The Library of Legends
HarperCollins, 2020
Agent: Jill Marr
From the author of Three Souls and Dragon Springs Road comes a captivating historical novel—the third in a loosely-connected trilogy—in which a young woman travels across China with a convoy of student refugees, fleeing the hostilities of a brutal war with Japan.
“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.
Reviews:
"Janie Chang's The Library of Legends delivers stark historical truths on the tail of a shooting star. Absolutely enchanting."
—Ana Johns, bestselling author of The Woman in the White Kimono
“Atmospheric and beautifully told, Janie Chang has woven a tale that tugs on the threads of China’s history and legend alike. Readers will find themselves immersed in this story of love amidst war, hope amidst sacrifice.”
—Stephanie Marie Thornton, USA Today bestselling author of And They Called it Camelot
"The Library of Legends is a beautifully written story of a pivotal period in the making of modern China: when the invading Japanese, the Nationalist, and Communist parties all vied for supremacy. Amidst this, the Chinese determination to preserve their culture was heroic and saved precious historical treasures at great sacrifice. Interwoven with the historical characters are ancient mythological ones in a blend of wonder, courage, and suspense. Luminous and enthralling."
—Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction