Peach Blossom Spring
A glorious, sweeping novel about family and the search for home
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4.0 • 5 Ratings
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- £4.99
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- £4.99
Publisher Description
***A RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK***
'Glorious and tender . . . I finished it with tears in my eyes' JENNIFER SAINT
'A stunning achievement' CHRISTY LEFTERI
'An immersive, expertly plotted and elegantly written novel ' SHARLENE TEO
With every misfortune there is a blessing and within every blessing, the seeds of misfortune, and so it goes, until the end of time.
China, 1938: Meilin and her four-year-old son, Renshu, flee their burning city as Japanese forces advance. 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.
Years later, separated from his mother by thousands of miles, Renshu now calls himself Henry Dao. 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.
Spanning continents and generations, Peach Blossom Spring is a bold and moving story of the sacrifices we make to protect our children. It's about the power of our past, the hope for a better future, and the search for a place to call home.
'Magical and powerful' Nguyen Phan Que Mai, author of THE MOUNTAINS SING
'Beautifully rendered' Georgia Hunter, author of WE WERE THE LUCKY ONES
'Captivating from beginning to end' Mira T Lee, author of EVERYTHING HERE IS BEAUTIFUL
'A brilliant multigenerational tale' Mary Lynn Bracht, author of WHITE CRYSANTHEMUM
'Accomplished and utterly gripping' Catherine Menon, author of FRAGILE MONSTERS
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Spanning eight decades, Fu's poignant debut opens in 1938, as recently widowed Meilin and her three-year-old son, Renshu, flee their home in the Hunan Province of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Initially traveling with relatives to avoid Japanese bombings, Meilin and Renshu get separated from the group. After the war, as Communism takes hold of China in the late 1940s, the mother and son escape to Taiwan, where Meilin works as a maid and Renshu focuses on his education. In 1960, Renshu leaves Taiwan and his mother behind for graduate school at Northwestern University, entering this new chapter as "Henry." He builds a life in America, starting both a career and family. Meanwhile, Meilin reconnects with her brother-in-law, who tries to woo her into marriage. Fu spends the first half of the novel ping-ponging between mother and son, shuttling them through 20 years of tragic struggle. As their stories diverge, the author devotes long sections to each protagonist, slowing the frenetic pace to focus more on character development, which yields a stronger second half. The result is an affecting if somewhat scattershot tale of love, loss, estrangement, and heritage.
Customer Reviews
Great
Loved this book. A must read