You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Scan barcode
mondovertigo's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Bullying
wishesandpages's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and War
Moderate: Child death, Rape, and Death of parent
ambersbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’d give this book 100 stars if I could. I loved the history lesson, which I fully expected and was looking forward to when I started it. I wasn’t anticipating to be punched in the guts by the mother/son bond or all of the sacrifices she made for his safety and happiness. Leks was sleeping next to me every time I picked it up and it was incredibly emotional.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Racial slurs
grantsharpies's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Death of parent, and War
readingwithkelsey's review against another edition
4.0
I received an eARC copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I have been reading reviews for this book, and I am amazed that this is a debut novel! It completely captivated me from the first sentence. Fu's prose is really beautiful and you really understand the situation they are in and their surrounding setting. The novel switches between three perspectives following the three generations of a Chinese family. Renshu and Lily were great characters on their own, but I had such a pull to Meilin's character specifically - she had such strength and resilience to do the best for her son. Henry's chapters, especially those concerning his relationship with his daughter Lily and shielding her from his traumatic childhood, hit me. The author was inspired by her own history and I think you can really feel the love she has for this story and her own family within the pages. I love family sagas in novels and I think Fu did a fantastic job blending the different generations and the individual struggles they faced. Some else I love when an author does is integrate the title in a meaningful way throughout the novel, and I absolutely adored the way this title ebbed and flowed throughout the differing scenes and themes. This was so beautiful and I highly recommend this.
I have been reading reviews for this book, and I am amazed that this is a debut novel! It completely captivated me from the first sentence. Fu's prose is really beautiful and you really understand the situation they are in and their surrounding setting. The novel switches between three perspectives following the three generations of a Chinese family. Renshu and Lily were great characters on their own, but I had such a pull to Meilin's character specifically - she had such strength and resilience to do the best for her son. Henry's chapters, especially those concerning his relationship with his daughter Lily and shielding her from his traumatic childhood, hit me. The author was inspired by her own history and I think you can really feel the love she has for this story and her own family within the pages. I love family sagas in novels and I think Fu did a fantastic job blending the different generations and the individual struggles they faced. Some else I love when an author does is integrate the title in a meaningful way throughout the novel, and I absolutely adored the way this title ebbed and flowed throughout the differing scenes and themes. This was so beautiful and I highly recommend this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and War
Moderate: Xenophobia
jextown's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Xenophobia, and War
kstep0's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Rape, Grief, and War
lvr105's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Violence, Grief, and War
Moderate: Child death, Death, Racism, and Death of parent
kindredbooks's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I received an e-galley of Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu from Little, Brown Company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Peach Blossom Spring follows the story of a multi-generational Chinese family as the members find themselves on the move as events on a national and international level force them to keep fleeing for survival. The story first begins in the late 1930s in China and the historical events of that time - Japanese invasion, World War II, and the Chinese Civil War - provide the backdrop for the characters. We follow Meilin and her son Renshu as they move through China and across oceans in hope for a place to call home. A historical novel like this is so important because it really is more of a personal historical story. While you can read accounts of the "facts" of these historical events - stories like this show the more personal histories (and HERstories) that happened to the people who had to live out these time periods. I really liked Meilin - her strength, her love for her son, and her resilience and determination in the face of some really challenging life events.
Peach Blossom Spring follows the story of a multi-generational Chinese family as the members find themselves on the move as events on a national and international level force them to keep fleeing for survival. The story first begins in the late 1930s in China and the historical events of that time - Japanese invasion, World War II, and the Chinese Civil War - provide the backdrop for the characters. We follow Meilin and her son Renshu as they move through China and across oceans in hope for a place to call home. A historical novel like this is so important because it really is more of a personal historical story. While you can read accounts of the "facts" of these historical events - stories like this show the more personal histories (and HERstories) that happened to the people who had to live out these time periods. I really liked Meilin - her strength, her love for her son, and her resilience and determination in the face of some really challenging life events.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and War
haleysversion's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail