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maritay918's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The picture into post WW2 America as it relates to immigrants, especially Chinese immigrants was not surprising, just disappointing. While I hated who Henry/Renshu became, I understood it. I am so very glad she allowed for redemption there. And even for Lily. Loved seeing her growth.
Stupendous work Melissa Fu!
Graphic: War
Moderate: Xenophobia, Rape, and Racial slurs
Minor: Suicide
moon_peach's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, War, Child death, and Racial slurs
owlsreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Graphic: War and Rape
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
- 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
"Peach Blossom Spring" is a beautiful story that follows one Chinese family through decades. In 1938, Meilin and her four-year-old son believe that the future is bright, until the Japanese army start their invasion. Forced to flee their home, Meilin uses her charisma and wit to find refuge for her and her son. When Renshu is older, he has the opportunity to study in America, which is what he does under the name "Henry Dao". When he has a family of his own and a beautiful daughter named Lily, he refuses to talk about her heritage, and where he came from. Lily really struggles with not knowing anything about half of her.
This story was absolutely beautiful. Although the book spanned decades, it felt very well paced, and I was very satisfied with the story we did get from each of the characters.
I felt that one topic this book really explored well was the idea of identity. Henry saw his mother struggle, and he worked hard to create a better life for himself in America. He sacrificed being able to go back home so that he could continue to build his life in America. But Lily just saw her father keeping secrets and not sharing his heritage with her. She wanted to understand her family and to know where she came from, but those questions brought up difficult feelings for Henry. Henry was too close to the war to be able to comfortably talk about his Chinese self, while Lily was frustrated. It was devastating, heartbreaking, and critical to see three generations' reaction to their own story.
I really appreciated Lily's character because it pushed Henry to look back on his life and the sacrifices his own mother made for him. He is a good father, doing only what he believed is best for his only daughter, but she never allowed him to completely lose his past.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a heartwarming story about family and identity.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Hate crime, War, Xenophobia, Death, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Moderate: Colonisation and Rape
darkhorse488's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Xenophobia, War, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
roguephoenix7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I'm glad I stuck through with this book, I definitely found it a worthwhile read.
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: War and Child death
Minor: Racism, Xenophobia, and Racial slurs
qiaosilin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Bullying, Xenophobia, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: War, Sexual assault, Racism, Rape, and Grief
Minor: Child death and Death
samlo28's review against another edition
3.75
i always like the idea of a generational story more than the story itself. when covering such a large period of time, a lot of events are just told to the reader which leads to a sense of detachment. i also find the transition from the first main character to the next main character dissatisfying.
that being said, i still enjoyed PEACH BLOSSOM SPRING, especially the first half that focused more on meilin. i was moved by her thoughtfulness and strength in the face of such horrors. i also loved the incorporation of stories and their importance.
unfortunately when the focus of the story shifted to renshu/henry, my enjoyment wavered. i understood his actions and decision-making process but it made for a tedious reading experience. my interest picked back up a bit with lily and i feel like the ending was strong, but it never quite reached the highs of the first half.
Graphic: War and Rape
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Racial slurs and Xenophobia
strom007's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, War, and Xenophobia
oceanwriter's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
I've read generational stories before, but I don't think any quite like this, following three generations in so much detail with great fluidity. I loved all of the main characters. I felt like I was there with them even though this is a culture I'm only superficially acquainted with. I was going through their tragedies with them and was overjoyed by any good fortune. I also learned a lot about Chinese traditions as well as bits of history I plumb never questioned. It never occurred to me China was also a target of Japan during WWII. If I knew, it didn't register. I knew more about what came after but even then not in much detail. This book also illustrated life for a Chinese/Taiwanese immigrant in America in the 20th Century, eventually coming to a crossroads when it came time to raise children in a new place and the conflict between newfound freedom and heritage.
A book spanning so many decades typically runs the risk of being too dragged out or having too much crammed in, but Peach Blossom Spring has fantastic pacing. It highlights important moments in the characters' lives while respectfully skipping past the less exciting years and moments or revisiting them in hindsight. There is no unnecessary information tossed around. I hope Melissa Fu has more novels planned for the future. Her writing is exquisite.
Graphic: War, Child death, Death of parent, Death, and Rape
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia