An epic, powerful and intensely personal debut about war, migration, family and the search for a place to call home, for fans of Pachinko, Wild Swans and All the Light We Cannot See.
It is 1938 in China, and the Japanese are advancing. A young mother, Meilin, is forced to flee her burning city with her four-year-old son, Renshu, and embark on an epic journey across China. For comfort, they turn to their most treasured possession – a beautifully illustrated hand scroll. Its ancient fables offer solace and wisdom as they travel through their ravaged country, seeking refuge.
Years later, Renshu has settled in America as Henry Dao. His daughter is desperate to understand her heritage, but he refuses to talk about his childhood. How can he keep his family safe in this new land when the weight of his history threatens to drag them down?
Spanning continents and generations, Peach Blossom Spring is a bold and moving look at the history of modern China, told through the story of one family. It’s about the power of our past, the hope for a better future, and the search for a place to call home.
Peach Blossom Spring is a remarkable debut from Melissa Fu, an academic with a background in physics and English who has now turned her hand to writing. This sweeping novel is a work of fiction, but it is inspired by the story of Fu’s father, who was born in China and grew up in Taiwan, before establishing his career and family in the United States. When he finally shared the details of his life story, Fu was inspired to undertake extensive research on China’s tumultuous 20th century, which eventuated in this novel.
Fu’s meticulous research is evident in the detail in which she describes Meilin and Renshu’s journey through China to flee to Taiwan, as the Sino-Japanese war raged around them. Beginning in 1938, chapters journey through parts of China, Taiwan and America, all the way up until 2005. The narration moves between Meilin, Renshu and his daughter, Lily. By covering three generations of history, Fu weaves together a remarkable tapestry that tells of the upheaval of migration, fleeing war, and establishing oneself in a new country, all while dealing with racial prejudice and intergenerational trauma. With themes of war and seeking refuge still all too prevalent in today’s world, Peach Blossom Spring will leave its mark on a wide range of readers.
Peach Blossom Spring is an impressive debut novel, which takes readers on a moving story with one family, crossing continents and generations. I recommend Peach Blossom Spring to readers interested in Chinese history and sweeping historical fiction.
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