The Library of Legends by Janie Chang
This book had the perfect set up for being a book I REALLY enjoyed.
Historical fiction mixed with some folklore and supernatural and also some real historical learning….PERFECT kind of combo for me.
But yall….
I just could NOT get into it.
It was beautifully well written but seemed to be super slow paced for me….I just did not feel engrossed or involved in the pages for some reason.
IDK what was up with me 🤷♀️
Here is the official summary:
“China, 1937: When Japanese bombs begin falling on the city of Nanking, nineteen-year-old Hu Lian and her classmates at Minghua University are ordered to flee. Lian and a convoy of more than a hundred students, faculty, and staff must walk a thousand miles to the safety of China’s western provinces, a journey marred by hunger, cold, and the constant threat of aerial attack. And it is not just the student refugees who are at risk: Lian and her classmates have been entrusted with a priceless treasure, a 500-year-old collection of myths and folklore known as the Library of Legends.
Her family’s past has made Lian wary of forming attachments, but the students’ common duty to safeguard the Library of Legends forms unexpected bonds. Lian finds friendship and a cautious romance with the handsome and wealthy Liu Shaoming. But after one classmate is murdered and another arrested, Lian realizes she must escape from the convoy before a family secret puts her in danger. Accompanied by Shao and the enigmatic maidservant Sparrow, Lian makes her way to Shanghai, hoping to reunite with her mother.
On the journey, Lian learns of the connection between her two companions and a tale from the Library of Legends, The Willow Star and the Prince. Learning Shao and Sparrow’s true identities compels Lian to confront her feelings for Shao. But there are broader consequences too, for as the ancient books travel across China, they awaken immortals and guardian spirits to embark on an exodus of their own, one that changes the country’s fate forever.
Based on true events, rich in Chinese history and lore, The Library of Legends is both an illuminating exploration of China’s recent past and an evocative tale of love, sacrifice, and the extraordinary power of storytelling.”
This book is based upon the exodus of Chinese universities during the start of the Second Sino Japanese War, which is regarded by many as the start of China’s World War II.
Students and teachers traveled as refugees across their homeland looking for safety. They experienced great hardships and many struggles along the way while at the same time continued their education. To say it was a huge and tumultuous task is a VAST UNDERSTATEMENT.
The Chinese government wanted to protect their nation’s intellectual legacy to prepare for their future…something that showed China’s reverence for education and is also a reflection of their traditional Chinese cultural values as well.
I was completely ignorant to this piece of world history…this story inspired me to look it up and learn more. (always always always a good thing….NEVER STOP LEARNING!)
Ms. Chang did plenty of research in writing this story and even though this story is a work of fiction, there is a lot of events in the pages that really did happen.
The author’s father was actually a part of this university exodus with his own school, and her own family history was used as writing inspiration.
If you want to read a little more factual background on this history, you can read an article Ms Chang wrote for Time Magazine here:
https://time.com/5852229/saving-chinese-encyclopedia/
This was a story of war and history…filled with pain and sorrow but also love and connection. It tells of the deep bonds that form during times of horrendous tragedy.
This is also about the importance of saving cultural artifacts that tell the important and valued stories of the ancestors.
This book was indeed informative…but I just did not find it THAT entertaining.
One of the cool parts of historical fiction is that it’s usually BOTH.
Only one box was checked for me this go round.
I REALLLLLY did not want it to be this way, yall.
I wanted to hear more about the supernatural side of the story…there were magical bits that happened and were explained…but not enough for me.
Maybe I’m just in a weird holiday funk or something…and maybe if you read it you will feel totes different….
But this one only gets a “It was ok” from me. 😬