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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
This story is told by three narrators and I sped through Meilin’s story. Her resilience and drive to just survive and protect Renshu were so engaging. Henry’s narrative was different…sad, paranoid—a product of a lifetime of trauma. His relationships with his wife and daughter—his isolation—made me sad. It took me a long time to get through his storyline. Lily’s story picked back up with a relatable character but not as much emotional depth. The conclusion the book provided the kind of resolution I was hoping for between Henry & Lily.
The story sucks you in and makes you feel as if you’re a Chinese war refugee during WW2 with the Japanese invasion alongside Meilin and Renshu. As Peach Blossom Spring progresses, you journey alongside the characters as they grapple with the after-effects of the war, a changing China, and new lives in America. It was very hard to put down Peach Blossom Spring. The story invokes a ton of emotion and sends the reader a lot of powerful messages. Easily one of the best books I have read in a long time.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
2.5 stars rounded up.
There were moments in the book, especially at the beginning, where the writing was beautiful. However, there was too much telling and rapid fire events to draw me in as a reader. The author chronologically covers almost 70 years in less than 400 pages. Issues that arise are rapidly solved and we don’t linger long enough with the character’s emotions to fully feel the impact of the tragedies this family faced. Additionally, the prose is rather stilted, using short and repetitive words and sentences.
“He waves back. Triumphant, elated. A friend next to him throws an arm around his shoulder. Renshu gestures towards Meilin and his friend sees her. He, too, gives her a huge grin. She waves again. The boys wave one last time, then disappear into the crowd of passengers.”
I enjoyed the beginning of the story set in China and Taiwan, learning about the Chinese politics during WWII and the civil war, but it really lost steam for me as it shifted focus to the son and the setting moved to the US.
There were moments in the book, especially at the beginning, where the writing was beautiful. However, there was too much telling and rapid fire events to draw me in as a reader. The author chronologically covers almost 70 years in less than 400 pages. Issues that arise are rapidly solved and we don’t linger long enough with the character’s emotions to fully feel the impact of the tragedies this family faced. Additionally, the prose is rather stilted, using short and repetitive words and sentences.
“He waves back. Triumphant, elated. A friend next to him throws an arm around his shoulder. Renshu gestures towards Meilin and his friend sees her. He, too, gives her a huge grin. She waves again. The boys wave one last time, then disappear into the crowd of passengers.”
I enjoyed the beginning of the story set in China and Taiwan, learning about the Chinese politics during WWII and the civil war, but it really lost steam for me as it shifted focus to the son and the setting moved to the US.
It took me a bit to really get into this. The first bit set in China was hard to follow and I started to lose interest. But once the son moves to the US and it becomes a book about the immigrant experience, I started to really enjoy it. Ultimately, this becomes a book about China and the ways in which they committed numerous human rights abuses against their own people. And how that trauma has carried down through the generations. The characters felt very real here. An impressive debut!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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:
Complicated
I enjoyed this book that follows three generations of a Chinese family as they endure war and seek refuge. The healing power of storytelling is beautifully illustrated through Meiling’s tapestry-centered tales. And when her son Renshu refuses to share those stories (as they are too painful a reminder and) with his daughter Lily, she is left disconnected from her heritage yet longing for connection. Eventually, the family learns to find their peach blossom spring, their home.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
informative
inspiring
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:
Yes
Loved the storytelling throughout. I thought the last third was rushed and Meilins life was completely left out.
I just finished this book. Writing a review so shortly after finishing it might be a mistake because I'm still processing. But I needed to share with the world how much I love this book pretty much immediately.
Spanning several decades and following generations of the Dao family, this novel reminds me of other generational sagas such as Pachinko and The Joy Luck Club. As much as I enjoy Chinese history, my interests are usually with dynastic history and less with more modern events. I'm sadly ignorant about the Chinese Civil War and while I knew of the fraught relationship between China and Japan, this book really opened my eyes to the complicated history of my own grandparents' generation. It's sad. It's also too common a story in any war torn country.
Renshu's story is so similar to my parents' stories. Not the events, not the cultures, but the feeling of displacement, assimilation, and doing what you believe is best for your children not realizing that it's harming them. I always identify with stories from the children of immigrants and Lily's story really hit home.
Beyond my emotional connection to the story, Melissa Fu is a fantastic storyteller. Her imagery is so vivid, it felt like each page was another part of a scroll revealing itself panel by panel. I still came away with questions, there are mysteries unsolved, but I'm satisfied with the ending. Life is filled with questions that will never be answered, regrets and what-ifs. It makes Peach Blossom Spring feel more human and real. This being Fu's debut novel makes me incredibly excited for what she'll produce next. I'll be waiting!
Spanning several decades and following generations of the Dao family, this novel reminds me of other generational sagas such as Pachinko and The Joy Luck Club. As much as I enjoy Chinese history, my interests are usually with dynastic history and less with more modern events. I'm sadly ignorant about the Chinese Civil War and while I knew of the fraught relationship between China and Japan, this book really opened my eyes to the complicated history of my own grandparents' generation. It's sad. It's also too common a story in any war torn country.
Renshu's story is so similar to my parents' stories. Not the events, not the cultures, but the feeling of displacement, assimilation, and doing what you believe is best for your children not realizing that it's harming them. I always identify with stories from the children of immigrants and Lily's story really hit home.
Beyond my emotional connection to the story, Melissa Fu is a fantastic storyteller. Her imagery is so vivid, it felt like each page was another part of a scroll revealing itself panel by panel. I still came away with questions, there are mysteries unsolved, but I'm satisfied with the ending. Life is filled with questions that will never be answered, regrets and what-ifs. It makes Peach Blossom Spring feel more human and real. This being Fu's debut novel makes me incredibly excited for what she'll produce next. I'll be waiting!