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Everyday Movement
A powerful, award-winning novel that follows the lives of two women as democracy starts to crumble in Hong Kong.
On a weekend morning, college roommates, Ah Li and Panda, wake up with very different reactions to the night before. They have been chased and tear-gassed in the streets of their city after joining tens of thousands of others to protest a national security law that would effectively spell the end of democracy in Hong Kong. Ah Li couldn’t get out of bed, her heart heavy with the lingering images of the police and the violence on the streets, and her worries about the future of her hometown. Panda, whose resistance is no less ardent, put on a sundress, lines her eyes and urges Ah Li to join her for brunch.
While the demonstrations rage, the routine of life also persists for Ah Li, Panda and people in their orbits. They attend family gatherings, fight with their mothers, try and fail to focus at work on Mondays, and make time for dinner dates and app hookups. But the looming political tension and anxiety for the future transform such everyday encounters. In the span of a few months, life as they know it seems to become a the comfort of air-conditioned shopping malls is disrupted by bloodshed; tear gas and sounds of rubber bullets amid neon signs strangely evoke happier memories of summer night fireworks.
Leung Lee Chi’s visceral novel Everyday Movement reveals existential questions that interrupt normal belonging, patriotism, the meaningfulness of an electoral democracy as well as the pampering sense of norm created by consumerism. Fiery and tender, Leung’s writing captures the heartbreak, turmoil and rebirth in bearing witness to and engaging with a shattering reality.
On a weekend morning, college roommates, Ah Li and Panda, wake up with very different reactions to the night before. They have been chased and tear-gassed in the streets of their city after joining tens of thousands of others to protest a national security law that would effectively spell the end of democracy in Hong Kong. Ah Li couldn’t get out of bed, her heart heavy with the lingering images of the police and the violence on the streets, and her worries about the future of her hometown. Panda, whose resistance is no less ardent, put on a sundress, lines her eyes and urges Ah Li to join her for brunch.
While the demonstrations rage, the routine of life also persists for Ah Li, Panda and people in their orbits. They attend family gatherings, fight with their mothers, try and fail to focus at work on Mondays, and make time for dinner dates and app hookups. But the looming political tension and anxiety for the future transform such everyday encounters. In the span of a few months, life as they know it seems to become a the comfort of air-conditioned shopping malls is disrupted by bloodshed; tear gas and sounds of rubber bullets amid neon signs strangely evoke happier memories of summer night fireworks.
Leung Lee Chi’s visceral novel Everyday Movement reveals existential questions that interrupt normal belonging, patriotism, the meaningfulness of an electoral democracy as well as the pampering sense of norm created by consumerism. Fiery and tender, Leung’s writing captures the heartbreak, turmoil and rebirth in bearing witness to and engaging with a shattering reality.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published February 10, 2026
30 people are currently reading
4748 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
February 27, 2026
going to work while the world is ending
(thanks to the publisher for the arc)
(thanks to the publisher for the arc)
December 10, 2025
Everyday Movement is effective without being flashy. It takes place in an urgent time in Hong Kong’s history, during China’s proposed extradition bill of 2019, one that would undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy. Serious uprising and protests created division in the region, leading to injuries and even deaths. Leung approaches this period in history with a story of interconnected lives—family and friends who don’t always agree on how this matter should be settled. Don’t be surprised if you find parallels in the resistance movement in the everyday lives of Americans, also.
More than a window, it felt like I was eavesdropping on the lives of the characters. Even people protesting on the same side experienced painful conflict at times. Some folks imposed a strict lifestyle on themselves, refusing to spend money on pro-government corporations. Others needed an escape from the clashes and conflict and remained consumers of mainland China’s businesses. We also follow the drama of first love, mother/daughter relationships, and best friends trying to find normalcy in a world gone awry.
Leung presents her narrative without any authorial intrusion, without leading the reader to one way of thinking, allowing different points of view to exist in the same story without judgment. Both sides of the issue are fraught and often fractured, and the reader will get caught up in the emotional and personal lives of the characters. I learned much more about the protests than I observed only in images on American TV, but by the end of this story, I was caught up not only in the political fight, but in the “everyday movement” of HK civilians. My eyes stung when people were tear-gassed and my throat clenched when relationships split apart. Gigi L. Leung is a writer to follow.
Jennifer Feeley’s translation was smooth and natural, and seemed as if I was reading it in its original prose. A big thanks to Riverhead for sending me an advanced copy for review.
More than a window, it felt like I was eavesdropping on the lives of the characters. Even people protesting on the same side experienced painful conflict at times. Some folks imposed a strict lifestyle on themselves, refusing to spend money on pro-government corporations. Others needed an escape from the clashes and conflict and remained consumers of mainland China’s businesses. We also follow the drama of first love, mother/daughter relationships, and best friends trying to find normalcy in a world gone awry.
Leung presents her narrative without any authorial intrusion, without leading the reader to one way of thinking, allowing different points of view to exist in the same story without judgment. Both sides of the issue are fraught and often fractured, and the reader will get caught up in the emotional and personal lives of the characters. I learned much more about the protests than I observed only in images on American TV, but by the end of this story, I was caught up not only in the political fight, but in the “everyday movement” of HK civilians. My eyes stung when people were tear-gassed and my throat clenched when relationships split apart. Gigi L. Leung is a writer to follow.
Jennifer Feeley’s translation was smooth and natural, and seemed as if I was reading it in its original prose. A big thanks to Riverhead for sending me an advanced copy for review.
March 14, 2026
3.5 stars
As the city of my birth, Hong Kong has always occupied a special place in my heart. Of course, I still have relatives in Hong Kong, but it is really my fondness for the city (despite growing up thousands of miles away in the United States), that has spurred me to continue keeping my birth city front and center. From a daily life standpoint, I stay abreast of Hong Kong-related news just as much as I keep tabs on everything happening in the U.S. From an entertainment standpoint, I’m actually more familiar with the goings-on in the HK entertainment industry than I am in Hollywood (which is truly saying something considering I live in Los Angeles, so Hollywood is essentially in my backyard). With all that said, the one area in my life where HK is a bit less dominant is my reading life, though I have to say that this is by no means deliberate. As a life-long avid reader, I’ve always been one to read widely, so even though I definitely have favorite genres (i.e. historical fiction, literary fiction, to name two), I don’t like limiting myself to reading only specific genres or specific types of books. When it comes to Hong Kong books however, I unfortunately don’t have much choice due to the dearth of books about the city published in English (and living in the U.S., it is harder for me to access the Chinese language versions that are usually published exclusively in HK). So in the rare occurrence where I come across a book either set in Hong Kong or written by a Hong Kong author, I will always be interested in reading it, regardless of subject matter and in spite of any type of feedback regarding the book, whether positive or negative.
With all this in mind, I approached Gigi L. Leung’s novel Everyday Movement with a certain amount of anticipation, despite my usual aversion to reading books that lean heavily toward politics. Set against the backdrop of the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, Leung’s novel actually consists of a series of interconnected vignettes about people from different walks of life who are impacted by the protests going on all around them. As the story opens, we get glimpses of what life is like for college roommates Panda and Ah Lei, as they navigate their new reality as active participants in the many protests that occur on Hong Kong’s streets triggered by the central government’s planned implementation of a national security law. At night, Panda and Ah Lei don their protest gear and are regularly chased and tear gassed by police out on the streets, but during the day, both women go about their usual routines – attending class, going to work, arguing with their parents and with each other, going on lunch and dinner dates, etc. But underneath the enactment of these everyday routines lies a bubbling tension – a feeling of unease and anxiety for the future, not only of their beloved city, but of their own lives as they know it – that threatens to spill over any minute. Via alternating viewpoints, the story expands outward to capture the moments in the lives of others within the two women’s orbits: there’s Panda’s cousin Ah Mak and the fraught relationship he has with his girlfriend Chan Yeuk over each other’s commitment (or lack thereof) to the protest movement, culminating in a break up that, ironically, brings each of them closer to the other’s viewpoint; there’s Panda’s little sister Sai Mui who, as a pre-teen, is too young to understand everything that is happening around her, yet finds herself caught up in all the tension and anxiety through her sister’s love/hate relationship with their mother as they stand on opposite sides of the movement. There are others too – periphery characters such as the hairdresser Ning On and the affair she has with a protestor nicknamed “Little Professor” as a means to escape the realities of her life while her daughter Ning Yuet doubles down on her activism; English teacher Ho Sam, a mainlander living in Hong Kong who struggles to reconcile his dueling viewpoints, at once supporting the movement while also opposing it; and finally, Panda’s boyfriend Ah Ming, whose less extreme position in support of the movement as opposed to his girlfriend’s fierce devotion creates an untenable rift in their relationship.
Overall, I felt this novel had a promising premise, but it fell a little bit short for me in terms of its execution. Subject matter-wise, I appreciate Leung’s candid depiction of the political turmoil and the protests, all of which were rendered viscerally realistic to the point that, at times, I forgot that this is a novel and felt that I was reading a non-fiction book instead. To this point, there was a bit of a journalistic feel to the novel, where it felt as though the author was trying too hard to write from a position of neutrality, which resulted in the writing feeling somewhat stilted and emotionless. This made it hard for me as a reader to connect with the story or any of its characters – though with all that said, I’m not sure if this was actually an issue with the translation or the author’s writing itself. I also felt that the story didn’t have much of a plot, which is usually not a problem if the characters are well-developed, but in this case, due to the varying viewpoints, the focus was on a bunch of different characters rather than just one or two, resulting in the lack of opportunity to flush out any of the characters fully. All of this combined was perhaps why I ended up not really feeling anything for any of the characters.
While I’m glad I read this one, I’m also a little bummed that I didn’t end up liking this one as much as I thought I would. Even though some parts of it didn’t really work for me, I would still recommend this one for its realistic portrayal of the HK protests as well as the timeliness aspect in terms of what has been going on in the U.S. as well as the rest of the world – which, for those impacted, would make this a very relatable read.
As the city of my birth, Hong Kong has always occupied a special place in my heart. Of course, I still have relatives in Hong Kong, but it is really my fondness for the city (despite growing up thousands of miles away in the United States), that has spurred me to continue keeping my birth city front and center. From a daily life standpoint, I stay abreast of Hong Kong-related news just as much as I keep tabs on everything happening in the U.S. From an entertainment standpoint, I’m actually more familiar with the goings-on in the HK entertainment industry than I am in Hollywood (which is truly saying something considering I live in Los Angeles, so Hollywood is essentially in my backyard). With all that said, the one area in my life where HK is a bit less dominant is my reading life, though I have to say that this is by no means deliberate. As a life-long avid reader, I’ve always been one to read widely, so even though I definitely have favorite genres (i.e. historical fiction, literary fiction, to name two), I don’t like limiting myself to reading only specific genres or specific types of books. When it comes to Hong Kong books however, I unfortunately don’t have much choice due to the dearth of books about the city published in English (and living in the U.S., it is harder for me to access the Chinese language versions that are usually published exclusively in HK). So in the rare occurrence where I come across a book either set in Hong Kong or written by a Hong Kong author, I will always be interested in reading it, regardless of subject matter and in spite of any type of feedback regarding the book, whether positive or negative.
With all this in mind, I approached Gigi L. Leung’s novel Everyday Movement with a certain amount of anticipation, despite my usual aversion to reading books that lean heavily toward politics. Set against the backdrop of the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, Leung’s novel actually consists of a series of interconnected vignettes about people from different walks of life who are impacted by the protests going on all around them. As the story opens, we get glimpses of what life is like for college roommates Panda and Ah Lei, as they navigate their new reality as active participants in the many protests that occur on Hong Kong’s streets triggered by the central government’s planned implementation of a national security law. At night, Panda and Ah Lei don their protest gear and are regularly chased and tear gassed by police out on the streets, but during the day, both women go about their usual routines – attending class, going to work, arguing with their parents and with each other, going on lunch and dinner dates, etc. But underneath the enactment of these everyday routines lies a bubbling tension – a feeling of unease and anxiety for the future, not only of their beloved city, but of their own lives as they know it – that threatens to spill over any minute. Via alternating viewpoints, the story expands outward to capture the moments in the lives of others within the two women’s orbits: there’s Panda’s cousin Ah Mak and the fraught relationship he has with his girlfriend Chan Yeuk over each other’s commitment (or lack thereof) to the protest movement, culminating in a break up that, ironically, brings each of them closer to the other’s viewpoint; there’s Panda’s little sister Sai Mui who, as a pre-teen, is too young to understand everything that is happening around her, yet finds herself caught up in all the tension and anxiety through her sister’s love/hate relationship with their mother as they stand on opposite sides of the movement. There are others too – periphery characters such as the hairdresser Ning On and the affair she has with a protestor nicknamed “Little Professor” as a means to escape the realities of her life while her daughter Ning Yuet doubles down on her activism; English teacher Ho Sam, a mainlander living in Hong Kong who struggles to reconcile his dueling viewpoints, at once supporting the movement while also opposing it; and finally, Panda’s boyfriend Ah Ming, whose less extreme position in support of the movement as opposed to his girlfriend’s fierce devotion creates an untenable rift in their relationship.
Overall, I felt this novel had a promising premise, but it fell a little bit short for me in terms of its execution. Subject matter-wise, I appreciate Leung’s candid depiction of the political turmoil and the protests, all of which were rendered viscerally realistic to the point that, at times, I forgot that this is a novel and felt that I was reading a non-fiction book instead. To this point, there was a bit of a journalistic feel to the novel, where it felt as though the author was trying too hard to write from a position of neutrality, which resulted in the writing feeling somewhat stilted and emotionless. This made it hard for me as a reader to connect with the story or any of its characters – though with all that said, I’m not sure if this was actually an issue with the translation or the author’s writing itself. I also felt that the story didn’t have much of a plot, which is usually not a problem if the characters are well-developed, but in this case, due to the varying viewpoints, the focus was on a bunch of different characters rather than just one or two, resulting in the lack of opportunity to flush out any of the characters fully. All of this combined was perhaps why I ended up not really feeling anything for any of the characters.
While I’m glad I read this one, I’m also a little bummed that I didn’t end up liking this one as much as I thought I would. Even though some parts of it didn’t really work for me, I would still recommend this one for its realistic portrayal of the HK protests as well as the timeliness aspect in terms of what has been going on in the U.S. as well as the rest of the world – which, for those impacted, would make this a very relatable read.
Read
March 2, 2026Moving and fraught in its realism. This is slice-of-life where that’s really, really not a euphemism for low-conflict.
Of course, of course - so much of this felt familiar. Which is terrifying but also, I guess, kind of comforting.
There’s no way to end this story; this story is not over. But I liked the ending of this book a lot.
Of course, of course - so much of this felt familiar. Which is terrifying but also, I guess, kind of comforting.
There’s no way to end this story; this story is not over. But I liked the ending of this book a lot.
December 26, 2025
This is set in Hong Kong during the pro-democracy protests, and centers on a handful of students and associated parents and teachers. The students are desperately trying to organize a resistance to Mainland China's authoritarian control, continually clashing with police, being pepper sprayed and shot, and fleeing. Resistance has become central to their lives but the novel zooms out to include those who are less invested or are resigned to the inevitable, and instead are concerned with shopping, housing, and self care. It ends with an election that the students frame as being decisive and existential - but not everyone is convinced that their votes will have any impact on Hong Kong's ability to self govern.
This is a book that, ten years ago, might have felt near future dystopian, or at least touristic but now as so many direct parallels to life in the US. Maybe we're not being pepper sprayed outside most of the time - but some people are, and some people are being disappeared and the executive branch seems just as hell-bent on imposing its unpopular agenda on people who are sometimes trying to organize resistance. Dark times indeed.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
This is a book that, ten years ago, might have felt near future dystopian, or at least touristic but now as so many direct parallels to life in the US. Maybe we're not being pepper sprayed outside most of the time - but some people are, and some people are being disappeared and the executive branch seems just as hell-bent on imposing its unpopular agenda on people who are sometimes trying to organize resistance. Dark times indeed.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
Read
October 17, 2022書看起來頗有份量結果是分成十幾個短篇，很快就讀完，導讀推薦序和作者跋也值得一讀。每篇故事的角色互有連結又可獨立閱讀，即使只有最最外圍的運動參與經驗或沒經驗相信也能引起共鳴，抗爭者的精神震盪並不亞於政治環境的劇烈變化，想到這些角色的悲傷、憤怒、自我懷疑、漠然…該是需要多少時間的觀察和痛苦的討論或自問才能描寫得出來，而這一切都還沒有結局，就對作者的誠實和勇敢感到十分敬佩。
February 13, 2026
3.5 stars, rated up! Everyday Movement showed up as an unexpected surprise in my mailbox, and I’m glad I got the opportunity to read it! Each chapter is from the perspective of a different character, all responding in different ways to the political turmoil in 2019 Hong Kong, as well as the turmoil in their personal lives. The chapters almost feel like a series of interconnected short stories.
What was going on in Hong Kong reminds me so much of what is going on in the United States today. The book almost felt like a manual for how to endure suffering while still resisting by giving many different examples of how people choose to react to political upheaval. I always appreciate books that show many different reactions to the same event, so getting to see how each character reacted and coped was one of my favorite parts of reading this.
However, Everyday Movement did have a couple of drawbacks that kept me from rating it higher. The book’s writing felt very removed, and mostly concerned with conveying information, so it was difficult for me to fully connect with and care about the characters themselves. The plot itself was also minimal, which is normal for literary fiction, but as a reader I either need a strong plot or strong characters in order to really love a book.
Here’s who I think will be most likely to love Everyday Movement:
- If you enjoy watching a situation unfold from all of the angles of the characters experiencing it, not just one
- If you’re drawn to short story collections (this isn’t one but it feels like one)
- If you're a non-fiction reader, too
Thanks to Penguin Random House/Riverhead Books for sending me a copy to review!
What was going on in Hong Kong reminds me so much of what is going on in the United States today. The book almost felt like a manual for how to endure suffering while still resisting by giving many different examples of how people choose to react to political upheaval. I always appreciate books that show many different reactions to the same event, so getting to see how each character reacted and coped was one of my favorite parts of reading this.
However, Everyday Movement did have a couple of drawbacks that kept me from rating it higher. The book’s writing felt very removed, and mostly concerned with conveying information, so it was difficult for me to fully connect with and care about the characters themselves. The plot itself was also minimal, which is normal for literary fiction, but as a reader I either need a strong plot or strong characters in order to really love a book.
Here’s who I think will be most likely to love Everyday Movement:
- If you enjoy watching a situation unfold from all of the angles of the characters experiencing it, not just one
- If you’re drawn to short story collections (this isn’t one but it feels like one)
- If you're a non-fiction reader, too
Thanks to Penguin Random House/Riverhead Books for sending me a copy to review!
February 14, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5. ty @riverheadbooks
Set in Hong Kong during the pro-democracy protests, the subject matter couldn’t be more timely. For anyone watching in horror at the political turmoil in the U.S., this will most definitely resonate.
I’m not sure if it is the original writing or the translation, but something about the craft at a sentence level was lacking for me. I did love how the author showed all sides objectively and let the reader draw their own conclusions. An informative and chilling text.
Set in Hong Kong during the pro-democracy protests, the subject matter couldn’t be more timely. For anyone watching in horror at the political turmoil in the U.S., this will most definitely resonate.
I’m not sure if it is the original writing or the translation, but something about the craft at a sentence level was lacking for me. I did love how the author showed all sides objectively and let the reader draw their own conclusions. An informative and chilling text.
August 28, 2025
Sujet passionnant : comment Hong-Kong a basculé en 2019 sous l'impérialisme de la RPDC. Sans un bruit ou presque dans le reste du monde alors qu'il y a eu des morts, des blessés pour que les Hongkongais gardent leurs libertés... cela n'a pas suffit. Et maintenant, cette ville moderne et incroyable est sous le joug de la Chine, a fait changer les manuels scolaire et mettre en prison les journalistes.
Un cri d'alarme nécessaire, même si le livre comporte pas mal de longueurs, son propos est indispensable.
Un cri d'alarme nécessaire, même si le livre comporte pas mal de longueurs, son propos est indispensable.
Did Not Finish
March 13, 2026DNF'd at page 17. I don't know if something was lost in translation. I found the writing style to be awkward and clunky. The sentences are grammatically correct but they sound odd from the get-go. It's too bad.
...."There was no need to cautiously stick out your tongue to test the temperature. Who would ever suspect that the routines of an orderly life might quietly conceal an invisible poison? One day, scalding white steam curled from your cup. But still no one noticed. The water slid past your lips, waves of searing heat engulfing the soft flesh of your mouth....
Is this the fault of the author or the translator? No matter as the outcome is off-putting.
I liked the premise of this book and certainly the setting is intriguing.
...."There was no need to cautiously stick out your tongue to test the temperature. Who would ever suspect that the routines of an orderly life might quietly conceal an invisible poison? One day, scalding white steam curled from your cup. But still no one noticed. The water slid past your lips, waves of searing heat engulfing the soft flesh of your mouth....
Is this the fault of the author or the translator? No matter as the outcome is off-putting.
I liked the premise of this book and certainly the setting is intriguing.
December 29, 2022
內容沉重但每段篇幅不長其實很好入口。
讀完後記，心裡閃過從 2019 到 2022 發生的事，時間過得好快又好慢，突然意識到正如後記所說：「與其說這是一本關於抗爭的小說，不若說更多是運動傷害，或是，傷害本身。」
然後我就突然想起來自己其實蠻痛的，哭了一下子。
讀完後記，心裡閃過從 2019 到 2022 發生的事，時間過得好快又好慢，突然意識到正如後記所說：「與其說這是一本關於抗爭的小說，不若說更多是運動傷害，或是，傷害本身。」
然後我就突然想起來自己其實蠻痛的，哭了一下子。
February 12, 2026
I remember talking to my friend during the Hong Kong protests in 2019. She was studying at a university and expressed fear of going anywhere, even to her classes. we didn’t discuss if she had any involvement in the protests, she had to be careful as a foreign student studying in Hong Kong, but I remember her explaining it felt like everywhere was in flux.
At the time I didn’t really understand the story of the protests, but all power to the people always, of course. I’ve remained interested in the movement, but it seemed to be kneecapped a bit with the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. When I saw the synopsis for this book, it was a must read for me. As the US continues to protest the kidnapping and murdering of people across the country, this book feels particularly timely.
Everyday Movement follows a group of people during the protests , those who are sympathetic to the cause, those who are participants in the cause, and some who would rather shop, continue life as is, and not disrupt their daily life. While reading this, I was reminded a bit of the movie from last year, I’m Still Here starring Fernanda Torres. In it, which a woman continues living after the kidnapping of her husband and experiencing a violent interrogation. We see scenes of daily life, mixed with the descent into fascism. Everyday Movement charts a similar course, we explore some of the characters backstories, and their motivations regarding the protests, mixed in with relationship troubles, friendships, and parental dynamics. Life doesn’t stop during times of chaos, we still feel mundane moments in between protesting and action. I found this book really interesting, and it inspired me to read more about the 2019 protests in Hong Kong. Life remains even with the world on fire.
Thanks Riverhead for the ARC!
At the time I didn’t really understand the story of the protests, but all power to the people always, of course. I’ve remained interested in the movement, but it seemed to be kneecapped a bit with the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. When I saw the synopsis for this book, it was a must read for me. As the US continues to protest the kidnapping and murdering of people across the country, this book feels particularly timely.
Everyday Movement follows a group of people during the protests , those who are sympathetic to the cause, those who are participants in the cause, and some who would rather shop, continue life as is, and not disrupt their daily life. While reading this, I was reminded a bit of the movie from last year, I’m Still Here starring Fernanda Torres. In it, which a woman continues living after the kidnapping of her husband and experiencing a violent interrogation. We see scenes of daily life, mixed with the descent into fascism. Everyday Movement charts a similar course, we explore some of the characters backstories, and their motivations regarding the protests, mixed in with relationship troubles, friendships, and parental dynamics. Life doesn’t stop during times of chaos, we still feel mundane moments in between protesting and action. I found this book really interesting, and it inspired me to read more about the 2019 protests in Hong Kong. Life remains even with the world on fire.
Thanks Riverhead for the ARC!
April 16, 2026
You know that feeling when the world is in turmoil and there's so much unrest but you still have to go to work/school and pretend that everything is fine?
100 pages into this book, I picked up my phone and immediately ordered the original version for my mother to read. Set in 2019 Hong Kong during the schism between 'yellow' and 'blue' sides and the aftermath of the 2014 Umbrella Revolution, this translated novel provides an important perspective that may not be available to the English-speaking world because of the language barrier. Even if you can read Chinese, can you read the news/ social media posts in Traditional Chinese, or only the simplified version taught in schools? My entire family is in Hong Kong, save my parents, so I was made aware of the chaos of those years. It wasn't some faraway issue that only affected a certain class. Ordinary people, workers, students, and families were all affected.
The characters are realistic in their fallibility and, at first glance, hypocrisies, but as the novel went on it became apparent that it is very difficult to have any kind of a position, that no matter what one chose there would always be collateral. Children get shot, parents get cut off, partners get broken up with, businesses get boycotted. Conviction comes at a high cost, but even being neutral could put a target on your back. This novel captured that feeling of being a young person pulled in different directions, struggling to find a way out of the morass.
100 pages into this book, I picked up my phone and immediately ordered the original version for my mother to read. Set in 2019 Hong Kong during the schism between 'yellow' and 'blue' sides and the aftermath of the 2014 Umbrella Revolution, this translated novel provides an important perspective that may not be available to the English-speaking world because of the language barrier. Even if you can read Chinese, can you read the news/ social media posts in Traditional Chinese, or only the simplified version taught in schools? My entire family is in Hong Kong, save my parents, so I was made aware of the chaos of those years. It wasn't some faraway issue that only affected a certain class. Ordinary people, workers, students, and families were all affected.
The characters are realistic in their fallibility and, at first glance, hypocrisies, but as the novel went on it became apparent that it is very difficult to have any kind of a position, that no matter what one chose there would always be collateral. Children get shot, parents get cut off, partners get broken up with, businesses get boycotted. Conviction comes at a high cost, but even being neutral could put a target on your back. This novel captured that feeling of being a young person pulled in different directions, struggling to find a way out of the morass.
March 4, 2026
A gripping novel about the 2019 demonstrations for democracy in Hong Kong. It told of both sides. Some protested and caused destruction while others tried to just live their lives. Was a heavy read. Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways and Riverhead Books for the ARC.
February 10, 2026
this follows several fictional characters against the backdrop of the 2019-2020 hong kong pro-democracy protests—a real and tumultuous political movement. the story raises difficult, timely questions:
what do you do when the person you love holds fundamentally different political views? if you share a movement's beliefs but do nothing to support it, is that wrong or simply self-preservation? in other words, is passivity excusable? does neutrality make you complicit?
though firmly rooted in hong kong, the characters' fear, guilt, and inner conflict feel universal, especially in this day and age.
thanks riverhead books and netgalley for the arc!
what do you do when the person you love holds fundamentally different political views? if you share a movement's beliefs but do nothing to support it, is that wrong or simply self-preservation? in other words, is passivity excusable? does neutrality make you complicit?
though firmly rooted in hong kong, the characters' fear, guilt, and inner conflict feel universal, especially in this day and age.
thanks riverhead books and netgalley for the arc!
March 8, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Riverhead for the free copy in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 stars. EVERYDAY MOVEMENT follows the everyday lives of interconnected characters in Hong Kong during the 2019 pro-democracy protests. From the most passionate student protestors to their more hesitant friends to the family members who aren’t sure how to engage, we see a range of perspectives and not only how they participate in the movement, but also how they engage and relate to one another in their normal lives off the streets.
The publisher’s description makes it sound like this is about two young women’s friendship, but we’re actually following a wide cast of characters, not just those two. The first half of the book or so is actually a series of chapters each focusing on a different character. And even after that, it’s hard to describe any kind of plot that carries through the book. The writing style wasn’t my favorite, which made this a little bit of a challenge because I need good writing to love a character driven book. The timelines also jump around a lot, which was a little hard to follow.
So this reading experience was a mixed bag for me, but I was still really really happy that I read it. Given what’s happening in the US right now combined with my family connections to Hong Kong (that’s where my dad is from), this book hit home. And the frame of focusing on daily life felt like a clever and different take on this type of story. It’s also short, so you can get through it fast. Given the number of characters, not to mention their nicknames, and the various timelines, I suspect this would be tricky on audio, so keep that in mind.
Overall not a perfect book but one I’m hoping people will read!
3.5 stars. EVERYDAY MOVEMENT follows the everyday lives of interconnected characters in Hong Kong during the 2019 pro-democracy protests. From the most passionate student protestors to their more hesitant friends to the family members who aren’t sure how to engage, we see a range of perspectives and not only how they participate in the movement, but also how they engage and relate to one another in their normal lives off the streets.
The publisher’s description makes it sound like this is about two young women’s friendship, but we’re actually following a wide cast of characters, not just those two. The first half of the book or so is actually a series of chapters each focusing on a different character. And even after that, it’s hard to describe any kind of plot that carries through the book. The writing style wasn’t my favorite, which made this a little bit of a challenge because I need good writing to love a character driven book. The timelines also jump around a lot, which was a little hard to follow.
So this reading experience was a mixed bag for me, but I was still really really happy that I read it. Given what’s happening in the US right now combined with my family connections to Hong Kong (that’s where my dad is from), this book hit home. And the frame of focusing on daily life felt like a clever and different take on this type of story. It’s also short, so you can get through it fast. Given the number of characters, not to mention their nicknames, and the various timelines, I suspect this would be tricky on audio, so keep that in mind.
Overall not a perfect book but one I’m hoping people will read!
July 7, 2022
She chose a great angle to interpret and to describe a very complicated theme which is the anti-extradition bill protest in Hk. The mouvement is relatively recent
, so as many critics said, it’s not easy to make any conclusion and evaluation.
The author focused on the ordinary life during the protests and didn’t heroize any characters and try to analyze them in an objective way. It takes great effort and courage. The readers have the rights to be picky, but ordinary life isn’t perfect. really touching epilogue.
, so as many critics said, it’s not easy to make any conclusion and evaluation.
The author focused on the ordinary life during the protests and didn’t heroize any characters and try to analyze them in an objective way. It takes great effort and courage. The readers have the rights to be picky, but ordinary life isn’t perfect. really touching epilogue.
November 13, 2025
The student uprisings in Hong Kong protesting the government have been so powerful to watch. Here, two students return after the Chinese government unleashed tear gas and rubber bullets against these two young women but both react so differently. Like spokes of a wheel, their lives touch many others, as they move through the protests as well as daily interactions. It's not all protest, all the time, but much more intricate and interesting. While this is set in Hong Kong, the movements and fights are universal.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
July 19, 2022
我認為本書尖銳之處，在於直面「兄弟爬山」不問路線與策略的倫理困境，及民粹式情緒動員的巨大反噬，沒有意圖為2019反修例運動再撰「史詩式」謳歌，而是以平視的角度，從人物所處的微觀脈絡，探詢經濟繁榮表象下的社會肌理，在長久累積的張力下遂成之裂變。暴力始於日常，允許極權與鎮壓的平庸與非政治人格，早就刻印在我們身上，在家庭，工作，學習與親密關係中不停預演。我們閱讀這些「衝突鑲嵌於生活裡，成為日常」的故事，也將重認各自平凡的臉，脆弱的身體與心靈。
(李智良〈分岔的風景〉，全文見：https://www.patreon.com/posts/fen-cha...)
(李智良〈分岔的風景〉，全文見：https://www.patreon.com/posts/fen-cha...)
Want to Read
September 4, 20242024年7月19、20日 書展：界限書店被貿發局禁售區家麟、廖偉棠著作
Banned/Censored books in Hong Kong 香港禁書目錄/清單
Banned/Censored books in Hong Kong 香港禁書目錄/清單
November 22, 2025
***I was provided with a digital advance readers copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review***
4.5/5
TL;DR: Set in Hong Kong in the turmoil of protests and violent police backlash, Everyday Movement is an intimate, nuanced, painstakingly detailed window into the lives of several characters involved in pro-democracy activism.
Admittedly, I didn’t have enough political or historical context to understand everything about the Hong Kong protest movement without doing a bit more reading on current events in HK, but the depiction of grassroots activist movements, state injustice, and police violence against protestors felt chillingly universal and prescient, especially given the current context of the U.S. government.
Leung perfectly captures both the infectious, bold energy behind resistance movements but also the defeat, fear, and despair that comes with rising political chaos. She paints a compassionate portrait of each of her characters, posing equally legitimate and human ways that people cope with the world crumbling around them: Panda’s passion and vivacity and commitment to compartmentalizing her social life from her life as an activist; Ah Lei’s depression and ennui in the face of disaster; Ah Mak’s journey from passivity to passionate resistance. Each character is sympathetic and immediately gripping and vivid, with strong chemistry from their first scenes together. Shifts in POV with each chapter result in a beautifully kaleidoscopic effect that further fleshes out each character’s personal experience and their relationships with one another.
Leung’s novel is also an exercise in dialectics, playing with conflicting, opposite realities side by side, especially epitomized by Panda and Ah Lei. From the first chapter, we’re presented with Ah Lei and Panda and their wildly different ways of approaching the world around them. The symbolism is clear and strong while never heavy-handed: by the end of chapter one, we’re already given plenty to chew on. Do material pleasures and comforts provide a necessary escape in hard times, or are they just a distraction or a capitulation to capitalist greed? Leung leaves this up to the reader, but she seems to suggest that both of these interpretations might be true.
I can’t quite put a finger on why, but the pacing lagged for me slightly in parts two and three. There is a slight shift from slice of life (granted, a chaotic, violent, and traumatic life) type depictions of a cast of characters to something more action-packed, complete with some time skips between events. I also felt like it lost the threads of some minor characters in a way that felt vaguely incomplete. That said, endings are notoriously difficult to nail, especially open ended ones, and I think Leung hit the mark perfectly.
While I took the time to savor each chapter, I didn’t dread picking Everyday Movement back up as I sometimes do with books that feel too violent and real. As dictated by the subject matter, it’s heavy and visceral, but it’s also full of humanity and hope. Jennifer Feeley’s translated prose is beautiful and smooth in a way that lets the characters and their complexities shine. This novel is simultaneously personal and intimate and so much greater than itself, and it’s left me plenty to ruminate on long after I’ve finished it.
4.5/5
TL;DR: Set in Hong Kong in the turmoil of protests and violent police backlash, Everyday Movement is an intimate, nuanced, painstakingly detailed window into the lives of several characters involved in pro-democracy activism.
Admittedly, I didn’t have enough political or historical context to understand everything about the Hong Kong protest movement without doing a bit more reading on current events in HK, but the depiction of grassroots activist movements, state injustice, and police violence against protestors felt chillingly universal and prescient, especially given the current context of the U.S. government.
Leung perfectly captures both the infectious, bold energy behind resistance movements but also the defeat, fear, and despair that comes with rising political chaos. She paints a compassionate portrait of each of her characters, posing equally legitimate and human ways that people cope with the world crumbling around them: Panda’s passion and vivacity and commitment to compartmentalizing her social life from her life as an activist; Ah Lei’s depression and ennui in the face of disaster; Ah Mak’s journey from passivity to passionate resistance. Each character is sympathetic and immediately gripping and vivid, with strong chemistry from their first scenes together. Shifts in POV with each chapter result in a beautifully kaleidoscopic effect that further fleshes out each character’s personal experience and their relationships with one another.
Leung’s novel is also an exercise in dialectics, playing with conflicting, opposite realities side by side, especially epitomized by Panda and Ah Lei. From the first chapter, we’re presented with Ah Lei and Panda and their wildly different ways of approaching the world around them. The symbolism is clear and strong while never heavy-handed: by the end of chapter one, we’re already given plenty to chew on. Do material pleasures and comforts provide a necessary escape in hard times, or are they just a distraction or a capitulation to capitalist greed? Leung leaves this up to the reader, but she seems to suggest that both of these interpretations might be true.
I can’t quite put a finger on why, but the pacing lagged for me slightly in parts two and three. There is a slight shift from slice of life (granted, a chaotic, violent, and traumatic life) type depictions of a cast of characters to something more action-packed, complete with some time skips between events. I also felt like it lost the threads of some minor characters in a way that felt vaguely incomplete. That said, endings are notoriously difficult to nail, especially open ended ones, and I think Leung hit the mark perfectly.
While I took the time to savor each chapter, I didn’t dread picking Everyday Movement back up as I sometimes do with books that feel too violent and real. As dictated by the subject matter, it’s heavy and visceral, but it’s also full of humanity and hope. Jennifer Feeley’s translated prose is beautiful and smooth in a way that lets the characters and their complexities shine. This novel is simultaneously personal and intimate and so much greater than itself, and it’s left me plenty to ruminate on long after I’ve finished it.
March 17, 2026
Everyday Movement is a really complex story following various young people involved in political and civil unrest and the various ways that shapes and affects their daily lives and relationships. It feels so relevant to what is going on in the United States right now and provided some interesting perspective and commentary on all the different ways that people can protest and fight back against an unjust government.
Interestingly enough, since we are following quite a few different characters who are all involved in the unrest in varying degrees, we see all the different ways that people struggle to maintain their daily lives and "normality" while also being embroiled in a situation that is, at its core, entirely abnormal. Some of our characters try to still find the little joys in life outside of tear gas and protests while other characters are crumbling under the pressure and the change. We watch as relationships grow stronger over becoming a unified front in the fight against injustice while other relationships fall to the demands and mismatched political views.
One of the more prominent discussions in this book was the extent to which someone would put their physical well being on the line and who should actually bear the physical burden of civil unrest. In this book, children and young adults are the primary protesters - going out everyday to combat tear gas, police brutality, and gun violence. They are getting beaten and wounded and yet continue to show up everyday while their families and other adults around them either offer support in other ways or demand that they stop. It opens up an interesting conversation about who should shoulder the cost of revolution - the young people who have to live in the world being built around them or the older generation who actively contributed to the policies and world that must be fought?
I think that this could have been fleshed out a little more with a few less perspectives as some of them were more impactful than others but that really meres the narrative that the author is trying to tell, doesn't it. Some acts seem more important than others, actively protesting on the front lines seems to accomplish more, and yet all support just like all the character's perspectives add something of value to the cause. Still, I would have appreciated a little more exploration into some of these ideas. This is definitely a timely and thought provoking short little read though.
Content Warning: civil unrest, excessive force, police brutality, gun violence, fire and burns, talk of domestic violence, brief mention of suicide
Interestingly enough, since we are following quite a few different characters who are all involved in the unrest in varying degrees, we see all the different ways that people struggle to maintain their daily lives and "normality" while also being embroiled in a situation that is, at its core, entirely abnormal. Some of our characters try to still find the little joys in life outside of tear gas and protests while other characters are crumbling under the pressure and the change. We watch as relationships grow stronger over becoming a unified front in the fight against injustice while other relationships fall to the demands and mismatched political views.
One of the more prominent discussions in this book was the extent to which someone would put their physical well being on the line and who should actually bear the physical burden of civil unrest. In this book, children and young adults are the primary protesters - going out everyday to combat tear gas, police brutality, and gun violence. They are getting beaten and wounded and yet continue to show up everyday while their families and other adults around them either offer support in other ways or demand that they stop. It opens up an interesting conversation about who should shoulder the cost of revolution - the young people who have to live in the world being built around them or the older generation who actively contributed to the policies and world that must be fought?
I think that this could have been fleshed out a little more with a few less perspectives as some of them were more impactful than others but that really meres the narrative that the author is trying to tell, doesn't it. Some acts seem more important than others, actively protesting on the front lines seems to accomplish more, and yet all support just like all the character's perspectives add something of value to the cause. Still, I would have appreciated a little more exploration into some of these ideas. This is definitely a timely and thought provoking short little read though.
Content Warning: civil unrest, excessive force, police brutality, gun violence, fire and burns, talk of domestic violence, brief mention of suicide
February 26, 2026
Thank you to Riverhead Books for sending me this terrific, translated novel!
This book is so timely. Despite being set in 2019 Hong Kong during their own political and social upheaval, I think readers will be able to see their own experiences and feelings reflected back in todays climate. What I love so much about this novel is that you get a large swath of experiences moving through the same unrest or revolution in different classes and age ranges— people who are just in different positions in society and how misunderstood people fighting for the same thing, on the same side, can feel towards each other, all of the hurt and anger that comes with that. It’s also about the pressure cooker of existing inside of resistance against a larger force, and also still having to participate in society as we know it. Whether that’s going to work, to school or living with your family or dating so that you can either get an education or keep your home or take care of your children. You have to do all of this successfully while also trying to remain on the right side of history. You can really see the pain that that dichotomy causes people in their own lives, but also that it breeds a judgment from people on the same side.
It made me think of the book “Mutual Aid” (I read last month) about how social justice can sometimes feel like a competition of who who’s doing the most or who’s doing the right things or who should be doing more but when we talk about mutual aid it’s not about competition it’s about community. The important thing is being on the same side and lifting each other up so that everybody can do as much as they can without judging people for the circumstances that allow or disallow them to participate in the way that they are. I think this book does a really good job of helping you to have understanding for everybody’s situation and maybe you can even understand your own struggles through resistance better.
And all around great novel and it’s translated! So if you’re looking to add more things to your translated TBR I’d highly recommend picking it up. It just came out earlier this month so pick it up now!
This book is so timely. Despite being set in 2019 Hong Kong during their own political and social upheaval, I think readers will be able to see their own experiences and feelings reflected back in todays climate. What I love so much about this novel is that you get a large swath of experiences moving through the same unrest or revolution in different classes and age ranges— people who are just in different positions in society and how misunderstood people fighting for the same thing, on the same side, can feel towards each other, all of the hurt and anger that comes with that. It’s also about the pressure cooker of existing inside of resistance against a larger force, and also still having to participate in society as we know it. Whether that’s going to work, to school or living with your family or dating so that you can either get an education or keep your home or take care of your children. You have to do all of this successfully while also trying to remain on the right side of history. You can really see the pain that that dichotomy causes people in their own lives, but also that it breeds a judgment from people on the same side.
It made me think of the book “Mutual Aid” (I read last month) about how social justice can sometimes feel like a competition of who who’s doing the most or who’s doing the right things or who should be doing more but when we talk about mutual aid it’s not about competition it’s about community. The important thing is being on the same side and lifting each other up so that everybody can do as much as they can without judging people for the circumstances that allow or disallow them to participate in the way that they are. I think this book does a really good job of helping you to have understanding for everybody’s situation and maybe you can even understand your own struggles through resistance better.
And all around great novel and it’s translated! So if you’re looking to add more things to your translated TBR I’d highly recommend picking it up. It just came out earlier this month so pick it up now!
Read
March 10, 2026“𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯?”
Thank you Riverhead Books for an advanced readers copy - I am loving exploring their new Chinese translated literature line.
Originally published in 2022 and deeply influenced by the protests that occurred in Hong Kong in 2019, this is highly relevant and relatable to positions people find themselves in today around the globe. When the world is on fire, do our small acts of resistance really make a difference in the grander picture? Does what we do in our everyday mean more than we realize? Or is change, control, or chaos simply inevitable, creeping into and impacting each minute aspect of our lives?
I hadn’t expected to be given views from an ensemble of characters as the synopsis led me to believe we’d follow only two of the young protestors. However, it largely makes sense, given the title and all that Leung addresses on the topics of democracy, opinions, compliance, police force, the mundane aspects of life, relationships, etc. I suppose I went in expecting to spend time with just Ah Lei and Panda, to dive deeper into each of them as they go about their “normal” lives and involvement in the protests, but we do circle back to them as there are connections between all whom were introduced to.
While there is nothing wrong with the audio and the narrator felt perfect for it, I personally found this one is better read in physical copy. The various and multitude of names made following the audio difficult for me, so I ended up going back through the physical ARC to skim over pages to better catch what was transpiring. But really, the format is all a matter of preference.
Overall, this is one that I will come back to at some point as I believe there is much to glean and I know I missed more than what I went in anticipating and ultimately gathered my first read through. Content includes descriptions of violence and injuries during / due to protests, some profanity, and references to intimate encounters (some are extra-marital, infidelity).
Thank you Riverhead Books for an advanced readers copy - I am loving exploring their new Chinese translated literature line.
Originally published in 2022 and deeply influenced by the protests that occurred in Hong Kong in 2019, this is highly relevant and relatable to positions people find themselves in today around the globe. When the world is on fire, do our small acts of resistance really make a difference in the grander picture? Does what we do in our everyday mean more than we realize? Or is change, control, or chaos simply inevitable, creeping into and impacting each minute aspect of our lives?
I hadn’t expected to be given views from an ensemble of characters as the synopsis led me to believe we’d follow only two of the young protestors. However, it largely makes sense, given the title and all that Leung addresses on the topics of democracy, opinions, compliance, police force, the mundane aspects of life, relationships, etc. I suppose I went in expecting to spend time with just Ah Lei and Panda, to dive deeper into each of them as they go about their “normal” lives and involvement in the protests, but we do circle back to them as there are connections between all whom were introduced to.
While there is nothing wrong with the audio and the narrator felt perfect for it, I personally found this one is better read in physical copy. The various and multitude of names made following the audio difficult for me, so I ended up going back through the physical ARC to skim over pages to better catch what was transpiring. But really, the format is all a matter of preference.
Overall, this is one that I will come back to at some point as I believe there is much to glean and I know I missed more than what I went in anticipating and ultimately gathered my first read through. Content includes descriptions of violence and injuries during / due to protests, some profanity, and references to intimate encounters (some are extra-marital, infidelity).
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Everyday Movement by Gigi Leung, tr. Jennifer Feeley, is a kaleidoscopic novel following two young women and the people connected to them during the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2019. Instead of focusing on the protests themselves and the brutality inflicted by the police, Leung highlights the everyday moments in the characters’ lives as they struggle to balance activism with their normal routines.
Although the scope of the novel suggests Leung’s position, she carefully excludes herself from the narrative. Each character has their own internal struggles—although they are sympathetic to the protesters, we see internal conflicts over who is doing “enough” for the movement, which methods of resistance are most effective, and whether you can truly disrupt a system while still participating in it. All are struggles common to most political movements, but Leung’s quiet exploration of these ideas through interpersonal conflicts offered a deeper and more nuanced understanding.
I must admit when the narrative first shifted away from Ah Lei and Panda, I was a little unsure if I would be able to be invested in so many characters. However, Leung masterfully weaves each of the narratives together to create a dense network of stories spanning the few short months of summer 2019. The translation flows beautifully, with multiple moments where I had to pause after a particularly revelatory sentence.
My one small struggle with this novel was that sometimes the jumps in time within a chapter were a bit confusing for me. I sometimes struggled to determine whether we were getting a flashback or a flash-forward. This may be less of an issue for readers more familiar with the intricacies of this event, but I sometimes had to go back and re-read a few pages to get my bearings.
Overall, I found this to be a quiet yet powerful work. I strongly recommend this book to lovers of literary fiction who revel in the in-between moments. Leung and Feeley will transport you to the kitchen table, the dorm room, and the mall in Hong Kong during the summer of 2019.
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.
Although the scope of the novel suggests Leung’s position, she carefully excludes herself from the narrative. Each character has their own internal struggles—although they are sympathetic to the protesters, we see internal conflicts over who is doing “enough” for the movement, which methods of resistance are most effective, and whether you can truly disrupt a system while still participating in it. All are struggles common to most political movements, but Leung’s quiet exploration of these ideas through interpersonal conflicts offered a deeper and more nuanced understanding.
I must admit when the narrative first shifted away from Ah Lei and Panda, I was a little unsure if I would be able to be invested in so many characters. However, Leung masterfully weaves each of the narratives together to create a dense network of stories spanning the few short months of summer 2019. The translation flows beautifully, with multiple moments where I had to pause after a particularly revelatory sentence.
My one small struggle with this novel was that sometimes the jumps in time within a chapter were a bit confusing for me. I sometimes struggled to determine whether we were getting a flashback or a flash-forward. This may be less of an issue for readers more familiar with the intricacies of this event, but I sometimes had to go back and re-read a few pages to get my bearings.
Overall, I found this to be a quiet yet powerful work. I strongly recommend this book to lovers of literary fiction who revel in the in-between moments. Leung and Feeley will transport you to the kitchen table, the dorm room, and the mall in Hong Kong during the summer of 2019.
Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
#EVERYDAYMOVEMENT by #gigilleung takes place during the summer of 2019 when pro-democracy protests begin escalating in Hong Kong. Students, teachers, family, and friends must contend with what it means to be an activist. At first glance, it would appear to be a novel of idealistic demonstrators, like Panda, Chan Yuek, or Little Professor, but it is also about those on the sidelines who are ambivalent or jaded, who nevertheless support the fight for democracy. This novel is about fighting for a sense of normalcy during abnormal times and it’s a tremendous addition to the Chinese-to-English translated titles spearheaded by my favorite publisher.
The novel begins with two student protestors taking an evening off at the mall. Prior to the summer months, police would halt their forces at the glass entrance of these shopping centers and civilians, tourists, and demonstrators alike can safely shelter. On this night, however, police breach the building and Ah Lei and Panda are caught in the violence and bloodshed. Their vastly different reactions in the aftermath set up the myriad ways in which each character defines their role in the turbulent months to come. There are poignant flashbacks, different perspectives of the same ordinary and not-so-ordinary moments, and much more.
I come away with a deeper appreciation for routines and the little things that make up my day-to-day. Although the boundary between “everyday life” and “extraordinary movements” may dissolve, this book is a kind reminder to take care of ourselves and our loved ones through it all. You might not be able to change bad times, but you can cultivate your own conduct in the meanwhile. I’m grateful to begin the new year with such a stirring and inspirational read. Thanks so much to @riverheadbooks for sending me this ARC. #EVERYDAYMOVEMENT comes out 2/10/2026.
The novel begins with two student protestors taking an evening off at the mall. Prior to the summer months, police would halt their forces at the glass entrance of these shopping centers and civilians, tourists, and demonstrators alike can safely shelter. On this night, however, police breach the building and Ah Lei and Panda are caught in the violence and bloodshed. Their vastly different reactions in the aftermath set up the myriad ways in which each character defines their role in the turbulent months to come. There are poignant flashbacks, different perspectives of the same ordinary and not-so-ordinary moments, and much more.
I come away with a deeper appreciation for routines and the little things that make up my day-to-day. Although the boundary between “everyday life” and “extraordinary movements” may dissolve, this book is a kind reminder to take care of ourselves and our loved ones through it all. You might not be able to change bad times, but you can cultivate your own conduct in the meanwhile. I’m grateful to begin the new year with such a stirring and inspirational read. Thanks so much to @riverheadbooks for sending me this ARC. #EVERYDAYMOVEMENT comes out 2/10/2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this novel. This novel follows a group of interconnected young people during the protests of the proposed extradition law in Hong Kong. The characters and their relationships are all impacted by the social and political changes taking place, and they are all forced to take stands or explain their apathy. Two female university students stand at the center of this social circle and go through cycles of energy and angst. They participate in marches and then pull back to support roles or the political process as things become more violent and murky. The men in the story are generally more apathetic and possibly more realistic. They don't understand why their girlfriends are so concerned, but perhaps they have less to lose or just cannot process the issues. The women are generally more energized and some use their energy as purity tests for everyone around them. Everyone has a different history with the mainland and that affects their beliefs. The story is very careful to show the points of view of all the characters as they try to navigate this extraordinary moment in history while also navigating social changes that have already scrambled relationships in Hong Kong during this period. I really enjoyed reading this snapshot in time in Hong Kong describing how everyone's lives were impacted by the protests.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In a way this book resonates for our times of political turmoil. Set in 2019 Hong Kong during a time of pro-democracy protests, the book calls out the themes of civic duty versus personal contentment, and how to live a life during such contentious times.
The story unfolds primarily through two friends and college roommates, Panda (a nickname whose meaning is revealed in the story) and Ah Lei. Panda is tenacious and strident in fighting with the pro-democracy groups and protests while Ah Lei, a pro-democracy advocate too, is more on the sidelines caring for those wounded or affected by the riots. As these girls intermingle with friends, family and lovers, a host of thoughts, ideals, prejudices flow out to expand the debate of civic responsibility and personal contentment. Also the protests show they impact through the breaking of family ties and severing relationship. The book pulses with the ordinary, everyday things of life - which reflects the book’s time - and grounds the theme that it’s not easy to live within this turmoil. .
On the surface, this seems like a simple story but its parallel’s to today’s time is so eerie and incredibly prescient. One must read this with two hats on: one to the story and one as a witness to our times.
This is more a plot driven book but the characters are nicely drawn and the writing is well down. All in all a very fine read.
I want to thank NetGalley and Riverhead Books for allowing me to read this ARC
#EverydayMovement
#GigiLleung
#RiverheadBooks
The story unfolds primarily through two friends and college roommates, Panda (a nickname whose meaning is revealed in the story) and Ah Lei. Panda is tenacious and strident in fighting with the pro-democracy groups and protests while Ah Lei, a pro-democracy advocate too, is more on the sidelines caring for those wounded or affected by the riots. As these girls intermingle with friends, family and lovers, a host of thoughts, ideals, prejudices flow out to expand the debate of civic responsibility and personal contentment. Also the protests show they impact through the breaking of family ties and severing relationship. The book pulses with the ordinary, everyday things of life - which reflects the book’s time - and grounds the theme that it’s not easy to live within this turmoil. .
On the surface, this seems like a simple story but its parallel’s to today’s time is so eerie and incredibly prescient. One must read this with two hats on: one to the story and one as a witness to our times.
This is more a plot driven book but the characters are nicely drawn and the writing is well down. All in all a very fine read.
I want to thank NetGalley and Riverhead Books for allowing me to read this ARC
#EverydayMovement
#GigiLleung
#RiverheadBooks
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Hong Kong, 2019 - EVERYDAY MOVEMENT centers around the lives of two women amidst pro-democracy protests.
This book is a sea of political tension/rivalry and resistance movement. Through characters with different backgrounds, Leung exposes the two sides of the same coin - the way Hong Kong civilians' mundane routine is shaped by daily conflicts and toxic capitalism. There are chaos and existential questions that infuse in the feelings of patriotism, identity and belonging of ordinary people whose interconnected lives allow a deep glimpse of the Hong Kong community.
Like the protests and resistance, the narrative doesn't stop, rendering people's convictions despite being torn by (mental and physical) pain. From the daughter-mother relationship to the complexity of language, the character study is sharp and emotional, incorporating a touch of empathy in this part of Hong Kong’s history.
Blending tender slice-of-life and changing times, EVERYDAY MOVEMENT (tr. Jennifer Feeley) is a revolution novel that echoes Leung's and characters' boldness, delivered with smooth translation. An urgent story that needs to be told.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Riverhead books . All opinions are my own ]
This book is a sea of political tension/rivalry and resistance movement. Through characters with different backgrounds, Leung exposes the two sides of the same coin - the way Hong Kong civilians' mundane routine is shaped by daily conflicts and toxic capitalism. There are chaos and existential questions that infuse in the feelings of patriotism, identity and belonging of ordinary people whose interconnected lives allow a deep glimpse of the Hong Kong community.
Like the protests and resistance, the narrative doesn't stop, rendering people's convictions despite being torn by (mental and physical) pain. From the daughter-mother relationship to the complexity of language, the character study is sharp and emotional, incorporating a touch of empathy in this part of Hong Kong’s history.
Blending tender slice-of-life and changing times, EVERYDAY MOVEMENT (tr. Jennifer Feeley) is a revolution novel that echoes Leung's and characters' boldness, delivered with smooth translation. An urgent story that needs to be told.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Riverhead books . All opinions are my own ]
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
For these students, the previously unthinkable had become reality: A fellow student was shot, and now there was a blanket ban of political expression on campus. from Everyday Movement by Gigi L. Leung
Reading a novel in 2026 America about students involved in the 2019 protests in Hong Kong is eerie. In 1997, Britain handed the city back to China. China wanted to extradite Hong Kong citizens for trial on the mainland, allowing them to target activists and critics.
Masked students dressed in black took to the streets to demand Hong Kong’s autonomy, universal suffrage, and accountability for police brutality. The police fought the protestors with tear gas, beatings, arrests, and bullets.
The characters in Everyday Movement lead normal lives during the day, studying for exams, dealing with relationships with lovers and families.
Life under an authoritarian dictatorship no longer seems otherworldly. I would close the book and scan the news. ICE murdering American citizens. Terrorizing families.
This novel is set in another county and another time, but it is also relevant to what is happening now and here. It gives us more empathy for these characters, makes them less alien and distant.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
Reading a novel in 2026 America about students involved in the 2019 protests in Hong Kong is eerie. In 1997, Britain handed the city back to China. China wanted to extradite Hong Kong citizens for trial on the mainland, allowing them to target activists and critics.
Masked students dressed in black took to the streets to demand Hong Kong’s autonomy, universal suffrage, and accountability for police brutality. The police fought the protestors with tear gas, beatings, arrests, and bullets.
The characters in Everyday Movement lead normal lives during the day, studying for exams, dealing with relationships with lovers and families.
Life under an authoritarian dictatorship no longer seems otherworldly. I would close the book and scan the news. ICE murdering American citizens. Terrorizing families.
This novel is set in another county and another time, but it is also relevant to what is happening now and here. It gives us more empathy for these characters, makes them less alien and distant.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book.
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