Review by Booklist Review
Hong Kong has a long history with mainland China, their relationship often described as "one country, two systems." After the 1989 Tiananmen Square protest, many in Hong Kong distrusted the authoritarian regime in Beijing. Mainland China's escalating involvement in Hong Kong's governance culminated in a 2020 national security law designed to punish any forms of protest, criticism of the government, or other intentionally vaguely defined activities that Beijing classified as terrorism. In this captivating and illuminating examination of activism in Hong Kong, journalists Mahtani and McLaughlin balance historical context with up-to-the-minute reporting to convey the current climate in Hong Kong and its global implications. They tell the story of the movements for democracy through the lives of four activists who, coming from varying generations and backgrounds, have shaped and been shaped by their belief in freedom for the people of Hong Kong. Written with urgency, Among the Braves chronicles the courage and dedication of activists in the face of harsh responses from the pro-Beijing government. As many of the main subjects of the book are currently imprisoned or in exile, Mahtani and McLaughlin's report is an essential look at threats to modern democracy.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Citizen activists stoutly resist an encroaching tyranny in this powerful and moving debut from journalists Mahtani and McLaughlin. Tracing the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement's opposition to Beijing's attempts to erode the city's autonomy and freedoms in the decades following China's takeover in 1997, the authors profile four activists: Chu Yei Ming, a Baptist minister and long-time pro-democracy leader; Finn Lau, a Hong Kong expat in London who started an organization called Stand with Hong Kong and suffered a beating from mysterious thugs; Gwyneth Ho, a journalist reporting on the demonstrations who was beaten by pro-Beijing Triad criminals and later imprisoned after running for the city's Legislative Council in an unofficial protest election; and "Tommy," a young man belonging to a team of militant "braves" who was arrested for fighting police and then fled to Taiwan. Through their actions the democracy movement emerges as ardent and inspiring--until the somber denouement after Beijing crushed it in 2020 with mass arrests under draconian new security laws that levied life sentences for dissident activity. Mahtani and McLaughlin weave an exhilarating narrative, full of fear and hope, frenetic improvisation, and terrifying street violence. The result is a gripping account of one of the great political tragedies of our time. (Nov.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
In the trenches with the last remnants of the Hong Kong protestors, who "present[ed] the Chinese Communist Party with the greatest challenge to its rule on Chinese soil since the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989." Washington Post journalist Mahtani and Atlantic writer McLaughlin arrived in Hong Kong in early 2018, and they witnessed events from the last valiant protests through the pandemic and the ensuing crackdown, which left hundreds arrested and many rushing to leave the city. The authors descended into the chaos of the streets and befriended a handful of people whose lives they follow closely here. Tommy, one of the "braves" on the violent frontlines of the movement, had already been arrested several times and needed to escape to Taiwan. Ironically, his own grandmother had escaped China during the Cultural Revolution by fleeing to Hong Kong via makeshift boat. Chu, born during the Japanese occupation in World War II, had roots in mainland China like many other Hong Kongers. With little education, he became a minister and was involved in the protests that led to Tiananmen Square, and he helped organize the underground movement Operation Yellowbird to help dissidents flee China in the wake of the crackdown. The authors trace China's slowly tightening grip on Hong Kong over the decades, from the Joint Declaration signed in 1984 by Margaret Thatcher and Deng Xiaoping to ensure that promised "current social and economic system in Hong Kong will remain unchanged, and so will the life style," for 50 years after the British handover; to the 1997 handover; to the 2017 election of a leader hand-picked by Beijing, Carrie Lam. The authors also examine the dissenters' disappointment in U.S. government, a once-staunch ally they believe has capitulated to China's strong-arm policies. Compelling and poignant insider tales of China's devastatingly complete anti-democracy actions. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
