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Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu
Historical fiction

Peach Blossom Spring

Debut

We love supporting debut authors. Congrats, Melissa Fu, on your first book!

Early Release

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by Melissa Fu

Quick take

This multi-generational epic traces the enthralling story of a mother and son who journey from China to America.

Good to know

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_400

    400+ pages

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_Inspirational

    Inspirational

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_Immigration

    Immigration

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_War

    War

Synopsis

"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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Content warning

This book contains a scene that depicts sexual assault.

Free sample

Get an early look from the first pages of Peach Blossom Spring.

Why I love it

From the first pages of this gorgeous historical novel, I knew that this was my kind of story. Any fans of Pachinko will love this sweeping book for its emotional tenderness which quietly creeps up on you. This is a timeless story that will never get old.

Peach Blossom Spring begins with Meilin and her four-year-old son Renshu as they flee their burning city during the Sino-Japanese war. They are setting off on a perilous journey across China in search of safety. And at every stop, they are faced with difficult choices about who and what to leave behind, and at what cost. Years later, Renshu leaves his mother behind and moves to New Mexico, where he reinvents himself as Henry Dao, and marries an American woman. His daughter Lily wants to understand his mysterious past, which Henry refuses to talk about. This is one of the most moving parts of the novel. Henry’s journey reminds me of the one my own parents took. Can we, children of immigrants, ever really understand all the hardships they endured? This book bridges that generational gap and does so with true wisdom.

Despite how much ground this story covers, it reads like a page-turner. I was fully invested in Henry and Meilin’s journey at every turn and wanted them to find peace and happiness. Expansive, atmospheric, and affecting, Peach Blossom Spring shows just how much the human heart can hold, and it left me breathless.

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Member ratings (10,488)

  • Samantha S.

    Gettysburg, PA

    One of the most evocative and heartbreaking books of the past few years. Fu deftly answers the question, “How do we honor the last without letting it define us, and move on to who we’re meant to be?”

  • Cambria S.

    Salt Lake City, UT

    This book is incredible and I really hope it will be a book of the year nominee if not the winner (and it’s only February!). I would highly recommend picking it up as an add on if it wasn’t your BOTM.

  • Jess Z.

    Houston, TX

    I loved the storytelling of this book, and was fascinated by the history I was previously unaware of. One of the most beautiful books I’ve read in a while…just perfect from start to finish. ❤️????

  • Karla A.

    Burien, WA

    What a wonderful, heartfelt story. The author doesn’t bog it down w/ superfluous words, she simply brings you into this beautiful story. I reallyenjoyed this book which brought me to tears a few times

  • Maggie S.

    Topeka , KS

    I learned a lot about Chinese history from this beautiful and heartbreaking story. I loved Meilin, and I loved watching her family’s journey and perspective of all the changes over the span of decades