RED AFFAIRS, WHITE AFFAIRS

A debut literary novel focuses on a European woman living in modern-day Hong Kong.

Reinhild “Kim” Kranich is a young woman with a penchant for Emily Dickinson who finds herself unraveling the many mysteries of Hong Kong. Kim is from Germany and works for an organization called MediMission. Her job involves aiding Filipina domestic workers in a city that can often be cruel to them. Kim is no stranger to such duties, having spent time in Sudan, and though Hong Kong is a more modernized setting, there are many cultural aspects and contradictions for her to process. One of Kim’s best friends in this land of pineapple buns that don’t have pineapple is a local woman named Virginia Ngai. Virginia is close to Kim in age, though their lives display stark contrasts. Whereas Kim’s parents are a passive presence back in Germany, Virginia’s mother and father desperately want her to marry. Nevertheless, the two form an inseparable bond. They converse about their respective religions, the fate of unmarried women, and whether or not it is OK to make domestic servants work on Sunday. Readers will follow along as Kim refines her Cantonese, dates a man named Ben Chan, and tries to make sense of her surroundings. The story gives a vivid, in-depth look at the many facets of Hong Kong. From a yin and yang drink to ghost weddings to the many attempts to ward off bad luck, Nay’s tale deftly shows the city through the eyes of a European who is both a part of such a world and baffled by it. The story delivers an enticing mixture of details that leads to heady topics like the convergence of religious beliefs. But portions of the novel can move in a slow or aimless fashion. For instance, Kim goes on a litter cleanup expedition that is no more exciting than it sounds. During this operation, she meets Ben’s parents only to find that they are nice. What exactly does Kim want from her Hong Kong adventure? There is much for her to explore yet her investigations do not always bear substantial fruit.

This intricate look at an expatriate’s life proves culturally stimulating, if rambling at times.