A review by warlocksarecool21
An Echo in the City by K.X. Song

challenging dark informative reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

An Echo in the City is a reflective story about two teens caught up in the 2019 Hong Kong protests. My favorite part of this book was the writing style. It was lyrical and pensive and allowed for such hauntingly beautiful descriptions of the character’s inner conflicts and the events of the protests. This prose definitely stood out in Kai’s chapters, and really fleshed out his character and motivations. I really enjoyed his development, how he felt trapped in the beginning to obey his father and become a police officer, but struggled with his own humanity about the protests. I thought Phoenix’s character lacked depth compared to Kai, but she had good moments. I was ambivalent about Kai and Phoenix’s relationship, I just felt that it was a little superficial, but I did enjoy the fleeting aspect of it, how they were two strangers on opposing paths that happened upon each other at a point in time. I also appreciated the perspective of the transience of protests and political movements and the complexity that surrounds them. While I wish there was more development for Phoenix and some of the other side characters, I appreciated the nuance of this story and think it is an impactful read. 
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