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Borrowed
Borrowed | Chan Ho-Kei
7 posts | 5 read | 12 to read
From award-winning Hong Kong writer Chan Ho-kei, "The Borrowed" tells the story of Kwan Chun-dok, a Hong Kong detective whose career spans fifty years of the territory s history. A deductive powerhouse, Kwan becomes a legend in the force, nicknamed the Eye of Heaven by his awe-struck colleagues. Divided into six sections told in reverse chronological ordereach of which covers an important case in Kwan s career and takes place at a pivotal moment in Hong Kong history from the 1960s to the present day"The Borrowed" follows Kwan from his experiences during the Leftist Riot in 1967, when a bombing plot threatens many lives; the conflict between the HK Police and ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) in 1977; the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989; to the Handover in 1997; and the present day of 2013, when Kwan is called on to solve his final case, the murder of a local billionaire, while Hong Kong increasingly resembles a police state. Along the way we meet Communist rioters, ultraviolent gangsters, stallholders at the city s many covered markets, pop singers enmeshed in the high-stakes machinery of star-making, and a people always caught in the shifting balance of political power, whether in London or Beijingall coalescing into a dynamic portrait of this fascinating city. Tracing a broad historical arc, "The Borrowed" reveals just how closely everything is connected, how history always repeats itself, and how we have come full circle to repeat the political upheaval and societal unrest of the past. It is a gripping, brilliantly constructed novel from a talented new voice."
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HardcoverHearts
The Borrowed | Chan Ho-Kei
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I‘ve been horrible with NetGalley, so this month was about trying to knock some out. I think I‘ve done a good job, given that I have also read quite a few others along the way. I want to get my rate up to 70%. It‘s at 49% right now, with the two at the bottom in my rotation now. The Borrowed was fantastic! Police procedural with such a brilliant structure- moving backwards in time, from the last case of an officer to his first in Hong Kong.

rubyslippersreads I need to do this too. 3y
HardcoverHearts @rubyslippersreads It feels so good to be clearing it out! 3y
23 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Tonton
The Borrowed | Chan Ho-Kei
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Pickpick

I really was of two minds about this book. It read really flat to me and the author‘s description of characters was so matter of fact I could not engage. In six cases told in reverse order you can learn Hong Kong modern history with inspector Kwan. It came together in the 1997 case, set in the handover; I was in HK and working in music management then; all of a sudden it came to life! If HK film fan it helps;shorthand signals on characters.

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Tonton
The Borrowed | Chan Ho-Kei
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Finished one last job this afternoon and rewarded myself with a visit to one of my favorite bookstores (Kinokuniya). Spent way more than I should have, but so happy with my stack!❤️

Abailliekaras We were there in April! I too *may* have taken home a large stack of books. 🙄 Look forward to your thoughts on The Borrowed. I was so hyped to read it & then couldn't get into it... 7y
Tonton Oh! One day maybe meet for browsing and Takanori Fruit Parlor later! 7y
5 likes2 comments
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Smrloomis
Borrowed | Chan Ho-Kei
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My hold came in today 🎉🎉🎉

Eyelit Ooh - sounds interesting! 7y
Smrloomis @Eyelit don't know where I saw it first but it sounds great. I almost bought a copy while I was waiting for someone else to return it 😬 7y
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brendanmleonard
The Borrowed | Chan Ho-Kei
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Post-birthday book haul! I turned 33 on Saturday, and have been doing a lot of reflection about my goals for this year. So many of them are focused on forward facing art - how to take my passion and put it out into the world. Litsy and all my beloved Littens are a huge part of that. As always - thank you, thank you, thank you.

Leelee08 Happy belated birthday!😊 7y
Jenshootsweddings Happy belated birthday! ❤📚 7y
Bookzombie Happy belated birthday! ⭐️🎈🎉 7y
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Riveted_Reader_Melissa Happy belated birthday! And great book haul!! 7y
saresmoore Happy 33! It's a great number. Enjoy and best wishes to you for the best year yet! 7y
rachellayown Happy birthday! I hope it was great. (Such a good day to have a birthday- it was my husband's too!) 7y
stacybmartin Happy birthday!! 🎉🎂📚🎉 7y
TheWordJar Happy belated birthday! Best wishes for fulfilling your goals this year! 7y
Cinfhen Belated birthday wishes 🙂🎉💜 7y
BookishFeminist Happy belated birthday! 🎉🎉 7y
jpmcwisemorgan Happy birthday. 🎉🎈🎉 7y
TheLibrarian Happy belated birthday!! 🎉 7y
LeahBergen Happy Birthday! 7y
jesslovestype Very curious to hear your thoughts on Fates. 7y
80 likes14 comments
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Abailliekaras
The Borrowed | Chan Ho-Kei
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Bailedbailed

I'm finding this clunky so have to bail. I am so there for a story of Hong Kong crime, triads, police, the mix of cultures & all the neighbourhoods I know and love. But "Mary was the only woman in Lok's team; a staunch feminist, she more than held her own ..." & eg the example pictured, I can't manage 486 pages. So torn as it's a book I want to love!

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Abailliekaras
The Borrowed | Chan Ho-Kei
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Just finished a 5km run for Room to Read, happy to be home with a coffee.. And a little crime ☕️

CallMeIshmael How did 5k go? 8y
DivineDiana Congrats! What is Room to Read? 8y
BookishFeminist Congrats! Now time to celebrate and settle in with some well-deserved reading 😀 8y
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britt_brooke Awesome!! 🙌🏻 8y
Well-ReadNeck Just got this from netgalley! On my TBR for next week. Looking forward to seeing how u like it. 8y
Abailliekaras @Callmeishamael run went quickly 27 mins! I'll feel it tomorrow. 😉 thanks @DivineDiana, Room to Read is my favourite charity, started by John Wood a self-confessed book nerd, to get books & libraries for children in the developing world, & help educate more girls 😊; his book is great too, Leaving Microsoft to Change the World. @BookishFeminist @britt_brooke thanks! @Well-ReadNeck I'll report back! 8y
DivineDiana @Abailliekaras Thank you for the information. Adding his book to my list. 8y
20 likes1 stack add7 comments