A review by serendipitysbooks
Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • 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

4.0

 Peach Blossom Spring hit one of my reading sweet spots - the combination of historical fiction and multi-generational family saga. It follows three generations of the Dao family from 1938 to 2005, from China to the United States by way of Taiwan. This was a tumultuous period in Chinese history in which the invasion by Japan, which became subsumed in World War II, coincided with a civil war between the Nationalists and Communists, which eventually led to the Nationalists and their supporters retreating to Taiwan. It was against this background, one of much loss for the family, that we witness Meilin’s struggles to keep herself and her son Renshu safe and to build a future for them. Renshu eventually goes to America to study, marries and has a daughter Lily, becoming known as Henry along the way. I loved the way Chinese folklore was woven into the story and the way that stories and the precious scroll forged a bond between Meilin and Renshu, providing wisdom and comfort during harsh, uncertain times. The title of the novel comes from a famous Chinese fable, one that offers many parallels with this story. I appreciated the book’s explorations of themes like identity, parent-child relationships, roots and migration. I was especially interested in the rift between Lily and Henry over matters of Chinese identity - her need to know more vs his desire to forget and to protect - and how both of them found a measure of contentment after Henry finally felt able to share the family history with her.
 
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