Rebel City Hong Kong's Year of Water and Fire

by South China Morning Post Team, Zuraidah Ibrahim (Editor), Jeffie Lam (Editor)

SCMP's reporting team looks back at Hong Kong's most wrenching political crisis since its return to Chinese rule in 1997. Anti-extradition bill protests that morphed rapidly into a wider anti-government movement in 2019 left no aspect of the city untouched, from its social compact to its body politic to its open economy. The demonstrations which continued well into 2020 have tested every institution of the city, from the civil service to the police to the courts and even its rail transport operator, and from offices and businesses to universities and schools, and from churches to families and even friends.This book is for anyone seeking to understand not just what Hong Kong has gone through but also the global phenomenon of increasingly leaderless protest movements. Fuelled by profound angst about the place of millenial youth in society, widening income inequality, and the speed of digital communications, Hong Kong was in retrospect ripe to be the laboratory for a new-age protest movement, nearly a decade after the Middle East's Arab spring.The essays in the book collectively compose a picture of a society in trauma, bent and broken, but showing signs of an uncanny ability to bounce back. What shape it will be in a few years from now, however, is much harder to predict.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, China, Political Science, Journalism, Activism, Social Justice

512 pages, Paperback

Published June 9, 2020

Reviews

[Cathal Donnellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're going to read one book on Hong Kong, make sure this is the one.

Rebel City is the only book I've read so far that brings the diversity of views on the Hong Kong protests into account, not simply placing it as a linear trajectory. It was chaotic and nuanced involving different aspects of society. Women, migrant workers, businesses, etc., were all included in the anthology that read like an academic book without the waffle.

Huge credit to the SCMP for putting this together and I can't wait to read more, especially the revised edition after the National Security Law.

[Vijay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good work by the authors in presenting a voluminous work containing numerous interviews, reviews and commentary. It makes for surprisingly easy read.

The protest movement was a difficult period for HK with the media continuously devoting loads of time on the subject. This book recounts much of what transpired and also adds interviews and commentary. This book is neither a "blue" nor "yellow" colour, but one that attempts to take a holistic view of the subject.

I was at first apprehensive of reading seeing that SCMP published the piece, however, I am glad I did as it brings some fresh material into view.

With the advent of the securities law about to be enacted, this may not be the end of the movement but perhaps the end of an era. This book, I believe helps understand some of the reasons for the unrest and concerns of the people of HK.

[Matthew Brazil]

A great overview by a sophisticated team of journalists who were everywhere during the Hong Kong uprising. Destined to be considered a historical doc.

[Tansy Hepton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an average rating between 4 and 2 stars. 4 stars because much of the content is excellent. I found the background to the protests interesting, especially the original murder case that prompted the extradition bill. There's loads of detail and compelling personal stories and a reasonable amount of balance (although I suspect the pro-government sympathisers would disagree).
2 stars because it's rather repetitive, inevitably as it's a pulling together of previously published newspaper articles. It's therefore more of a "dipping into" book than one to read cover to cover in one sitting.
Having said that, I would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to understand the protest movement. I'd also love to read a further reflective chapter written now - and perhaps each year until 2047!

[Harry B · Rating 2 out of 5]

***1.5 out of 5 stars***

A disappointing book. Regardless of what one may say, this was a horribly edited text. If it was well handled, the final product would not have been larger than half its current size. The only good thing this book will offer its readers is a multifaceted analysis of the 2019 HK protest movement. However, the experience was absolutely terrible. I caution anyone lacking in patience to avoid this book, and if not, treat it strictly as a reference book. It is not meant for straight forward and pleasant reading.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

No book can fully reports what really happened during 2019 to 2022. This book does it job, and nicely, trying to remain fact based. Covering not only either the pro-government or the protestors story, but also business (small business owner), minority race in HK etc. This will be an important book for anyone who want to have a good idea what happened. In my opinion there are many incidents that are not reported in detail, but there are other books or documentary movies who can cover.

[Marsilla Dewi-Baruch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad thing that Carrie Lam had to become a puppet for Xi Jinping. In hindsight British should have set the terms not to 100 years, but as long as the sun rises from the east. The same treaty was designed when British confiscated North Borneo/Sabah from Sulu Sultanate.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an outstanding read on a rebel city!

I found this a fascinating read on politics, political science, and of course, social justice.

I would recommend to learn more about Hong Kong.

Quite an important read.

4.1/5

[Adam · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's just personal opinion and reading newspapers

[charlo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful read, all-rounded perspectives.

[Timothy Lim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather accurate account of what transpired in HK during the anti government protests. Also an accurate prediction of things to come.