READERS GUIDE
Questions and Topics for Discussion
1. In Gigi L. Leung’s novel Everyday Movement, a pair of college students become politically involved in the summer of 2019, when democracy is under threat in their home city, Hong Kong. Within a few months, this experience creates chaos and bonds in their personal relationships, challenges their perceived identities, and transforms how they engage with the world. When Panda and Ah Lei begin to attend mass protests, how does their new experience impact their everyday lives? How do each of them process their emotions?
2. Everyday Movement portrays a range of characters in Panda’s orbit, and they all arrive at this moment of crisis with their own aspirations, imperfections, and baggage. In the case of Panda’s cousin, Ah Mak, what is the impact of his home environment—its economic reality, his parents’ conflict, and his mother’s precarious choices? What changes when he begins to take political actions?
3. A recurring theme of the novel is that even when people are on the same side in terms of general political objectives, they often disagree over how to get there. Such differences are intertwined with other interpersonal dynamics such as love, prejudice, and control. How do Panda, her little sister Sai Mui, and Mom view the movement? What kind of actions do they take to support the movement? How does this become a source of connection or dissatisfaction between family members?
4. Through Panda’s childhood memories, including a late-night visit to a police station in Sham Shui Po, the complex sisterhood of Mom and Auntie Lan is revealed. Why does Mom always tell Panda that “we owe her”?
5. A series of protests and police-civilian confrontations are featured in the book— from the breezy first hours of a rally at Tamar Park in early summer to the tense standoff at Panda’s university campus in late fall. How do these events mark the escalations in this movement? How does Leung depict the main characters’ evolutions throughout this period?
6. As the movement unfolds, some characters recommit to material enjoyment while others reexamine their everyday choices as consumers. What kind of considerations drive these changes? Do any of these instances in particular speak to you? Have you ever found yourself faced with such a choice? What did you decide?
7. As courageous as many of these characters are, avoidance and escape are a common thread. How do you relate to the characters’ way of navigating difficult situations?
8. In this novel, despite their instincts or bad first impressions, characters often find encouragement, comfort, or beauty in their familial, romantic, or pedagogical relationships. What is the importance of such openness for these individuals? What is their significance in broader society?
9. For decades, Chinese mainlanders have been migrating to Hong Kong. How is Auntie Lan’s experience different from some of the younger arrivals? What are the main social or economic reasons behind the shift? How do these characters of different generations grapple with their identities as immigrants?
10. As a child, how did Panda view her national identity? How did the real-world events of 2008 captured in this book shape Panda’s early political expressions? What kind of experiences made her question these ideas?
11. What is the role of guilt in this novel? Both Panda and Ah Lei considered deploying it against others. In the context of the story, what factors account for this kind of impulse?
12. We often read about protests, social movements, and political debates in the news. How is it different to approach the experience through a work of fiction?
