleness coupled with her heroism was astounding and I found Renshu so inspiring. I love being able to connect deeply with the characters in a book which is exactly what this book gave me. I was sad for it to end, because I felt like I was saying goodbye to old friends. Mellisa’s writing is beautiful and insightful and I am so excited to see what she does next!
I would recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction, especially if you have an interest in Chinese culture. I want to thank tandem collective, Headline Books and Melissa Fu for allowing me to read this book and give my personal opinion.
Peach Blossom Spring spans nearly 70 years and follows the life of a family across three generations. Renshu and Meilin have their lives in China uprooted by the war. They flee to protect themselves but danger never seems to be far away. Later, Renshu’s life in America with his daughter Lily is troubled by his past.
I absolutely love it when a book can teach me something. I knew absolutely nothing about WWII in China or the civil war until I read this book. I admit, at times I got a little confused and struggled to follow the narrative. However, I think that is down to my personal ignorance on the topic over anything else. I have been wanting to read more books based in Asian culture and this one was perfect. I found myself researching and wanting to know more, talking to the people in my life who have more of an understanding than I do.
I fell in love with Meilin, her gentleness coupled with her heroism was astounding and I found Renshu so inspiring. I love being able to connect deeply with the characters in a book which is exactly what this book gave me. I was sad for it to end, because I felt like I was saying goodbye to old friends. Mellisa’s writing is beautiful and insightful and I am so excited to see what she does next!
I would recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction, especially if you have an interest in Chinese culture. I want to thank tandem collective, Headline Books and Melissa Fu for allowing me to read this book and give my personal opinion.
April 7, 2022
I love multi-generational stories that take place in countries with different cultures and bring a history I have little knowledge of.
Peach blossoms signify spring…a time of rebirth, healing. 1938. Japan has invaded China in WW2. Civilians are trying to escape the bombing. On foot, train, boats.
Meilen must do everything she can to protect her son, Renshu. The Only male heir to the family.
Through the journey to find safety, Meilen has also brought a most treasured gift. A scroll. This valuable item has parables imbedded in it and serves to keep the Chinese tradition alive and told through their journey to safety.
But even as Renshu makes his way in America to start a family of his own, the buried past still haunts him and much is kept silent to both his wife and daughter until the day comes when he remembers.
This is about survival, the bonds of family, the pain of separation, and the hope for the future. Depth of characters.
As a mother, this one is a heart twister.
The writing was mesmerizing and descriptive. An amazing and enlightening debut.
4.25⭐️
Peach blossoms signify spring…a time of rebirth, healing. 1938. Japan has invaded China in WW2. Civilians are trying to escape the bombing. On foot, train, boats.
Meilen must do everything she can to protect her son, Renshu. The Only male heir to the family.
Through the journey to find safety, Meilen has also brought a most treasured gift. A scroll. This valuable item has parables imbedded in it and serves to keep the Chinese tradition alive and told through their journey to safety.
But even as Renshu makes his way in America to start a family of his own, the buried past still haunts him and much is kept silent to both his wife and daughter until the day comes when he remembers.
This is about survival, the bonds of family, the pain of separation, and the hope for the future. Depth of characters.
As a mother, this one is a heart twister.
The writing was mesmerizing and descriptive. An amazing and enlightening debut.
4.25⭐️
March 16, 2022
Peach Blossom Spring is a beautiful story of resilience, identity, and migration.
It follows three generations of a Chinese family from 1938 to the 2000s. The story begins with Meilin, a young woman, forced to flee her home with her son Renshu when Japanese armies invade their village. Throughout many years of moving from place to place, fiercely independent Meilin uses her skills to support her small family.
The narrative transitions to Renshu’s perspective as he grows up and finds his place in the world, all the while trying to forget his past. Renshu shields his daughter from his traumatic childhood, even though she desperately wants to learn her heritage.
About sixty percent of this story takes place in China, another location, and the rest in America. The sections that focused on their lives in China were written in stunning and heart-wrenching detail. The ones set in America were still exquisitely told but were slightly less captivating.
This book explores belonging, identity, survival, and generational trauma.
The author was inspired to write this story based on her personal quest of learning her heritage.
This gorgeously written historical fiction account captivated me from its very first page. Before reading this, I knew little about the Second Sino-Japanese War, or the War of Aggression, as it’s called in this work. The story focuses on how the war affected civilians, mainly Meilin and Renshu. And later, how Nationalists and Communists fought for control over China and Taiwan.
Meilin, Renshu, and Lily are characters that will stick with me for some time to come.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
It follows three generations of a Chinese family from 1938 to the 2000s. The story begins with Meilin, a young woman, forced to flee her home with her son Renshu when Japanese armies invade their village. Throughout many years of moving from place to place, fiercely independent Meilin uses her skills to support her small family.
The narrative transitions to Renshu’s perspective as he grows up and finds his place in the world, all the while trying to forget his past. Renshu shields his daughter from his traumatic childhood, even though she desperately wants to learn her heritage.
About sixty percent of this story takes place in China, another location, and the rest in America. The sections that focused on their lives in China were written in stunning and heart-wrenching detail. The ones set in America were still exquisitely told but were slightly less captivating.
This book explores belonging, identity, survival, and generational trauma.
The author was inspired to write this story based on her personal quest of learning her heritage.
This gorgeously written historical fiction account captivated me from its very first page. Before reading this, I knew little about the Second Sino-Japanese War, or the War of Aggression, as it’s called in this work. The story focuses on how the war affected civilians, mainly Meilin and Renshu. And later, how Nationalists and Communists fought for control over China and Taiwan.
Meilin, Renshu, and Lily are characters that will stick with me for some time to come.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://booksandwheels.com
March 26, 2022
In a Nutshell: Outlier review alert! Call this either bad book timing or a mismatch of expectations. But after a particular point in the story, I just couldn’t concentrate. The story is impactful and the writing, lyrical. But it wasn’t on the same wavelength as I was.
Story:
Where the book worked for me:
❤ The characters in the initial segment, especially Meilin, are so well-carved that you can gauge their personality and their behaviour perfectly. Meilin’s attitude is practical, praise-worthy and inspiring as she battles the adverse circumstances while still striving to keep her independence.
❤ When you think of WWII and the historical fiction based on it, you will hardly ever find a story set in China and focussing on the Japanese attacks. Most such fiction focusses only on the war in Europe and US. So the WWII part of this story was insightful and much welcome. It didn’t create any feeling of déjà vu.
❤ I loved the first section of the story that focusses on Meilin as the central character. It is well-written and engrossing.
❤ The writing is so lyrical, it was a treat to read, at least at the start.
❤ The various Chinese stories that Meilin tells Renshu are the icing on the cake.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
💔 Once the story moved to the US shores, I found myself losing concentration. It starts off well, no doubt, but soon starts meandering into elements that I didn’t expect, such as the political leanings of the Chinese students in USA. I think I enjoyed the Meilin segment so much that this was boring in comparison. To add to it, I didn’t find myself connecting with Renshu at all, and as he is the prime focus of the US narrative, there went my enthusiasm down the drain.
💔 You will appreciate (and understand) the subtleties of the book better if you are familiar with Chinese politics and history. I am not.
💔 There are a lot of time jumps in the story, creating a very hurried kind of feel. At the same time, the story spans a long time period (it begins in 1938 and ends in 2005!) and this led to a feeling of too much within one story.
💔 I found it terribly, terribly slow. It took me a week to complete this, that too because I hopped and skipped through the final quarter as I was so bored.
Basically, the book reminded me a lot of Pachinko. Before you jump in excitement, let me tell you that I didn’t enjoy Pachinko much as well. But Pachinko’s flaw was that it carried the generational saga one generation too far. Here, it wasn’t the number of generations but the drastic change in the focus of the content that created dissatisfaction in me. It was like two separate books have been joined together, one fabulous and the other tedious.
As the other ratings and reviews will tell you, a majority of readers have relished this book. So please read them before you make up your mind about this. I still believe that had I picked it up at some other time, I might have enjoyed it a tad better. I was reading Jeffrey Archer’s Kane and Abel alongside this one, and that is such a well-written family saga that this one paled in comparison.
2.5 stars from me, rounding up to 3.
My thanks to Headline, Wildfire, and NetGalley for the DRC of “Peach Blossom Spring”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Story:
The narration begins in 1938 in the Hunan province of China. Meilin is looking forward to a happy future with her husband Xiaowen and young son Renshu. But with the Japanese attack changing her fortunes, she is forced to escape with the help of her brother-in-law Longwei and his family. What follows is a tale of sorrow and courage, with Meilin trying her best to provide for Renshu the future she had dreamed of.
The above forms the first one-third of the story. The rest of the story is divided between the US and China.
Where the book worked for me:
❤ The characters in the initial segment, especially Meilin, are so well-carved that you can gauge their personality and their behaviour perfectly. Meilin’s attitude is practical, praise-worthy and inspiring as she battles the adverse circumstances while still striving to keep her independence.
❤ When you think of WWII and the historical fiction based on it, you will hardly ever find a story set in China and focussing on the Japanese attacks. Most such fiction focusses only on the war in Europe and US. So the WWII part of this story was insightful and much welcome. It didn’t create any feeling of déjà vu.
❤ I loved the first section of the story that focusses on Meilin as the central character. It is well-written and engrossing.
❤ The writing is so lyrical, it was a treat to read, at least at the start.
❤ The various Chinese stories that Meilin tells Renshu are the icing on the cake.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
💔 Once the story moved to the US shores, I found myself losing concentration. It starts off well, no doubt, but soon starts meandering into elements that I didn’t expect, such as the political leanings of the Chinese students in USA. I think I enjoyed the Meilin segment so much that this was boring in comparison. To add to it, I didn’t find myself connecting with Renshu at all, and as he is the prime focus of the US narrative, there went my enthusiasm down the drain.
💔 You will appreciate (and understand) the subtleties of the book better if you are familiar with Chinese politics and history. I am not.
💔 There are a lot of time jumps in the story, creating a very hurried kind of feel. At the same time, the story spans a long time period (it begins in 1938 and ends in 2005!) and this led to a feeling of too much within one story.
💔 I found it terribly, terribly slow. It took me a week to complete this, that too because I hopped and skipped through the final quarter as I was so bored.
Basically, the book reminded me a lot of Pachinko. Before you jump in excitement, let me tell you that I didn’t enjoy Pachinko much as well. But Pachinko’s flaw was that it carried the generational saga one generation too far. Here, it wasn’t the number of generations but the drastic change in the focus of the content that created dissatisfaction in me. It was like two separate books have been joined together, one fabulous and the other tedious.
As the other ratings and reviews will tell you, a majority of readers have relished this book. So please read them before you make up your mind about this. I still believe that had I picked it up at some other time, I might have enjoyed it a tad better. I was reading Jeffrey Archer’s Kane and Abel alongside this one, and that is such a well-written family saga that this one paled in comparison.
2.5 stars from me, rounding up to 3.
My thanks to Headline, Wildfire, and NetGalley for the DRC of “Peach Blossom Spring”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
January 23, 2022
4.5 stars, rounded up
Peach Blossom Spring is a gorgeously written historical fiction about a Chinese family in the 20th Century. Beginning with the Second Sino-Japanese War, it moves through WWII and the Communist Revolution before heading to America. It follows Meilin and her son, Renshu as they are forced to flee their home in eastern China. It’s a true family saga, as they then move to Taipei and with Renshu to America. It defined the immigrant experience and the loss of one’s home. It was a very different experience for Meilin and Renshu/Henry.
I loved that Fu weaves Chinese fables into the story. It really adds to the sense of place and also provides the main theme of the book - to go or to stay. “I guess the thing about Peach Blossom Spring is that if you are fortunate enough to find it, you are also unfortunate, because then you have to decide what to do. Do you stay, and forego all else? Or do you return home, with the understanding that you’ll never find it again? Is it a blessing? Or is it a curse?”
Once the story moves to America, it’s a reminder of the casual racism of the US against any who weren’t white. I struggled at times, just like Lily, to understand Henry’s reluctance to tell her his story. It was difficult to imagine having such fear. Kudos to Fu for creating such realistic characters that got me so totally invested in their thoughts, fears and actions. The book is not as “exciting” in the second half, but is just as philosophical.
The language here is just gorgeous. I was highlighting numerous passages as I took it all in. It doesn’t read like a debut novel. It was a delight to learn that this is based on Fu's father’s own story.
This would make a great book club selection as there’s lots to ponder and discuss.
My thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown & Company for an advance copy.
Peach Blossom Spring is a gorgeously written historical fiction about a Chinese family in the 20th Century. Beginning with the Second Sino-Japanese War, it moves through WWII and the Communist Revolution before heading to America. It follows Meilin and her son, Renshu as they are forced to flee their home in eastern China. It’s a true family saga, as they then move to Taipei and with Renshu to America. It defined the immigrant experience and the loss of one’s home. It was a very different experience for Meilin and Renshu/Henry.
I loved that Fu weaves Chinese fables into the story. It really adds to the sense of place and also provides the main theme of the book - to go or to stay. “I guess the thing about Peach Blossom Spring is that if you are fortunate enough to find it, you are also unfortunate, because then you have to decide what to do. Do you stay, and forego all else? Or do you return home, with the understanding that you’ll never find it again? Is it a blessing? Or is it a curse?”
Once the story moves to America, it’s a reminder of the casual racism of the US against any who weren’t white. I struggled at times, just like Lily, to understand Henry’s reluctance to tell her his story. It was difficult to imagine having such fear. Kudos to Fu for creating such realistic characters that got me so totally invested in their thoughts, fears and actions. The book is not as “exciting” in the second half, but is just as philosophical.
The language here is just gorgeous. I was highlighting numerous passages as I took it all in. It doesn’t read like a debut novel. It was a delight to learn that this is based on Fu's father’s own story.
This would make a great book club selection as there’s lots to ponder and discuss.
My thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown & Company for an advance copy.
July 29, 2022
Peach Blossom Spring begins in 1938 China, just as the Japanese army is approaching the city in with Meilin and her young family live. They have to leave their home and most of their belongings behind. They embark on a long, arduous journey seeking safety. They had no idea when they started just how long that journey would take, going further into China, then Taiwan, and eventually the United States.
Peach Blossom Spring is an epic novel, covering three generations of this family. Millions of Chinese people were killed during the Japanese invasion/Pacific War. Once that war was over, which was over 8 years, there was an internal conflict over government between the Communists and Nationalists. Meilin’s son, Renshu’s, entire childhood was spent during this time of war, poverty, and continued strife.
This is just the kind of historical fiction I love most. From the beginning, the characters are well-developed, and their narrative is compelling. More importantly, I learned much more about this extended time period in China. Beautiful, quote-worthy writing, the author’s note about a personal connection to the story is not to be missed. My favorite parts of story included when it was set in China; however, the move to the US was an important part of Renshu’s story arc and how past significant trauma shapes his entire life. The experience is a reading journey I will not soon forget. Meilin and Renshu’s story left a mark. Highly recommend to all hist fic fans.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Peach Blossom Spring is an epic novel, covering three generations of this family. Millions of Chinese people were killed during the Japanese invasion/Pacific War. Once that war was over, which was over 8 years, there was an internal conflict over government between the Communists and Nationalists. Meilin’s son, Renshu’s, entire childhood was spent during this time of war, poverty, and continued strife.
This is just the kind of historical fiction I love most. From the beginning, the characters are well-developed, and their narrative is compelling. More importantly, I learned much more about this extended time period in China. Beautiful, quote-worthy writing, the author’s note about a personal connection to the story is not to be missed. My favorite parts of story included when it was set in China; however, the move to the US was an important part of Renshu’s story arc and how past significant trauma shapes his entire life. The experience is a reading journey I will not soon forget. Meilin and Renshu’s story left a mark. Highly recommend to all hist fic fans.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
April 3, 2022
Audiobook…. Read by Eugenia Low
…..14 hours and 10 minutes
The history — depiction of China — from the time of the Japanese occupation through the rise of communism has often been overlooked.
My thoughts on this ‘often-forgotten’ history is because Pearl Harbor happened so quickly after war-torn, China…. (I’ve often felt sad about how this devastating history was put on the back burner - in the shadows - of Pearl Harbor) …
So for me ….
I’m simply happy to see this period of history taking center stage.
With memorable characters — children born to escape the Japanese invasion of China with their families were forced to leave their beloved homes and resettle in many cities in China, Vietnam, Burma, and the United States.
Families had to try and stay one step ahead of the atrocities.
The author, Melissa Fu weaves stories & fables so real, so human in the quicksand of
the secret ingredients needed to overcome hardships, find passion, and overcome challenges….
that nothing about this novel has the feeling of newbie-debut positioning.
Being torn apart by war and
migration,
“Peach Blossom Spring” opens our eyes of what it takes to ultimately find one’s voice and place in the world.
“Within every mistake there is a blessing and within every blessing, the seeds of misfortune, and so it goes, until the end of time”.
Filled with historical interests, [pre-World War II China to post Cold War America], spiritual questing, family intimacies fitting into American life (academics, work, socialization, personal loss, and identity) …..
this is a very timely compassionate novel — as hundreds and thousands of Ukrainians flee today.
The nightmare of history repeating itself.
“Remember to have an orchard — is to honour the generations that came before you and will come after”.
Blessings to all refugees fighting for survival…..with hopes of thriving abundantly sooner than later!!!!
…..14 hours and 10 minutes
The history — depiction of China — from the time of the Japanese occupation through the rise of communism has often been overlooked.
My thoughts on this ‘often-forgotten’ history is because Pearl Harbor happened so quickly after war-torn, China…. (I’ve often felt sad about how this devastating history was put on the back burner - in the shadows - of Pearl Harbor) …
So for me ….
I’m simply happy to see this period of history taking center stage.
With memorable characters — children born to escape the Japanese invasion of China with their families were forced to leave their beloved homes and resettle in many cities in China, Vietnam, Burma, and the United States.
Families had to try and stay one step ahead of the atrocities.
The author, Melissa Fu weaves stories & fables so real, so human in the quicksand of
the secret ingredients needed to overcome hardships, find passion, and overcome challenges….
that nothing about this novel has the feeling of newbie-debut positioning.
Being torn apart by war and
migration,
“Peach Blossom Spring” opens our eyes of what it takes to ultimately find one’s voice and place in the world.
“Within every mistake there is a blessing and within every blessing, the seeds of misfortune, and so it goes, until the end of time”.
Filled with historical interests, [pre-World War II China to post Cold War America], spiritual questing, family intimacies fitting into American life (academics, work, socialization, personal loss, and identity) …..
this is a very timely compassionate novel — as hundreds and thousands of Ukrainians flee today.
The nightmare of history repeating itself.
“Remember to have an orchard — is to honour the generations that came before you and will come after”.
Blessings to all refugees fighting for survival…..with hopes of thriving abundantly sooner than later!!!!
February 19, 2022
"To know a story is to stroke the silken surfaces of loss, to feel the weight of beauty in his hands. To know a story is to carry it always, etched in his bones, even if dormat for decades."
Every so often a book becomes more than just a book. This is one of those times. The story was mesmerizing and if I'm honest there were occasions it left me an emotional wreck. I was completely captivated from the first two sentences. But it wasn't necessarily always from the story, although it was rather good. But instead, it was gradual as I began to understand its message and meaning.
The Peach Blossom Spring follows a family's journey starting during Japan's invasion of China in 1938 all the way to 2005. We watch Meilin struggle as she goes from a life of peace and security to having to flee war and learn how to survive. The character, Meilin, is simply incredible in her resiliency. She picks herself up again and again and again and it was awe-inspiring. The story and pacing is at its strongest in her sections. The emotional trauma she, her four-year old son, and her extended family experienced were heart-breaking and at times tore me to pieces.
I would love to say that the end of the war brought peace and security back to Meilin's life. While no longer having to dodge bombs, she and her son are now faced with a changing political landscape with the upcoming communist party. I can't pretend to fully understand everything in these sections, but the growing stress they experience begins to feel real. And through it all, they continue to learn how to survive.
Eventually, the story perspective changes to Renshu when he goes to America, later followed by his daughter Lily. And although the political landscape is peaceful, Renshu still lives with fear. Fear that follows him and haunts him for decades to come. Memories that he can't talk about. His past trauma begins to not only affect his relationship with Lily, but also affects how she views herself.
I loved this book. I loved how it takes a look at the trauma that one family endured and shows how this type of stress and trauma can continue to play out decade after decade. Generation after generation. At the end, the author tells us that it was her own desire to celebrate her father's life after all the turmoil he went through that led to this book. Even though the story is fictional she spent a lot of time learning about the personal experiences from those who lived through it. I just wanted to tell her thank you and that I'm grateful she took the time to share this story with us.
Rating: 5 stars
Every so often a book becomes more than just a book. This is one of those times. The story was mesmerizing and if I'm honest there were occasions it left me an emotional wreck. I was completely captivated from the first two sentences. But it wasn't necessarily always from the story, although it was rather good. But instead, it was gradual as I began to understand its message and meaning.
The Peach Blossom Spring follows a family's journey starting during Japan's invasion of China in 1938 all the way to 2005. We watch Meilin struggle as she goes from a life of peace and security to having to flee war and learn how to survive. The character, Meilin, is simply incredible in her resiliency. She picks herself up again and again and again and it was awe-inspiring. The story and pacing is at its strongest in her sections. The emotional trauma she, her four-year old son, and her extended family experienced were heart-breaking and at times tore me to pieces.
I would love to say that the end of the war brought peace and security back to Meilin's life. While no longer having to dodge bombs, she and her son are now faced with a changing political landscape with the upcoming communist party. I can't pretend to fully understand everything in these sections, but the growing stress they experience begins to feel real. And through it all, they continue to learn how to survive.
Eventually, the story perspective changes to Renshu when he goes to America, later followed by his daughter Lily. And although the political landscape is peaceful, Renshu still lives with fear. Fear that follows him and haunts him for decades to come. Memories that he can't talk about. His past trauma begins to not only affect his relationship with Lily, but also affects how she views herself.
I loved this book. I loved how it takes a look at the trauma that one family endured and shows how this type of stress and trauma can continue to play out decade after decade. Generation after generation. At the end, the author tells us that it was her own desire to celebrate her father's life after all the turmoil he went through that led to this book. Even though the story is fictional she spent a lot of time learning about the personal experiences from those who lived through it. I just wanted to tell her thank you and that I'm grateful she took the time to share this story with us.
Rating: 5 stars
January 24, 2022
Storytelling wraps the listener in experiences weaved through carefully chosen words lined in sometimes wayward pathways. These pathways bring one curiously to the doorway of a different time, a different place, and a completely different world. Known to unknown to known again.
Melissa Fu shares her gift. She brings us to the threshhold of the spoken and the written that began as a pebble thousands of years ago in China. She then chooses the Dao family in the Hunan Province whose story unfolds from over seventy years ago. Although a work of fiction, the footsteps seem to follow the plight of the multitude of Chinese on the brink of war in 1938. Such families were forced to flee from the invasion of the Imperial Japanese Army on the move.
Meilin suffers with the realization that her husband, Xiaowen, may not be returning from his duty in the Chinese Army. Her brother-in-law, Longwei, and his wife are taking her under their care as fire rushes through their village. Meilin and her four year old son, Renshu, must leave everything behind as they try to board the overcrowded boats and trains taking them to an elusive point of safety.
But one thing that Meilin holds dear is the beautiful red-tasseled scroll that she hides in her sewing basket. It will follow them on their dangerous journey. Each night she unrolls it just a bit and shares a story of folklore and legend with her son. It is her well-chosen words of hope that carry them from one danger to the next. And Melissa Fu shares with us this heartwrenching story of deep sacrifice and suffering along the way from mainland China to Taiwan and to America.
Peach Blossom Spring is a reminder that our own personal heritage and origins may have been lost over time with the disconnect of terrible wars, constant mobility, and the inability to keep the threads of familial touch that get knotted along the way. What was once ours, may no longer be in the sharpest sense. But in a more general sense, it may bring solace to cling to the customs, the music, and the comfort of storytelling that brings life and light to those darkened corners. Today, we are so much more complicated than in just a single drop of DNA. Even more telling is in our own individual quest of how we define ourselves......our wants, our needs, and the flicker of that internal light.
I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown, and Company and to the talented Melissa Fu for the opportunity.
Melissa Fu shares her gift. She brings us to the threshhold of the spoken and the written that began as a pebble thousands of years ago in China. She then chooses the Dao family in the Hunan Province whose story unfolds from over seventy years ago. Although a work of fiction, the footsteps seem to follow the plight of the multitude of Chinese on the brink of war in 1938. Such families were forced to flee from the invasion of the Imperial Japanese Army on the move.
Meilin suffers with the realization that her husband, Xiaowen, may not be returning from his duty in the Chinese Army. Her brother-in-law, Longwei, and his wife are taking her under their care as fire rushes through their village. Meilin and her four year old son, Renshu, must leave everything behind as they try to board the overcrowded boats and trains taking them to an elusive point of safety.
But one thing that Meilin holds dear is the beautiful red-tasseled scroll that she hides in her sewing basket. It will follow them on their dangerous journey. Each night she unrolls it just a bit and shares a story of folklore and legend with her son. It is her well-chosen words of hope that carry them from one danger to the next. And Melissa Fu shares with us this heartwrenching story of deep sacrifice and suffering along the way from mainland China to Taiwan and to America.
Peach Blossom Spring is a reminder that our own personal heritage and origins may have been lost over time with the disconnect of terrible wars, constant mobility, and the inability to keep the threads of familial touch that get knotted along the way. What was once ours, may no longer be in the sharpest sense. But in a more general sense, it may bring solace to cling to the customs, the music, and the comfort of storytelling that brings life and light to those darkened corners. Today, we are so much more complicated than in just a single drop of DNA. Even more telling is in our own individual quest of how we define ourselves......our wants, our needs, and the flicker of that internal light.
I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Little, Brown, and Company and to the talented Melissa Fu for the opportunity.
April 29, 2022
An empathetic and believable historical fiction novel that first follows Meilin, a woman trying to find security and safety for herself and her son Renshu during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Later on the novel focuses on Renshu, who renames himself Henry, as he immigrates to the United States and forges a life for himself.
I sensed and felt such great care that Melissa Fu put into Peach Blossom Spring. First, care in terms of her research – all the details of the Second Sino-Japanese War as well as the conflicts between China and Taiwan came across as believable and thoughtful without distracting from the characters and their emotions. I also appreciated the depth in which Fu wrote about her characters’ experiences, such as Meilin’s journey and the gendered/sexist barriers she faced as well as Renshu/Henry’s nuanced process of acculturation into the United States. Fu writes with subtlety yet great poignancy about how our pasts affect our present relationships and mindsets, both through Meilin’s relationship with her brother-in-law Longwei and with how Henry tries to minimize his Chinese heritage while in the United States.
As a second generation Vietnamese American I loved the theme of using stories and tales to understand ourselves and our histories. At one point in the book a second generation Asian American character reflects on how through learning about other people’s stories, she comes to peace with her own identity. I feel fortunate to read books such as this one which continually reinforce that process of self-understanding of my own Asian American identity.
I sensed and felt such great care that Melissa Fu put into Peach Blossom Spring. First, care in terms of her research – all the details of the Second Sino-Japanese War as well as the conflicts between China and Taiwan came across as believable and thoughtful without distracting from the characters and their emotions. I also appreciated the depth in which Fu wrote about her characters’ experiences, such as Meilin’s journey and the gendered/sexist barriers she faced as well as Renshu/Henry’s nuanced process of acculturation into the United States. Fu writes with subtlety yet great poignancy about how our pasts affect our present relationships and mindsets, both through Meilin’s relationship with her brother-in-law Longwei and with how Henry tries to minimize his Chinese heritage while in the United States.
As a second generation Vietnamese American I loved the theme of using stories and tales to understand ourselves and our histories. At one point in the book a second generation Asian American character reflects on how through learning about other people’s stories, she comes to peace with her own identity. I feel fortunate to read books such as this one which continually reinforce that process of self-understanding of my own Asian American identity.
November 13, 2022
A moving saga of sacrifice, buried memories, and the power of story telling. We see how parents do everything they can to shelter their children, but how the ties to heritage, identity, language, and history are vital to growing as individuals, family, and narrators. Tense, tender, and filled with the incredibly complicated feelings regarding one’s nation, history, and future, Peach Blossom Spring is a meaningful novel filled with important lessons.
April 16, 2022
In recent years, there has been much discussion about the saturation of World War II era books in the market. While this is definitely true, and with that, many people’s general weariness over reading yet another book set in this time period is absolutely understandable, part of me still hopes that people don’t give up on books set in this time period just yet, primarily because the fact remains that too few of these books tell about WWII from the less widespread perspective of the Asian nations that either participated in the war or were severely impacted by it. This is why I felt that Melissa Fu’s debut novel
Peach Blossom Spring
— despite falling a tad short of expectations for me (more on this later) — was still very much worth reading overall.
In this generational story that spans decades, Fu explores the impact of WWII (as well as its aftermath) through the experiences of the fictional Dao family. With the onset of the Japanese invasion of China, wealthy and shrewd patriarch Dao Hongtse, who owns a lucrative kerosene and antiques shop in Changsha, sees his family torn apart when his youngest son Xiaowen is killed in battle, leaving behind his young wife Meilin and their 4-year-old son Renshu. Devastated by the loss of his most beloved son, Hongtse withdraws into himself and turns most of his business over to eldest son Longwei, who has returned home after also fighting in the war. Not long after Longwei returns however, news breaks out about the Japanese army’s imminent advance into the city, forcing the family to leave nearly everything behind and flee their home. As they travel across their war-ravaged country seeking refuge and ultimately survival, Meilin and Renshu rely on the stories from an ancient scroll for solace. After the war, Meilin and Renshu settle in Taiwan, which eventually becomes “home” for them.
The second half of the story focuses primarily on Dao Renshu, who, as an adult, has settled in the United States. Having adopted the name Henry Dao, Renshu pursues his graduate studies and eventually meets Rachel, whom he marries and subsequently they have one daughter, Lily. As Henry becomes more immersed in his life as an American, he starts to distance himself from his past and his tumultuous childhood growing up during the war. Even though he continues to stay in constant communication with his mother Meilin in Taiwan, he feels more and more that his current life in the U.S. as Henry Dao is incongruous with the boy he was growing up in China and Taiwan. Believing that the only way to keep his family safe is to separate his past from his present, Henry refuses to reveal much about his childhood, despite his daughter Lily’s persistence in wanting to understand her heritage. Much of the second half of the story focuses on Henry’s struggles to reconcile his past life and experiences in China with his present one in America.
As I mentioned at the beginning of my review, this book ended up falling a bit short of expectations for me (though having said that, I’m still glad I decided to pick this one up). While there were many aspects of the story I really liked — such as the character of Meilin, the Chinese cultural elements referenced throughout, the fables revolving around the scroll, etc. — I felt that the writing was too uneven. The way this was written, I felt like it jumped back and forth too much between long descriptive sentences and short choppy ones, often describing relatively mundane things that I felt weren’t really important to the story. With that said though, the first half of the story, which covers Meilin’s story arc, was engaging enough that it was easier to overlook the inconsistencies in the writing - so much so in fact, that I was actually disappointed when Meilin didn’t feature as much in the second half of the story.
Speaking of which, that’s what didn’t work well for me — the second half of the book when the narrative shifted primarily to Renshu’s adult life in the U.S. I felt that these sections were too tedious to read, as there were too many unnecessary descriptions that bogged down the story (mundane things such as describing a character writing a letter, folding it up, putting it in an envelope, licking the flap, putting it in the mail — actions that could be described simply in one sentence were drawn out over several sentences). The other reason why the second half of the story (Renshu’s story arc) didn’t hold my interest as much as the first half (Meilin’s story arc) is because the latter half veered too much into the political tension between China and Taiwan — a topic that I’m already very familiar with having grown up surrounded by constant discussion about the potential fates of Hong Kong and Taiwan in relation to China. At times, I felt like I was reading an overly drawn out primer on China and Taiwan geopolitics that was geared more toward those who may not necessarily be familiar with the history and context behind it. There were also some parts that came across like the characters were reciting matter-of-fact historical tidbits rather than having actual conversations with each other. For me, this definitely detracted from the overall story, but not only that, it also made the story less emotionally resonant when it had the potential to be so much more.
Overall, I would say that this was a good story with a premise that had a lot of potential, but needed more refinement in terms of writing and execution. Because of this, deciding how to rate this book was agonizing for me, as the first half I felt was pretty strong (and I would probably rate 4 stars), but the second half was definitely a struggle that took me way longer to get through (and to be honest, I probably would’ve rated 2-3 stars on its own). In the end, I chose a happy medium of 3.5 stars, mostly because I truly did love and appreciate the first half of the story, despite some elements that didn’t quite work for me.
Received ARC from Little, Brown and Company via NetGalley.
In this generational story that spans decades, Fu explores the impact of WWII (as well as its aftermath) through the experiences of the fictional Dao family. With the onset of the Japanese invasion of China, wealthy and shrewd patriarch Dao Hongtse, who owns a lucrative kerosene and antiques shop in Changsha, sees his family torn apart when his youngest son Xiaowen is killed in battle, leaving behind his young wife Meilin and their 4-year-old son Renshu. Devastated by the loss of his most beloved son, Hongtse withdraws into himself and turns most of his business over to eldest son Longwei, who has returned home after also fighting in the war. Not long after Longwei returns however, news breaks out about the Japanese army’s imminent advance into the city, forcing the family to leave nearly everything behind and flee their home. As they travel across their war-ravaged country seeking refuge and ultimately survival, Meilin and Renshu rely on the stories from an ancient scroll for solace. After the war, Meilin and Renshu settle in Taiwan, which eventually becomes “home” for them.
The second half of the story focuses primarily on Dao Renshu, who, as an adult, has settled in the United States. Having adopted the name Henry Dao, Renshu pursues his graduate studies and eventually meets Rachel, whom he marries and subsequently they have one daughter, Lily. As Henry becomes more immersed in his life as an American, he starts to distance himself from his past and his tumultuous childhood growing up during the war. Even though he continues to stay in constant communication with his mother Meilin in Taiwan, he feels more and more that his current life in the U.S. as Henry Dao is incongruous with the boy he was growing up in China and Taiwan. Believing that the only way to keep his family safe is to separate his past from his present, Henry refuses to reveal much about his childhood, despite his daughter Lily’s persistence in wanting to understand her heritage. Much of the second half of the story focuses on Henry’s struggles to reconcile his past life and experiences in China with his present one in America.
As I mentioned at the beginning of my review, this book ended up falling a bit short of expectations for me (though having said that, I’m still glad I decided to pick this one up). While there were many aspects of the story I really liked — such as the character of Meilin, the Chinese cultural elements referenced throughout, the fables revolving around the scroll, etc. — I felt that the writing was too uneven. The way this was written, I felt like it jumped back and forth too much between long descriptive sentences and short choppy ones, often describing relatively mundane things that I felt weren’t really important to the story. With that said though, the first half of the story, which covers Meilin’s story arc, was engaging enough that it was easier to overlook the inconsistencies in the writing - so much so in fact, that I was actually disappointed when Meilin didn’t feature as much in the second half of the story.
Speaking of which, that’s what didn’t work well for me — the second half of the book when the narrative shifted primarily to Renshu’s adult life in the U.S. I felt that these sections were too tedious to read, as there were too many unnecessary descriptions that bogged down the story (mundane things such as describing a character writing a letter, folding it up, putting it in an envelope, licking the flap, putting it in the mail — actions that could be described simply in one sentence were drawn out over several sentences). The other reason why the second half of the story (Renshu’s story arc) didn’t hold my interest as much as the first half (Meilin’s story arc) is because the latter half veered too much into the political tension between China and Taiwan — a topic that I’m already very familiar with having grown up surrounded by constant discussion about the potential fates of Hong Kong and Taiwan in relation to China. At times, I felt like I was reading an overly drawn out primer on China and Taiwan geopolitics that was geared more toward those who may not necessarily be familiar with the history and context behind it. There were also some parts that came across like the characters were reciting matter-of-fact historical tidbits rather than having actual conversations with each other. For me, this definitely detracted from the overall story, but not only that, it also made the story less emotionally resonant when it had the potential to be so much more.
Overall, I would say that this was a good story with a premise that had a lot of potential, but needed more refinement in terms of writing and execution. Because of this, deciding how to rate this book was agonizing for me, as the first half I felt was pretty strong (and I would probably rate 4 stars), but the second half was definitely a struggle that took me way longer to get through (and to be honest, I probably would’ve rated 2-3 stars on its own). In the end, I chose a happy medium of 3.5 stars, mostly because I truly did love and appreciate the first half of the story, despite some elements that didn’t quite work for me.
Received ARC from Little, Brown and Company via NetGalley.
April 4, 2022
Meilin loses her husband in the war with the Japanese and then is forced to flee her home, along with her young son Renshu, her brother in law and his family. She can take very little with her, except a valuable old scroll and the stories she tells Renshu. Meilin and Renshu are displaced again and again as they are threatened first by the Japanese and then by the communists. Due to her perseverance and resourcefulness, Meilin ensures that Renshu gets a good education, which he is able to continue in America where he becomes Henry (just one of the erasures of his past).
I know almost nothing about Chinese history, so this historical novel was interesting to me. At times the writing was beautiful but sometimes it was flat for long periods. I don’t think the author did a great job describing Renshu’s internal life. I kept thinking that it might have been better if she had made Meilin’s child a daughter rather than a son, because she was better at writing the female characters. I wasn’t as moved by this book as I think the author intended, but I did like the book enough to keep reading.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
I know almost nothing about Chinese history, so this historical novel was interesting to me. At times the writing was beautiful but sometimes it was flat for long periods. I don’t think the author did a great job describing Renshu’s internal life. I kept thinking that it might have been better if she had made Meilin’s child a daughter rather than a son, because she was better at writing the female characters. I wasn’t as moved by this book as I think the author intended, but I did like the book enough to keep reading.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
February 14, 2022
[4+] A family's immigration story is beautifully brought to life - from rural China to Shanghai to Taiwan to Illinois to New Mexico. It starts in 1938 during the war between China and Japan and ends in 2005. This is a novel to curl up with and let the outside world disappear. I didn't want to put it down.
December 4, 2021
A book of two halves. It has taken me two attempts to read this as I found it to feel like an epic saga, despite being less than 400 pages. I really enjoyed the first section of the book which took place in mainland China during the second Sino-Japanese war and really connected with the character of Meilin on her journey to keep her son Renshu safe following their refugee journey. This was well drawn out and I found the setting and the time period to be well created and could imagine it vividly. However, when the story moved on to the second and third generation (Henry, previously Renshu and his daughter Lily) I felt myself disconnecting. The author spent such effort building that bond with Meilin and then she just disappeared. I found both Henry and Lily to be infuriating and really struggled through the latter part of the book. I feel like the author was trying to build in the themes of heritage but it felt clunky and contrived and I don't think it worked as well as the earlier section of the book. It was definitely an interesting read and I learned a lot from it and found passages of the writing to be beautiful. But I felt let down by the latter parts which did not live up to the exceptional writing in the first sections. I'd still recommend reading it and would be interested to hear how you got on with the generational shift in the narrative.
February 17, 2022
Loved it! Highly recommend for historical fiction lovers. I really love stories that bring different cultures to readers, and this one does that beautifully. It's an all the feels gorgeous read. Definitely going to be sharing this with friends and family.
August 4, 2025
Peach Blossom Spring was a sweeping historical debut novel about three generations of a Chinese family grappling with the repercussions of China’s war with Japan, the Chinese Civil War, an exodus to Taiwan and ultimately post-Cold War America. The author, Melissa Fu, grew up in northern New Mexico with an academic background in physics and English. Her magical and powerful Peach Blossom Spring brings to life the cost of war but also illustrates the spirit of human survival as Ms. Fu is inspired by her father’s experiences as she attempts to understand her family’s past. This rich and sprawling saga straddles continents, many decades and fractured histories as the resilience of humans shines through in this beautiful and atmospheric and compassionate novel.
This is the story of a young and widowed Meilin as she attempts to make a home for her young son, Renshu. in Changsa, Chonquing, Shanghai and many points in between in this beautifully rendered novel of love and war, migration and belonging. This is a beautiful and magical tale where a young mother consoles her young son with ancient fables. Throughout the book is the theme of an ancient scroll beautifully portraying the poetry of its many scenes and its many lessons. And one of those beautiful tales was about a legendary Peach Blossom Spring.
This is the story of a young and widowed Meilin as she attempts to make a home for her young son, Renshu. in Changsa, Chonquing, Shanghai and many points in between in this beautifully rendered novel of love and war, migration and belonging. This is a beautiful and magical tale where a young mother consoles her young son with ancient fables. Throughout the book is the theme of an ancient scroll beautifully portraying the poetry of its many scenes and its many lessons. And one of those beautiful tales was about a legendary Peach Blossom Spring.
“Within every misfortune there is a blessing, and within every blessing, the seeds of misfortune. And so it goes, until the end of time.”
“I guess the thing about Peach Blossom Spring is that if you are fortunate enough to find it, you are also unfortunate, because you have to decide what to do. Do you stay, and forgo all else? Or do you return home, with the understanding that you’ll never find it again? Is it a blessing? Is it a curse?”
“The story ends when there is nothing more to strive after. There is no more wanting. There is only the fullness of blossom, the caress of a breeze, a sky joyous with blue. This moment. This now. This peach blossom spring.”
September 4, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC!
I honestly don’t know how I’m supposed to critique this book.
Peach Blossom Spring is a historical fiction following one family through three generations, from the beginning of World War Two to the 1980s. It was beautifully written, emotional, and so perfectly representative of Chinese culture and Chinese experiences over time.
I feel like I can’t critique the characters or the plot, because it all felt so real. The characters felt like real people - for a second I actually thought this was nonfiction. The storyline, being one of those multi-generational family books, literally could not have a flaw the way a regular YA book could.
My main complaint is that it was slow in the beginning. It took me a hot second to really start reading the book and paying attention to what happened, and getting through the first half felt like a lot.
However, once I did start getting into the book, I was fully immersed.
This book was emotional. It told the story of a family quickly torn apart by war, of heirlooms and cultures lost or left behind, of relationships that couldn’t stand the test of time and distance.
Starting with Meilin in the first generation as she flees her home and the memory of her husband with her young son, Renshu, all the way through the marriage of Renshu’s daughter, Lily.
This book covered war, poverty, and tragedy. It was dark and gritty and harsh, because there’s no other way to tell these kinds of stories. It covered racism and political division and trauma. It covered the concept of home and the action of rebuilding. It went into culture and documentation and immigration.
I don’t know how to sum this book up, other than that it was a perfect summary of Chinese, and by extension Chinese-American and mixed-race experiences. It was beautiful and heartbreaking at once. I didn’t think I’d started getting attached to the events until some of the formerly important characters died, and I realized I was sad about it.
Overall, this isn’t a sweeping, epic, fast-paced story with amazingly perfect characters, and I would never want it to be. It’s furious, it’s dark, but it blooms so slowly that I didn’t appreciate its beauty until it was over and I was left with emotions.
April 1, 2022
I have just read Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu.
First of all, I must say that this is quite an impressive first novel by the Author
What a beautiful story that starts off in China and covers such a challenging time and lives of one family.
Such an ingesting storyline of Meilin as war approaches with the Japanese. Beautifully told stories and fables.
The struggles of survival, family loss and love of mother and son.
For me I was engaged with the words, information, visuals, and overall story for about half of the book. I did start to lose interest at about the halfway point and felt the story and interest level weekend as the journey transferred over to North America.
Overall, a lovely book, and a very strong first novel.
Thank You to NetGalley, Author Melissa Fu and Little Brown and Company for my advanced copy to read and review.
3.5 Stars
#PeachBlossomSpring #NetGalley
First of all, I must say that this is quite an impressive first novel by the Author
What a beautiful story that starts off in China and covers such a challenging time and lives of one family.
Such an ingesting storyline of Meilin as war approaches with the Japanese. Beautifully told stories and fables.
The struggles of survival, family loss and love of mother and son.
For me I was engaged with the words, information, visuals, and overall story for about half of the book. I did start to lose interest at about the halfway point and felt the story and interest level weekend as the journey transferred over to North America.
Overall, a lovely book, and a very strong first novel.
Thank You to NetGalley, Author Melissa Fu and Little Brown and Company for my advanced copy to read and review.
3.5 Stars
#PeachBlossomSpring #NetGalley
May 7, 2025
Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu is a historical novel that traces a family across generations, continents, and political uprisings. In 1938 China, where Renshu and his mother Meilin flee their home as the Japanese Army arrives. Carrying only a beautifully illustrated hand scroll of ancient fables, they survive years of displacement as they roam war-torn China. As an adult Renshu leaves China to the United States and becomes Henry Dao. Henry tries to distance himself from his past and his Chinese identity. I got lost with the novel once Henry reaches the United Stated. The novel was too long. It lost it’s zest in the US.
October 28, 2021
The story of a Chinese family looking to find a new home.
I found this story too slow for me and the characters hard to relate to.
I did enjoy reading about the family’s heritage and traditions.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
I found this story too slow for me and the characters hard to relate to.
I did enjoy reading about the family’s heritage and traditions.
Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 8, 2021
I INHALED this beautiful, stunningly emotional family drama,set over decades & continents, through a history I learned on the way. Rich in detail & character, this is simply unmissable
Fantastic immersive writing. One to watch in '22.
Fantastic immersive writing. One to watch in '22.
April 4, 2022
3.5 stars
Multi-generation tales of historical fiction are my jam. Peach Blossom Spring began with all the promise of a newly-opened flower. I immediately loved the setting, the characters, and the use of Chinese folktales. The use of a beautiful, antique scroll as a gateway to these folktales was also a magical touch. I was captivated by all that happened to the main characters from China to Taiwan and moved by their struggles, but when the scroll was sold and the narrative shifted to the US, the book felt completely different. Gone were the stories, the scroll, and the movement that had made the first half sparkle with vivacity. I finished the book understanding why the shift had occurred but feeling a bit adrift.
Multi-generation tales of historical fiction are my jam. Peach Blossom Spring began with all the promise of a newly-opened flower. I immediately loved the setting, the characters, and the use of Chinese folktales. The use of a beautiful, antique scroll as a gateway to these folktales was also a magical touch. I was captivated by all that happened to the main characters from China to Taiwan and moved by their struggles, but when the scroll was sold and the narrative shifted to the US, the book felt completely different. Gone were the stories, the scroll, and the movement that had made the first half sparkle with vivacity. I finished the book understanding why the shift had occurred but feeling a bit adrift.
January 30, 2023
This author could--and should--teach a masterclass in writing generational sagas. THIS is how you do it.
I absolutely loved this from start to finish, and a big part of that is how well Melissa Fu handles the generational structure and shifts from one main character to the next. It flows so smoothly because we don't make any quick jumps, but rather we get to know the character before they take center stage. We watch Renshu grow up as we're with his mother Meilin, so when the POV shifts to him, now called Henry, we already know him and are comfortable with him. And the same with his daughter Lily, who we watch grow from a newborn to a teenager before she becomes our main narrator in college. It's just such an expert way to keep you pulled in and engaged in the story even as the teller of it changes.
And each one of them has a distinct feel to their narratives. Nothing that dramatically different, but just subtle shifts in tone and attitude and outlook that distinguish Meilin from her son, and her son from his daughter. We get a real sense of each character's inner struggles and needs, which makes it so much easier to empathize with them when they say or do things that might on the surface seem wrong or foolish. With Henry especially, it would be easy to admonish him for not wanting his daughter to know about her heritage and not wanting to share his life story, but when you see the situation from his eyes and you know exactly what it is in the past and potentially the present and future that he's afraid of, you completely understand. But Lily doesn't understand and sometimes lashes out about it, but you also empathize with her even while knowing she's being unfair to her father. Just a beautifully crafted family with a stark sense of realness to them.
While these characters and specific events in their lives are fiction, a lot of this story is of course based in historical fact, and it was elucidating to learn more about Chinese and Taiwanese history in this era, about the war and the governments and what everyday citizens were subjected to and had to find any ways they could to survive. For many of us, we're extremely fortunate this is like nothing we'll ever experience, and I think reading stories like this is crucial to help gain a broader sense of insight and understanding of the plights of others.
Truly loved and appreciated every moment of this story, and incredibly impressed that this is the author's debut novel. I'm really looking forward to what else she may write!
[Content note: There is a brief scene of a sexual assault. In the hardcover Book of the Month edition, it's on page 121. It's described but not in gratuitous detail.]
I absolutely loved this from start to finish, and a big part of that is how well Melissa Fu handles the generational structure and shifts from one main character to the next. It flows so smoothly because we don't make any quick jumps, but rather we get to know the character before they take center stage. We watch Renshu grow up as we're with his mother Meilin, so when the POV shifts to him, now called Henry, we already know him and are comfortable with him. And the same with his daughter Lily, who we watch grow from a newborn to a teenager before she becomes our main narrator in college. It's just such an expert way to keep you pulled in and engaged in the story even as the teller of it changes.
And each one of them has a distinct feel to their narratives. Nothing that dramatically different, but just subtle shifts in tone and attitude and outlook that distinguish Meilin from her son, and her son from his daughter. We get a real sense of each character's inner struggles and needs, which makes it so much easier to empathize with them when they say or do things that might on the surface seem wrong or foolish. With Henry especially, it would be easy to admonish him for not wanting his daughter to know about her heritage and not wanting to share his life story, but when you see the situation from his eyes and you know exactly what it is in the past and potentially the present and future that he's afraid of, you completely understand. But Lily doesn't understand and sometimes lashes out about it, but you also empathize with her even while knowing she's being unfair to her father. Just a beautifully crafted family with a stark sense of realness to them.
While these characters and specific events in their lives are fiction, a lot of this story is of course based in historical fact, and it was elucidating to learn more about Chinese and Taiwanese history in this era, about the war and the governments and what everyday citizens were subjected to and had to find any ways they could to survive. For many of us, we're extremely fortunate this is like nothing we'll ever experience, and I think reading stories like this is crucial to help gain a broader sense of insight and understanding of the plights of others.
Truly loved and appreciated every moment of this story, and incredibly impressed that this is the author's debut novel. I'm really looking forward to what else she may write!
[Content note: There is a brief scene of a sexual assault. In the hardcover Book of the Month edition, it's on page 121. It's described but not in gratuitous detail.]
December 9, 2022
So many stories from a family’s past are hidden, and future generations often find themselves stumbling over rocks in paths never to be understood, behaviours of avoidance or unexplained fears or part of fragmented cultural morés which make no sense out of context. Peach Blossom Spring brings these themes into sharp focus as it lovingly shares what will become Lily Dao’s life, with her father Henry (a name chosen other than Renshu) and mother Rachel, as she tries to make sense of her world often with little to no information.
The “back story”- actually the epic history of Henry/Renshu Dao- is really more centre stage here, the building of his lifetime and lifetimes before him in China. Prior to modern war machines, recent memory of invasion in our world, Renshu’s grandfather was a successful antique dealer whose third wife gave him sons. One married Meilin, who brought with her from her father’s shop, an exquisitely illustrated scroll among other pieces of her personal wealth and whose two sons were conscripted upon the Japanese invasion.
The disruption, the horror, the grief and transformation of a China razed by WWII is Meilen’s journey in the book, a parallel story shared by many thousands of citizens. Ingenuity, luck and the care of strangers eventually lead Meilen and Renshu to Taiwan.
Interwoven are Chinese folk tales, mainly those revealed as the rare and precious scroll is unrolled bit by bit, teaching the value of Renshu’s mother’s considerations, their deep cultural heart.
Meilen and Renshu are separated when he achieves the opportunity for an American university education. She is torn but so proud.
The complexity of retrieving documentation from a war ravaged and hostile country, the challenges of being “other”- Henry’s experience is fraught with painful hurdles. His mother lovingly asks that he might grow an orchard like those they remembered in China. Henry is consumed with keeping all of his loved ones safe.
There is so much delicacy in this story. When I read the author’s personal history surrounding her own Chinese father, I recognized the wishfulness yet her careful thinking through of these fragile relationships. How could a mountain of boulders, cemented by tragedy, anger, fear and grief ever become softened ? Melissa Fu found the seed and held it gently to the end of this lovely novel, a masterful creation.
Five blooming stars.
The “back story”- actually the epic history of Henry/Renshu Dao- is really more centre stage here, the building of his lifetime and lifetimes before him in China. Prior to modern war machines, recent memory of invasion in our world, Renshu’s grandfather was a successful antique dealer whose third wife gave him sons. One married Meilin, who brought with her from her father’s shop, an exquisitely illustrated scroll among other pieces of her personal wealth and whose two sons were conscripted upon the Japanese invasion.
The disruption, the horror, the grief and transformation of a China razed by WWII is Meilen’s journey in the book, a parallel story shared by many thousands of citizens. Ingenuity, luck and the care of strangers eventually lead Meilen and Renshu to Taiwan.
Interwoven are Chinese folk tales, mainly those revealed as the rare and precious scroll is unrolled bit by bit, teaching the value of Renshu’s mother’s considerations, their deep cultural heart.
Meilen and Renshu are separated when he achieves the opportunity for an American university education. She is torn but so proud.
The complexity of retrieving documentation from a war ravaged and hostile country, the challenges of being “other”- Henry’s experience is fraught with painful hurdles. His mother lovingly asks that he might grow an orchard like those they remembered in China. Henry is consumed with keeping all of his loved ones safe.
There is so much delicacy in this story. When I read the author’s personal history surrounding her own Chinese father, I recognized the wishfulness yet her careful thinking through of these fragile relationships. How could a mountain of boulders, cemented by tragedy, anger, fear and grief ever become softened ? Melissa Fu found the seed and held it gently to the end of this lovely novel, a masterful creation.
Five blooming stars.
May 13, 2025
"Lately , she's been dreaming of frost. It has been decades since she's had a deep winter. She craves the silence of snow, a sleeping season, a rest."
The first part of this book about Meilin and her son is fascinating but then I began to lose interest when we got to Lily. Lily seems to be just a typical American with typical American thoughts and therefor not very interesting.
The first part of this book about Meilin and her son is fascinating but then I began to lose interest when we got to Lily. Lily seems to be just a typical American with typical American thoughts and therefor not very interesting.
July 29, 2025
This is a beautifully written story about three generations of a Chinese family. When Japan invades China, Meilin and her young son Renshu are forced to flee. They move from place to place seeking a better life. Among her possessions is a scroll with a beautiful painting. She unrolls it every night and reads a story to her son.
As a young man, Renshu has the opportunity to go to America to study, but he must leave his beloved mother behind
Renshu never heals from the tragic events that he endured as a child. He never speaks about his life in China and Taiwan. Even after his daughter, Lily question him about her heritage. He tells Lily he could never talk about it.
This is a compelling story that you will not soon forget.
As a young man, Renshu has the opportunity to go to America to study, but he must leave his beloved mother behind
Renshu never heals from the tragic events that he endured as a child. He never speaks about his life in China and Taiwan. Even after his daughter, Lily question him about her heritage. He tells Lily he could never talk about it.
This is a compelling story that you will not soon forget.
June 8, 2023
The Historical narration by the mother: Meilin was the strongest part of the novel.
While the weakest section was Renshu's American journey.
The granddaughter Lily struggling with her family heritage was more heartbreaking than anything after all that Meilin sacrificed and did for Renshu.
I connected with Meilin the most and wish she would have been an even bigger part of the novel, but due to the lack of connection with other characters, their narrative sections were less enjoyable.
Stuck at a 3 star. Still worth a read.
While the weakest section was Renshu's American journey.
The granddaughter Lily struggling with her family heritage was more heartbreaking than anything after all that Meilin sacrificed and did for Renshu.
I connected with Meilin the most and wish she would have been an even bigger part of the novel, but due to the lack of connection with other characters, their narrative sections were less enjoyable.
Stuck at a 3 star. Still worth a read.
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