The Quiet Place Book Club: 'Diamond Hill' by Kit Fan

Join us for the July meeting of The Quiet Place Book Club, where we will discuss Diamond Hill (Dialogue Books 2021) by Kit Fan.

Diamond Hill is Kit Fan’s first novel, a literary debut which deals with the return from Buddha, a recovering addict, to Hong Kong and, in particular, to the shanty town of Diamond Hill. Set before the 1997 handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China, Fan alternates Buddha’s journey and his exchanges with a variety of characters with an exploration of concepts such as colonialism, religion and the experience of displacement.

How could a place remain unchanged for fifty years?

It was two years since I had set foot in Hong Kong, and it already looked a different beast. Of course, the city still breathed money, but everyone knew what would happen in ten years’ time. On 1 July 1997, the last colony of the British Empire would be handed over to China. Perhaps it was easier for me to return, knowing there was an expiry date for my home city. Before I left Hong Kong, all I knew was how to shut myself out of life. This city was a cruel place, especially for failures like me.

You can purchase a copy of Diamond Hill from Fox Lane Books or borrow a copy from the library. Please register in advance for this meeting. Everyone is welcome!

Contact: amk565@york.ac.uk / kw1408@york.ac.uk