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A review by utopiastateofmind
Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Peach Blossom Spring is one of those novels which feels multi-layered. This stems from the fact that it's multi-generational and so we get the story of Meilin, Renshu and Lily. These three characters, connected by family, are also all navigating identity, survival, and connection to our home, in different ways. I loved Meilin's story - which feels the most historical fiction - as she flees the Japanese soldiers. Her story is one of resistance through existence and the adapting needs of survival.
Her story is one of hardship in various forms. How it can steal innocence and childhood away. There were parts of it that were chilling and it was emotional from start to finish. As it transitions towards Renshu, it becomes about how this piece of home and trauma becomes a piece of us. For Meilin and Renshu, they deal with the loss of home differently. When we lose everything, what ends up haunting us? For Renshu, living in the US becomes a balancing act of opportunity and safety.
Peach Blossom Spring is one of those novels which feels multi-layered. This stems from the fact that it's multi-generational and so we get the story of Meilin, Renshu and Lily. These three characters, connected by family, are also all navigating identity, survival, and connection to our home, in different ways. I loved Meilin's story - which feels the most historical fiction - as she flees the Japanese soldiers. Her story is one of resistance through existence and the adapting needs of survival.
Her story is one of hardship in various forms. How it can steal innocence and childhood away. There were parts of it that were chilling and it was emotional from start to finish. As it transitions towards Renshu, it becomes about how this piece of home and trauma becomes a piece of us. For Meilin and Renshu, they deal with the loss of home differently. When we lose everything, what ends up haunting us? For Renshu, living in the US becomes a balancing act of opportunity and safety.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape