This book took place in China, during 1937.

I was immediately drawn to this book because of the cover and the title. I just thought it had to be an interesting book.. "The Library of Legends". That really drew me in.. and I am not at all disappointed.

It is very difficult to classify this book. There were elements of romance, history, and folklore. Such an interesting blend. It was one of the most unique books I've ever read. The story was absolutely mystical and incredible. I was completely intrigued by the romance between Lian and Liu.

I would highly recommend this book!

The Library of Legends is an excellent read for anyone who is interested in World War II, Chinese History, Chinese Mythology, or stories of love, family, and sacrifice. Set in the context of the evacuation of Chinese universities during World War II, the book follows three young people and their professor as they travel inland to escape the Japanese war front. Along the way, political tensions drive Lian, Sparrow, and Shao to break off and head backwards to Shanghai in an effort to save themselves and a friend they met along the way. As the war continues to steal friends and family, gods and spirits are conducting their own exodus back to the spirit world before the gates shut for good. Janie Chang masterfully interweaves historical events with mythological stories as she tells the story of three people tied together by love for each other, for family, and for country. Beautifully written and poignant, I suggest any historical fiction fan read The Library of Legends.

Beautifully written and so enchanting! While this story is filled with history of war there is also the romance of enchanting love. The characters are richly developed that I feel in love with them and want more of their story! And the legends leave me spellbound with love for story! My first novel of Janie Chang which leaves me eager to read more!

What a subtle and sweet blend of historical fiction and fantasy. I am impressed by the authors decision to go for such a twist while navigating such a harrowing journey. I did find the authors prose added a boundary between the characters journey and the reader. This made it difficult for me to connect emotionally with the characters. I had such high expectations but found that the book did not quite meet them.

A powerful story of love, sacrifice and survival set in China during the early years of World War II, Library of Legends is a gentle, magical surrealist fable about a land where enchantment may be waning but one can still catch a glimpse if one looks for it.

Hu Lian is a second year scholarship student at Minghua University when the Japanese bombing begins. Her mother sends a letter advising Lian that their home in Peking is no longer safe and that Lian’s college in Nanking is in danger as well. She asks that Lian meet her at the Unity Mission School in Shanghai but Lian arrives at the train station just as another round of bombing begins. She survives but is dazed and disoriented after the attack, horrified by the death she sees all around her. Fortunately, fourth year student Liu Shao (Shaoming) and his maid Sparrow were also attempting to catch the train and they help the shell-shocked Lian get back to the university. That evening Lian looks out her dorm room window and sees a young, glowing woman raise her hand to the stars in greeting. Convinced it is a vision brought on by the syrup of poppies given to her by the school nurse to help her sleep, she returns to bed.

As the days pass, Lian learns that there will be no train to Shanghai for her. She must join a convoy of more than a hundred students, faculty, and staff on a thousand mile walk to Minghua’s wartime campus in Chengtu. It will be an arduous journey but one that will carry not only the students to safety but the university’s 500-year-old collection of myths and folklore known as the Library of Legends. It was this selection of books, all that is left of the famous Jingtai Encyclopedia, that had drawn Lian to Minghua. Each student will carry one book; they will read and study it as time permits and write a term paper on it once they reach their destination. Lian’s volume is titled Tales of Celestial Deities. As she skims the text she slowly realizes she might have seen one of these beings through her dorm room window.

Lian, whose family carries a dangerous secret in their past, has long been wary of forming attachments, and is known to the other students as quiet, scholarly and shy. The close proximity of the march has her slowly letting down her guard, and befriending the vivacious Yee Meirong, and starting a cautious flirtation with her handsome savior from the train station, Shao. Yet there is danger for her even in this tentative camaraderie. Among their number is the spirited Wang Jenmei, an ardent communist, who uses the impoverished villages and emaciated peasantry they pass as examples in her passionate speeches urging her fellow students to bring drastic change to the nation’s politics and help turn China into a more equitable, modern culture. Meirong and Shao both find her arguments compelling, but Mr. Lee, the director of student services, makes it clear to Lian that he sees it as her responsibility to keep her friends from Jenmei’s influence. It would be especially embarrassing if Shao, whose wealthy family is connected to the highest levels of government, joined the communist party. Such an event would result in Lian’s own secrets being made public.

As the students and hundreds of other refugees flee the coastal cities of China another grand exodus starts to take place. The gods and celestial beings begin to leave Earth as the Queen of Heaven declares the gates to the immortal realms will soon be closed. Both journeys highlight the beauty of a culture on the brink of change and the promise of a future which might be less magical but will be no less bright for the millions who call it home.

The author does an absolutely marvelous job in this story showing – through Lian, Shao, and Sparrow – the rich scholarly heritage of China while acknowledging that the system which gave rise to such refinement also repressed hundreds of thousands. The Chinese love of education and learning serves as a wonderful bridge between the past and present and is also used to tie the mythical beings of the tale to the mortal lives they have touched and influenced. As the Library passes through over a thousand miles of China, the spirits of water, air, and earth are awakened by its presence. They are able to hear the Queen’s message from a member of the convoy, a star hiding in human form, and be advised to return to their own kingdom.

Ms. Chang uses the march not only to highlight unique Chinese cultural aspects but to help the characters learn some deep personal lessons. Lian, so long closed off from human contact by the secrets she carries, discovers how to love not just Shao but the other students and teachers around her. She becomes a fierce warrior for those she cares about while still retaining her quiet reserve. Shao recognizes the privilege he has been born into and starts to give serious, sincere thought to the best way to bring modernization and equality to a nation desperately in need of it. I loved that their romance fit the time and place they are in; it’s sweet but cautious, careful of family and tradition but not allowing itself to be encumbered over much by antiquated customs and parental expectations.

I also adored Sparrow, the young maid. Her unconditional love, humility and kindness to those around her really showcases that caring means putting the other person’s needs first. She learns her own lessons of patience and trust and friendship as the march moves slowly across the country.

The author has a lyrical, elegant style of writing which lends itself to a deceptively languorous, mellow momentum, allowing for contemplation amidst a lot of action. The story’s seemingly leisurely pace is a soothing foil for the great deal that is actually happening – from the war, to a murder amidst political intrigue, to the exodus of the gods, to the primary romance and the secondary, overarching love story surrounding it, along with the personal trials of Lian and Shao’s families and the dangers of the march. The author, focusing the attention completely on her characters, emphasizes the underlying theme that each large event is really about the people that take part in it. This focus on the players over the thrilling plot is what gives the novel a gentle, thoughtful feel rather than the typical frantic measure that a story this fast moving generally evokes.

The Library of Legends is a lovely look at ancient legends and the wonderful power of mythology as well as a celebration of a country with a rich and fascinating history. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a beautifully written, contemplative read.

This is a great book about Chinese mythology and culture. The cover is beautiful and it also had a great storyline. Overall, this is a great read that I am sure will be popular with book clubs, as it hits a lot of different areas.

I was intrigued about The Library of Legends from the first time I heard about the book. The idea of college students trekking across China amid a war with a 500-year-old collection of books all while trying to stay safe made me want to pick up this book as soon as I could. Once I did pick up the book, I realized it was much more than just a story of college students and a library. The folklore, the friendships, the angst, and the magical storyline pulled me in and kept me entertained until I read the very last page. When I finished the book, I closed the cover and just thought about what a wonderful and historical story I had just read and how glad I was that I took my time, read every word, and enjoyed the book.

The history shared in the story was amazing. I did not know much about China in 1937 or their war with Japan. I am sure it was something I had to memorize in history class, but it was not something I remembered. After reading this book, the history will be something I remember and something I will look to learn more about. The folklore is what really drew me in. I was interested in how the folklore would play into the students reaching their destinations safely, how their relationships would grow, and how the story would end.

Janie Chang wrote a book that has heartache, love, and family. Chinese folklore and history were wonderful. I recommend picking up your own copy.

The Library of Legends - Janie Chang

4 / 5 Stars

** Thank you to Netgalley, William Morrow, and of course, Janie Chang for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will be the first to admit, I normally stray towards European based historical fiction, due to my academic history, and while I have enjoyed many Asian examples, most recently Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, I need to pick up the slack on reading more of them. So when Library of Legends ended up in my hands I knew, I would absolutely find it intriguing. Pachinko and Library of Legends could not be more different. They focus on different time periods and different countries which are often blended together into their continent. I have enjoyed them both to the fullest.

Library of Legends focuses on 19 years old Hu Lein and her classmates during the Japanese Bombing of China in 1937. When they are forced to flee, Lian and her classmates, instructors, and mentors venture West into the depths of scarcely populated China. The journey can be compared to many refugees which makes it incredibly relatable. While on their journey, Lian and her classmates are met and entrusted with a 500-year-old collection of myths titled …. Yep you got it … Library of Legends. The bonds which form from protecting these folklores are a huge theme of this novel. But danger looms, and once terror meets Lian and her classmates, she realizes she must remove herself from the group - mainly due to a family secret she holds.

I don’t want to give much more away, except to say that this book is exceptional. It kept me going until I turned the last page, wanting to know how Lian’s journey would conclude. Rich in Chinese history and myth, I really enjoyed learning about a region I originally knew less about. It offers a shining light on a period of Chinese history often masked by other events of the 20th century.

I believe I will be re-reading this in the future.

The Library of Legends is about a young woman caught up in war, about a rare and important encyclopedia of Chinese culture, and about the myths and legends that make up the subjects of the encyclopedia. Woven together, they share a magical journey that is based in historical events.

At nineteen, Hu Lian is a young woman attending Minghua University when the Japanese begin bombing Nanking. She and her fellow students join a convoy from the university to flee inland, farther from the Japanese bombs and invasion. Along the way, she gets to know her classmates better, falls in love, and meets a celestial being. Also told are the stories of the Willow Star, a young, privileged man who's had a relatively easy life, and the keeper of the library. And the story of Hu Lian's childhood, shrouded in mystery and studded with hardship.

I enjoyed this story. It's well told, and deceptively captivating. I'm not sure if all the various subplots fit well together, but it would be hard to say which I didn't want to read about. The refugee journey, the geopolitical situation and internal conflict between the communists and nationalists in China, and the mythical world juxtaposed with the mundane - they were all interesting, even if I was most interested in Hu Lian's personal story and the mythical elements.

Recommended for fans of historical fiction who like a mixture of mundane and mythical. legendary, or magical.

This was a beautiful novel, full of love, magic, history and sacrifice. Lian, Shao, and Sparrow are characters who will remain with me for a while, as will the idea that China worked so hard to protect its young minds.

Well written, with likable characters, a vivid sense of place, a dash of magical realism, and an interesting plot, this novel will hold your interest to the end!

In 1937, the Japanese army invaded China. Amidst the turmoil and upheaval, universities began to evacuate their students to the country’s inland area. Education is highly valued in China, and the students were seen as being the nation’s intellectual treasure - necessary for rebuilding the country after the war, and for building the country’s future.

Lian Hu is a young university student who is part of a group of students tasked with bringing volumes of an ancient encyclopedia, The Library of Legends, dating back to the Ming Dynasty, to safety inland. The journey would be an arduous trek covering over 1,000 miles and would be done primarily on foot. As the students’ journey progresses, spiritual beings written about in the text are awakened. In addition, Lian begins to realize that not all of the students share the same thoughts and ideas, and that there are hidden dangers within their group.

This novel which combines Chinese folklore and history with a poignant love story is well worth the read!

Thank you to author Janie Chang, HarperCollins Publishers, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of this fascinating novel!

This book transports you back to 1930s China, and it's a beautiful, magical journey that spans legend, love, and history. I really liked reading this one! Plus, the cover is gorgeous. Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc.

The Library of Legends by Janie Chang was a very solid historical fiction book that takes place in China in 1937, when the Japanese were bombing the Chinese countryside regularly. Lian, our protagonist, is evacuated from Minghua University, along with her classmates, several professors, and the "Library of Legends," which is a priceless set of original volumes of Chinese folklore. They set off on foot to find safety and bring the treasured books to a safe location. Along the way there is starvation, murder, political unrest, even a bit of romance as the many secrets are revealed.

There is a magical realism element to this book, which is not my normal genre, but this was subtle enough that I felt it enhanced the story.

I loved the storytelling aspect of the book, as one of the legends is played out by the characters in the book.

The writing was strong, and I enjoyed the characters' development. The one point where I thought the book sagged was near the end when everything wrapped up too neatly. Up until then, I was riveted by the compelling plot.

I recommend this to readers who appreciate historical fiction, folklore and preserving a culture's identity.

Many thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing advanced digital access to this title in exchange for my honest review.

This was not a book I would normally have picked up, but it was mesmerizing. A mix of historical and fantasy/myth, the book takes us back to a period right before the start of what would become World War II. Based on memories of the author's father, she mixes historical fact with myth and legend to create a beautiful story that brings readers an understanding of one country's struggles during this time that are often missed in current narratives.

All I have to see is the word library in the title and I'm in. While this book had a slightly slow start, by the time you got to the end the author did a lovely job of weaving the story together. And I loved all of the Chinese elements, something that I am not totally familiar with to be honest.

I was fascinated by the story and eagerly finished this book. Because I do not know much about Chinese history,  this was a great breath of "historical fiction fresh air" from the deluge of WWII fiction set in Europe and America.  

There were times I felt the writing was a bit simplistic and some things needed a bit more flushing out (for example, the more mythical side of the story that included immortals and guardian spirits - these were things that didn't feel adequately explained to me, having little to no understanding of the cultural aspects of these concepts).  However, I still enjoyed following the students' story because while I know a fair amount about this time period from the Western perspective, I know very little about China and the East during this time period.

Historical fiction lovers will very much enjoy this book.

Very much appreciate the opportunity from NetGalley and the publisher to read an early copy of this book!

This book was received as an ARC from HarperCollins Publishers - William Morrow Paperbacks in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

What a compelling story of Liu going to school and then finding out her area of country is being bombed at this very minute and she has to flee from all she knows to reunite with her mother in Shanghai. Liu also carries a dark secret that could also compromise her life but when she meets Shao and Sparrow, she befriends them immediately, joining Liu on her quest to Shanghai. But then after learning about the Library of Legends, Liu discovers who Shao and Sparrow really are but as they travel across China, spirits and guardians do awaken that could jeopardize Liu at the max. My heart was beating a mile a minute and I felt like I was part of the journey with Liu. There is so much historical references throughout the book that it may be one of my top Historical Fiction books I have ever read. Our book club will really enjoy this book and I can't wait to hear the in-depth conversations that arise from it.

We will consider adding this title to our Historical Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.