I must admit to a very personal connection to this topic. I lived in Hong Kong from 2015 to 2020 and was physically very close to one of the bigger protests that took place and walked through one or two demonstrations in 2019. It was a complex time and one of the reasons ( although not the primary one) that we ended up moving.

This book focuses on the history of Hong Kong all the way back from before the British took control and covered information all the way up till now. It was a very detailed book that I’ve left a copy on my shelf if I ever want to reread it.

Many countries have complex histories and it only takes a little scratch to see below the surface. Given its prime location Hong Kong has had its fair share of changes over time. Some interesting facts I took away was the convenient economic position the country was in in the past for people ( or even other countries) wanting to circumvent their stance on bigger topics.

I will not go into any details since it’s an academically inclined book with graphs that I couldn’t see very well in my version but they supposedly reinforce the information we learn from the rest of the book. I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in what lies before the newsworthy events of the last few years.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but my review is entirely based on my reading experience and my own emotional connection with the place.