Cover Image: City on Fire

City on Fire

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Member Reviews

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

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A must-read book on the situation in Hong Kong. An important and illuminating account of the recent protests, their tactics and the causes of the protests. Clearly written, this is an accessible and engaging read.

If you are familiar with Dapiran's other work (for example, his Penguin Special, "City of Protest"), then you should also enjoy this book.

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All I remember hearing about Hong Kong were protests, and that it was really bad. When I started to read, I was wondering what is the link between these people and the protests? As I kept reading, I was learning more and more about the protests. Not only about what happened, but what tactics protesters used, how the government replied, what went wrong, and what went right. What the breaking moments were. Definitely a great book for everyone who wants to learn about what happened. Very educational, full of information.

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I would like to thank Netgalley and Scribe UK for sending me an ebook ARC of this title.

Being interested in politics, I always look for books that can be gripping as a novel, relevant to current events, and dense in content. This book had all of these elements, making it a great and essential read for anyone interested in the 2019 Hong Kong situation.

Not only did Dapiran refer to the earlier Umbrella movement (2014), he also pointed out the screenings of the documentary 'Winter on Fire: Ukraine's fight for freedom', bringing up the essence of a revolution and putting it into perspective in relation to other events involving geographical takeover.

I thought that the analysis of Poon Hiu-wing's murder as a spark for the revolution was striking, evocative and cleverly used. Here, Dapiran's legal knowledge sheds the light on legal and political incentives that drove China to take measures in West Kowloon.

I loved the details of this book and the different point of views from Hong Kong and China. I would have appreciated a more "objective" analysis that would have presented the events in a grey light rather than pointing out a dark side and a light side of things. The use of pathos appeal is the reason that made me knock one star off my rating.

Again, I really enjoyed that read and I highly recommend it.

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I had followed the news on the uprising in Hongkong a couple months back, and the horrific videos and articles I found online had given me a fright, and it was the same feeling I had upon reading this book. Just chills everywhere. This book pretty much gives you a round, clear understanding of how this uprising came to be and why the people of Hongkong are furious. Eye-opening, terrifying, a must-read.

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I have seen the situation in Hong Kong on the news, but like many people that do not live there I only knew what the news showed me. Reading this book gave me a look at what someone that actually is affected by the events there is experiencing. The author wrote an account of what is happening and how it is not unique for that area. It was also interesting to read about how the author thinks that these events will shape the future of Hong Kong and other areas.

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