This is a truly epic story spanning over 60 years. It is a beautifully written historical novel taking the reader through the history of China from the start of World War 2. I really enjoyed the time spent in China and Taiwan, learning the history, and folktales. The writing is so lovely and really brings the time, people and place so evocatively to life. All the characters are very compelling but Meilin is just that bit more perfectly crafted. The story is fiction but you can tell by the writing and the care that the author has taken with the story that it also a personal story. This is a fantastic debut novel.

This book is a family saga starting from China during the 1938 to Taiwan and to the United States, spanning from 1938 till the 2000. This is a story of an emotional family story of a woman named Meilin and her son Renshu.

The story starts with Meilin and Renshu escaping from the city in China to escape from the Japanese. After the Japanese lost the war and communism is threatening to grip mainland China, Meilin and Renshu then escapes to Taiwan to start new life. They have a beautifully illustrated scroll filled with ancient fables and folk stories to find solace and gain knowledge about wisdom. Then Renshu, gets a scholarship to America, where he is then known as Henry Dao. He gets married to an American woman named Rachel and together they have a daughter named Lily. The ending mainly focus on the life in America, how Henry tries to get into the American culture by even forbidding his own daughter to learn Chinese and facing daily racism.

There are so many things I liked about this book. This book reminded me a little of Good Earth by Pearl S Buck. Though the story itself is fictional, the ordeal that Meilin and Renshu went through while escaping from the Japanese and later from the communists were all too realistic and horrifying. Both mother and son endured many hardships along the journey particularly when leaving China and moving to Taiwan with false papers. I do like the mother and son relationship between the two and I have to say, the author has done tremendous research about the life back in those days. The writing is written beautifully, captivating readers like us and I was hooked into the book. One that drew me very close to the story was the stories that Meilin shared with Renshu while journeying together, through the scroll they had--I love learning about different countries' folk tales and so I actually enjoyed reading them, particularly about "Peach Blossom Spring" and the "The Girl who fought against the Serpent." The racism that Henry faced was all too realistic although I do like the slow romantic relationship between Rachel and Henry. I also liked Lily's character as well. The ending was emotional but at the same time, I really enjoyed the ending!

If you like a good historical family saga fiction, Peach Blossom Spring will be perfect. A truly emotional, story that will captivate your heart till the end! Worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

A journey of over 60 years spans three generations in this ultimately hopeful tale of finding your happy place. In 1938, young widow Meilin and her little son Renshu are caught up in the chaos of the Japanese invasion of China, the subsequent fallout of World War II and the battle between Communists and Kuomingtan for control of China. As refugees, they travel from place to place on a journey that takes them through China to Taiwan, and, for Renshu, even further afield. As they travel, Meilin relates old Chinese fables, including the one of a man who finds paradise in a place called Peach Blossom Spring. But if he stays there. he'll have to leave all his old life behind.
Peach Blossom Spring gives this book its title and its theme - can we turn our back on the past, and is the future always going to be a better, brighter place? Or does Paradise come at a cost?
I really enjoyed this story. Meilin is an amazing character - strong, resilient and loving, and always optimistic. Renshu is more complicated but always empathetic, and his daughter, Lily is the perfect combination of them both.
The flowing narrative immerses the reader in the history and atmosphere of China - you really feel you're there, in the the little shops lit with kerosene lamps, in the markets selling snow pears, in Meilin's hillside homelands, on the dangerous swelling rivers that take Meilin and Renshu ever onwards on their journey, and the bustle of Taiwan.
Though the little family finds ways to thrive and survive, making good friends along the way, the background of political turmoil, and the constant threat of China's icy grip on individuals, no matter how far out of reach they seem, keeps the tension going.
It's a long book, and I felt it got a little laboured towards the end, but I still really enjoyed it, and would definitely recommend it.

Spanning over 70 years, 'Peach Blossom Spring' by Melissa Fu follows the fortunes and misfortunes of three generations of the same Chinese family. Beginning in 1938, Meilin and her son Renshu are forced to flee their home with their sister in law and her children to escape Japanese invasion. Years, later Renshu (now called Henry Dao) lives in America with his daughter Lily. She is eager to understand their families past, while he wants to escape it.

Although Fu concentrates on one family, her novel educates the reader about events in China. She weaves in Chinese Fables to support the narrative, and her characters are well drawn. However, I have to admit I didn't become absorbed in the story. One explanations for this I think, is that the narrative is very linear and whilst at times multiple perspectives are used, there are often long stretches when one character is main narrator. This meant there was little light and shade in the novel (often it was all shade), which left it feeling a bit one note. Nonetheless, this is a beautiful historical novel.

Just love to shake my reading up a bit and immerse myself in another era and another continent and I wasn’t disappointed A captivating debut novel by Melissa Fu spanning the lives of 3 generations of a Chinese family. Torn apart by war and migration they all have something in common, a search for a sense of identity and belonging and a connection to their homeland.

Thanks to Netgalley the author and publishers for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

This was a wonderful, emotional read. It has such depth behind it, such a gorgeous cover and characters that stay with you for a long time.

Book review: Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu 4/5⭐
This is a beautiful historical fiction novel set in 1938 China during the Second World War where Japan is invading the country and our main characters have to flee their home.

At its core this book is a character driven surival story. Which is centered around our main character Meilin who does everything to protect her son Ronshu.🤱🏻 She and Ronshu move around the country and even go to Taiwan to save themselves from the Japanese as well as the civil war that follows.

It is sometimes hard to read about these moments where they again need to leave the place that gave them safety and friendship for a second. However, Melissa Fu makes the story beautiful by adding some myhtological elements through a beautiful antique handscroll.📜 Meilin tells her son ancient fables through the scroll which gives both of them as well as the reader hope.🙌

The character development of Meilin and Ronshu is amazingly done. When the narrative shifts from the stubborn and strong Meilin to the smart and frightenend Ronshu it does so seemlessly. And when we get the POV of Ronshu's biracial daughter and her struggle to find her identity, it is done so beautifully that you really want to yell at Ronshu for exclusing her from her Chinese heritage.
Overall the writing style, characters and story was amazing. I cannot believe this is Melissa Fu's debut. Cannot wait to see what comes next!🥰

Well, this is now on my top reads of the year!

Peach Blossom Spring is beautifully written, it reminded me of The Mountains Sing and Pachinko (read these if you like historical fiction and if you haven't! read them yet)

It covers the timeline of a Chinese family caught in war, where they have lots of struggles and challenges to overcome to find a better life. The story is told through decades, the first half of the book covers Meillin and her son in China and Taiwan, whereas the second one covers her son's life and generation in America.

Even though it is a work of fiction, I learned so much from this book. That's one of my favourite things of reading historical fiction.

However, it can get a bit dense at times. It is not a book to read very fast. It took me longer than usual to finish it because of that. But I enjoyed the journey so much. What a great debut!

TW: there is a rape scene, it is not very detailed or explicit though.

This was definitely a book of highs and lows for me. I thought the premise was really interesting, and I love reading books about different cultures, as I feel I’m learning something as well as enjoying the read, I thought the way Melissa had described things was really lovely and paints a clear picture of what it is she is describing.

However, I found it hard to really lose myself in. The sentences are very short and snappy which changes the flow for me, and I found it difficult to really get into it because of this as I was focussed more on the writing style rather than what was happening.

It is very character focussed instead of plot focussed, but I didn’t find the characters particularly standout and so I struggled with following their story.

Had promise but sadly not for me. I have seen numerous 5 star reviews for this so it’s clearly my opinion rather than a problem with the book.

Peach Blossom Spring is a beautifully written, powerful tale that deftly weaves Chinese fables into a family saga that spans decades, highlighting the significant role of storytelling in remembrance and keeping our past alive.

The first half of the book takes place in an unstable and dangerous period of China’s history - the second Sino-Japanese war - where we follow Meilin on a journey to keep her son Renshu safe as she flees. By reading ancient fables she is able to maintain some hope for the future, but at the centre of this novel is a heartbreaking dichotomy - whether it’s a blessing or a curse to leave the past behind. Loyalty to family, yourself and ultimately to your country haunts Meilin, and this struggle echoes throughout the novel itself.

In the book’s second half, following the next generation of characters in America, we see characters such as Henry struggling to reconcile with their heritage, clinging to the past but fearing to talk about their experiences, all while enduring the racism of 20th century America. The fact that this novel is based on the writer’s own father’s experiences is particularly poignant, and adds to the authenticity and grace of the prose, which is richly immersive and evocative throughout.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this book and particularly enjoyed the first half and the focus on Meilin’s story. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for an advance e-ARC of this book.

I really wanted to love this but sadly did not. I think with a little more editing and guidance, this could have been brilliant, but the writing was a bit all over the place. I loved the setting and the premise and wanted to follow this family and feel what they were going through. For this, it is really necessary to connect to the main characters through having the writing feel personal and intimate. The book only succeeded in doing this very now and then. Whenever Melissa Fu did set up this personal touch and I was able to follow along the moment - it was brilliant. But sadly for the most part it felt like rushed narration to get from situation A to situation B. These rushed narrations felt detached and impersonal and well - rushed. I think Melissa was trying to push too timeline and too many key events into one small book. If she had concentrated on a shorter period and the narration would have stayed as intimately and close as it was when we were following along specific situations, I would have loved this book.

I enjoyed this very much. It reminded me a little of Wild Swans, but this was about those who escaped from communist China and settled in Taiwan, which I found very interesting. Really awful what they went through and how they survived, also how things were when emigrating to the States. I thought the characters were well drawn and believable. A very interesting, satisfying read.

“Within every misfortune there is a blessing, and within every blessing, the seeds of misfortune. And so it goes, until the end of time.”

This was such a beautiful story (and debut!) that spans across multiple generations and countries. Thank you so much to Wildfire for the ARC!

It begins with Meilin, a young woman trying hard to bring up her son Renshu in the context of a war-torn China. The nature of their constant displacement means that they must travel across the country, and then leave China, in search of safety. As Renshu grows into an adult, the book begins to follow his life as he struggles to assimilate in a different country - and then finally, the focus shifts to Lily, his daughter, as she struggles to piece together her dual heritage.

It is gorgeously written and extremely immersive; details are intricately interwoven throughout the novel to give small encounters greater significance and meaning later on. I loved the way in which the core themes were tackled - it is rare to see such depth, humanity and understanding within topics of war, displacement, cultural assimilation, and heritage. I am sure that many readers with dual heritage will find a lot of resonance in these pages. I also adored the analogy of the orchard and how this was constantly revisited - a symbol of family, ancestry, identity, and mental flourish, as well as solace in roots that are established and secure. It was stunning.

However, what I loved the most was the speed and intensity to which I became so deeply invested in the characters. Meilin in particular is probably one of the best characters I’ve ever read. She was strong, determined, resourceful and resilient, and I was rooting for her with all of my being. Her hardships were deeply felt, and at many parts I cried for her. It is rare to find a book that characterises so well whilst also establishing multiple rich settings around the world.

Overall, I think this is one to watch in 2022. It is out on 17th March and I am predicting it will be deservedly very successful.

A beautifully deep family saga across the generations which combines historical truth with the author’s magical imagination to form a wonderful story.
This is already one of my top reads of 2022 and it’s only January!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

Peach Blossom Spring tells the intergenerational story, spanning almost 70 years, of Meilin, her son Renshu/Henry and, eventually, his daughter Lily. Meilin and Renshu undertake a series of perilous journeys to escape war and poverty in China, before eventually settling in Taiwan in 1950, with Renshu immigrating to the USA for postgraduate study and eventually settling there.

Peach Blossom Spring is an exceptional novel. The prose is beautiful, while also being restrained and precise, and the telling of the suffering experienced by Meilin and Renshu is all the more impactful for it. I found I wanted to read this book slowly and savour every word. I cared very much about Meilin and Renshu, and became very invested in them overcoming the adversity they faced. Another strong feature of Peach Blossom Spring is the sense of dislocation, beginning with the geographical dislocation caused by fleeing from war and deprivation, but which becomes many different types of dislocation – cultural, familial, lingual, mythical – that echo through the years and later generations, which is very skillfully and subtly achieved. I can see Peach Blossom Spring being taught on university literature courses, and Melissa Fu definitely deserves all the awards and plaudits that I’m certain are coming her way.

"There is a comfort, too, in the realisation that nothing can take his learning away. Unlike land, gold, treasures, food or even people, once he understands something, it is his to keep forever".

Trigger warning: rape.

Peach Blossom Spring follows three generations through Chinese history, beginning with the second Sino-Japanese war, leading into the battle between the KMT and CCP and the aftermath. We follow one family through extraordinary times and share their highs and their lows.

What a glorious, generational novel. The style is a combination of the Korean novel Pachinko mixed with Lisa See in the detail and scene setting. I have a degree in Chinese yet I felt the book did more for teaching the recent history of China and the impact on the citizens than my history lessons.

The book is not an easy read but it is an eye-opening novel that covers so much in a short period of time. Have your tissues ready!

Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc.

This book starts in 1938 when the Japanese are advancing in to China.

It is a really heartbreaking look at how young people had to flee their burning cities.

They can’t take much, but have to travel miles to escape.
The treasured possession - a beautifully illustrated hand scroll- offers comfort and wisdom as they escape.

Once settled in America the family are keen to understand there heritage, but the heartache makes it hard to talk about.

Peach Blossom Spring is a very moving book. The Hope for a better future, is all any parent wants for their family. Their search for a place to call home is a gripping read.

I enjoyed this book as it was reminiscent of a fictional 'Wild Swans' (which does get a mention in the text). As it was written from the perspective of a family who supported the Kuomintang rather than the Communist party, it gave an alternative viewpoint. I have been lucky enough to visit China and so am aware of the turbulent history and complicated relationship between different regions such as Communist mainland China with the island of Taiwan. This novel explores this time has only deepened my interest.

I found the characters to be believable, in particular the father's reluctance to discuss the war with his daughter reminded me of my late grandfather who refused to describe his military service beyond a few brief anecdotes. My initial reaction was to wonder why someone who spent so much time in a library did not do more reading around for herself but it is easy to forget how much access we have to information today than in the 80s and 90s when she was growing up. (For instance Wild Swans wasn't published until 1991).

An interesting read that I would certainly recommend.

The story of Peach Blossom Spring was really moving - Melissa Fu painted an evocative picture of the turmoil of early 20th century China, and how the effects of this turmoil have been passed on through the generations.

It reminded me a little of Wild Swans, however I personally preferred Wild Swans over Peach Blossom Spring as I found the writing in the former easier to connect to. This leads me to my main issue with Peach Blossom Spring: the writing. For whatever reason, I found it difficult to connect to the author's writing style, so I struggled to empathise with the characters, which somewhat lessened my enjoyment of the novel.

EPIC .  POETIC . TRAUMATIC .  BEAUTIFUL .  HOPEFUL . GUT-WRENCHING . THOUGHT PROVOKING

“𝐈 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨. 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞? 𝐎𝐫 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧? 𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐚 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠? 𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞?”

I absolutely devoured the first half of this book! It's odd because although it's only around 400 pages, it feels like an epic saga! Unfortunately, the second half of the book, once we left mainland China and the surrounding regions (once Renshu moved to the States and became Henry), was lost on me. There was so much detail and world building of their culture in the beginning, and soooo much to overcome, that it reads like an entire book in itself.

"She begins to feel the qualms of daring to look forward, to dream. In some ways, she's not sure which is more frightening"

I fell in love with Meilin's determination, strength, vulnerability and heart and loved the relationship that she cultivated for herself and her son Renshu. I also love that she doesn't try to shield him from life experiences, but tries her best to always enhance those experiences and push him to see his potential and the possibility that something good could form from what is.
 "All she wants is enough peace and stability for her boy to grow, to understand that the world is not always at war, that loss and flight are not life's primary experiences"

Sadly, once Renshu (now Henry), gets to the states, the change in pace made it harder for me to be invested.His relationship with Lily was... not what I expected but that's not entirely a bad thing.

I am an absolute sucker for intergenerational stories and I think this is an incredible example of a successful debut novel! Beautifully, thoughtfully and evocatively written.
A solid 3.5 stars