This is a lovely novel by debut author, Melissa Fu. Renshu Dao grows up in a time of war and upheaval. It takes decaded for him to find peace, the "fullness of blossom", his peach blossom spring. ( )

This impactful story follows a Chinese family for 70 years from the Japanese invasion of their village in 1938 when Meilin's husband is reported dead, and she is left to raise her young son. Throughout the years that follow, she is sometimes sheltered by her husband's brother and his family. Meilin is a study in fortitude and resilience as she navigates heartbreak, physical danger and the trauma of a war-torn country.

Her son, Renshu, becomes am accomplished scholar and accepts an offer to study at Northwestern University. He thrives in academia and eventually marries a Caucasian woman. Their only child, Lily, is fascinated by her Chinese heritage while Renshu is wary of any Chinese affiliation.

This is captivating historical fiction about conflicts about which I knew little. The Nationalists and Communists fighting for control over China and Taiwan left devastation in their wake. This book inspired me o learn more about these conflicts.

PEACH BLOSSOM SPRING by Melissa Fu
The turmoil in China from 1938 to 1998 is the background for this family tale. Meilin, a young wife and mother, loses her husband to the Japanese invasion and then must flee with her 4 year-old son when the marauding Japanese attack her family’s village. The book continues with mother and son as World War Two, the communist uprising, the Nationalist movement and other calamities affect them. Renshu, the son, quickly becomes the focal character in this richly descriptive and harrowing tale.
Fu’s character study of Renshu as he progresses through life, first in China and then the United States, education, then marriage and a family of his own, makes the book believable and engrossing. A scroll depicting various folk tales is the link for each episode in his life.
After a slow start the book is compelling reading. The scholarship is impeccable. China comes alive as Renshu and his mother contend with the vicissitudes of life in a country racked by turmoil.
4 of 5 stars ( )

Let me be as clear as possible here: Fu’s stronger point is her style. It’s beautiful, with a unique pacing and a rhythm that amazed me from start to finish. It’s lyrical, almost poetic, and yet precise. I mean, I can’t believe Peach Blossom Spring is her first novel: Fu proves to be a top-notch wordsmith already, achieving quality levels other authors can only dream of—yeah, even the more experienced ones.

[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups] ( )

Nadat een jonge Chinese met haar zoontje hetmland ontvlucht, blijft haar familie door de generaties heen op zoek naar een thuis ( )