Peach Blossom Spring
Author: Melissa Fu
Published: 2022
Pages: 400
Project: War – World War II
Project: Identity – hybrid cultural
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“Peach Blossom Spring” tells the story of Meilin and her son, Renshu, who flee their home in 1938 China as war approaches. They journey through a devastated country, finding strength in an illustrated hand scroll filled with ancient fables. Years later, Renshu, now Henry, builds a life in America but refuses to share his painful past with his daughter, Lily. The novel explores the weight of history, the search for identity, and the struggle to reconcile the past with hopes for a better future across generations and continents.
Complexity
CEFR: B2-C1
Plot Complexity: high
Language Complexity: moderate
Ideas Complexity: moderate
Blurb
“Within every misfortune there is a blessing and within every blessing, the seeds of misfortune, and so it goes, until the end of time.”
It is 1938 in China and, as a young wife, Meilin’s future is bright. But with the Japanese army approaching, Meilin and her four year old son, Renshu, are forced to flee their home. Relying on little but their wits and a beautifully illustrated hand scroll, filled with ancient fables that offer solace and wisdom, they must travel through a ravaged country, seeking refuge.
Years later, Renshu has settled in America as Henry Dao. Though his daughter is desperate to understand her heritage, 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? Yet how can Lily learn who she is if she can never know her family’s story?
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 haunting question: What would it mean to finally be home?
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