And so it goes, until the end of time.’ Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu ‘Within every misfortune there is a blessing, and within every blessing, the seeds of misfortune. It was only because the man was old and his son was lame that they survived to take care of each other for many years.’ Meilin pauses for a moment. Because of his broken leg, the man’s son was spared. ‘Not long after, a battle broke out between neighbouring warlords, and all the men in the village had to go to fight. For every action, there are both positive and negative repercussions. In fact, that’s a theme she comes back to repeatedly, which resonated with me. She doesn’t amplify the drama but she also doesn’t take easy ways out with the story - there are no neat resolutions for what these characters deal with. Fu deals with tragic events in a way that isn’t overly dramatic, but isn’t overwhelming or too detailed either. It’s written in a way that kept me constantly engaged. There was a wonderful balance of historical information, emotionally compelling characters, and rich cultural detail (food, clothes, storytelling, language, etc.). There was so much to love about this book. in the 50s and 60s, and the instability and fear of his childhood haunts him. Only it’s not easy to be Chinese in the U.S. as part of a graduate fellowship and once again builds his life in a new place. Renshu grows up amidst this terror, forced to relocate again and again until he and his mother finally settle in Taipei. She and her son Renshu must flee their home in the Changsha region of China, walking many miles because the railways have been destroyed and enduring numerous bombing attacks. It’s about the power of our past, the hope for a better future, and the search for a place to call home.Meilin is a young woman whose life as a wife and mother is just beginning when her husband goes to fight against the Japanese and doesn’t come back. Spanning continents and generations, Peach Blossom Spring is a bold and moving story of the sacrifices we make to protect our children. His daughter, Lily, is desperate to understand her place in the world, but Henry refuses to share with her the fear and tragedy that mar his past. Years later, separated from his mother by thousands of miles, Renshu now calls himself Henry Dao. In their perilous journey across the country seeking refuge, they find comfort and wisdom in their most treasured possession – a beautifully illustrated hand scroll, filled with ancient fables. With every misfortune there is a blessing and within every blessing, the seeds of misfortune, and so it goes, until the end of time.Ĭhina, 1938: Meilin and her four-year-old son, Renshu, flee their burning city as Japanese forces advance. ‘An immersive, expertly plotted and elegantly written novel ‘ SHARLENE TEO I finished it with tears in my eyes’ JENNIFER SAINT
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