The Impossible City
The Impossible City: A Hong Kong Memoir is a 2022 book by Karen Cheung, published by Random House. It follows Cheung growing up in Hong Kong, her family, and her growing interest in politics, especially during the Umbrella Movement and counterculture scenes.
The story begins in 1997, when Hong Kong was handed over to China. Cheung was four at the time; she was born in Shenzhen but soon moved back to Hong Kong. She first attended an international school, then a government-funded school as her family’s finances worsened.
The book ends with the Hong Kong National Security Law taking effect on July 1, 2020. Reviewers describe it as a powerful memoir about love and anguish, and note the strong sections about city life, presenting a vivid portrait of a place that is both captivating and confounding. It was longlisted for the 2023 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 11:11 (CET).