A stand-alone historical fantasy book set in 1937 China when the country is under attack from the Japanese.
Format: Audio
Length: 11 hours 20 minutes
Publication year: 2020
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
Hu Liang is attending Minghua University. Her mother isn't wealthy but Liang has a full scholarship. She and her mother have a secret and that's why Liang keeps to herself but she greatly enjoys her time at the university. She's a literature major and the university has the Library of Legends, a collection of myths and legends that are 500 years old and a national treasure.
The Japanese are attacking mainland China and Liang's mother sends a letter that she's trying to get to Shanghai. Liang tries to get to a train to travel to her mother. However, a bombing makes that impossible. The same day, the university commands the students to evacuate. Liang meets with her professor trying to convince him that she should head to Shanghai. However, the professor convinces her to stay with her classmates. So, when the 123 literature students, a couple of professors, a cook, and some servants and their families start their journey of a thousand miles to western China, Liang is among them. They make most of the journey on foot and suffer from fatigue, hunger, and fear. The Japanese aircraft are a constant danger. The students are also transporting the Library of Legend, each carrying one book.
Liang is afraid for her mother and feels guilty that she went to the university in the first place. During the trek, she befriends a couple of students and is attracted to a fellow student Liu Shaoming even though she knows that they can never be together. She's smart but burdened by her family's secret, constantly worrying that someone will find out. She's determined to find her mother and protect the book she carries.
Shaoming comes from a wealthy family of merchants. All his life, he's been under the thumb of his parents. Finally at the university, he's able to be a bit more free. He's popular with the other students because of he's handsome and his parents are rich. His family servant, Sparrow, has followed him to the uni and is a servant there. He has known Sparrow all his life and takes her services and friendship for granted.
Literature Professor Kang accompanies the students on their journey. He has a special power: he can see mythical creatures. It's a rare power. When he sees Sparrow, he realizes that she's a mythical character, the Willow Star. Kang also sees other creatures from afar. Sparrow invites them to come to the gates to the other world. Kang sees that the mythical creatures, dragons, guardian spirits, gods, and goddesses, are leaving China.
This was a great historical fantasy. It's written in a style that's very easy to read (or listen, in my case. The atmosphere is melancholy. I don't know how accurate are the descriptions of the 1900 century China, but to me, they were very convincing. However, Chang devotes a lot of time to describing the horrors of war; the bombing from the air and the misery of both the civilians and soldiers. But the melancholy also comes from the leaving of the mythical creatures. They used to guard people and places but can't do that anymore. Also, Sparrow's tale is an unhappy one.
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