myths are the darkest and brightest incarnations of who we are 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 whose lives 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
janie chang
william morrow paperbacks
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