Reviews

Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu

wangela's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

In the same way that Pachinko tells the multi-generational story of a Korean family and Green Island tells the multi-generational story of a Taiwanese family, I am so grateful to have an epic multi-generational tale to which I can relate my own Chinese-American-via-Taiwan family’s journey. This novel goes further back than I know my own family’s history so that I can appreciate some Chinese folklore that I never heard growing up, and ends with my kids’ generation. The pace of the plot is fast enough to keep it interesting and yet it’s amazing that this historical fiction is totally believable as a true story…the close calls, narrow misses, lucky breaks are all common among immigrant families like mine. Highly recommend this read!

benised's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I’m in utter disbelief at this book.

thereadingrunnner's review against another edition

4.0

This book had a lot of hype leading up to me reading it so I went into it expecting to be wowed. It didn't grab my attention right at first, and took me a little while to settle into, but it really was a wonderfully told tale. I do have to say that I think it is best if you have a few days to set aside to really delve into this one - I think I lost a little connection with the book along the way because I read it during a really busy time and was only able to read sporadically.
I can never know what it is like to be an immigrant, but I think this novel helps to bring a little of what that experience must be like to the readers. What must it be like to live in a country where you have no one, the customs are unfamiliar, and you do not know who to trust (if anyone). It is also sad to me how this immigration broke families apart, but in a war-torn country that is what happens and it is something many of us, thankfully, will never know.
I felt a little unsatisfied at the end of this, never knowing really who the uncle/brother-in-law WAS and WHY he did the things he did. He felt deceitful to me and I hated that I just couldn't comprehend it. I had such an urge to understand, that leaving it unanswered for me took away a star.

abbyplatt's review against another edition

2.0

I enjoyed the story but didn’t enjoy how it as written. Spanning over 70 years, it was broken up by month and year and made it feel very choppy. It was difficult to get truly immersed in it.

sford7's review against another edition

4.0

Beautiful story, at times the characters had me a bit frustrated, and it was a very unfamiliar topic for me. But I would definitely recommend this one.

bkkramer's review against another edition

4.0

Beautiful read

deluna's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, Grief, Death of parent, and War

origamy's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

OK, while this wasn't as perfect as Pachinko, it got pretty damn close.

Like Pachinko, this had amazing writing and I was immediately engrossed from the first sentence. The way the story was woven without being too slow or rushed at any point was great. Absolutely adored Meilin and her tenacity and how no matter what happened she kept going and working for her son. Of course I felt sad when it moved away from Meilin and started to focus more Henry's story but I was still interested the entire time, same with Lily's. 

The characters throughout the book were just so good and full of life. I also just loved all of the history that was imbued into the book. 

nayorka's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I loved this book. I started reading this book not knowing where it was going. I felt every emotion of the main characters. I definitely shed a few tears. 
Renshu however did frustrate me but I felt bad for him too.
In all I loved it so much. 

andcourtney75's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Really liked this. It always makes me sad in these types of historical fiction novels to see the gradual loss of culture, as someone whose family has no cultural remnants from before America. It's something I've always wanted so my favorite part of these books is seeing the grandchildren, great grandchildren beginning to rediscover their family history and cultural heritage. So while it was difficult to see Meilin, Renshu, and even Lily struggle for most of the book, the ending was really satisfying to me as Renshu finally found his peach blossom spring.