Martin Booth’s Gweilo is a charming look at Hong Kong expatriate life in the 1950s. An expatriate is someone who moves from their home country to another country to work and live. As expats, Martin and his mother quickly fall in love with a very exoticHong Kong. Compared to their home inEngland,Hong Kong presents a life of wild adventures. Both mother and son immediately begin learning the local language, culture and are open-minded about meeting the colourful local people who live in their various neighbourhoods. Martin’s father, on the other hand, is not as open-minded as mother and son. Mr. Booth adopts a superior attitude that causes him all sorts of problems when trying to work with the local people ofHong Kong.
As an expatriate living in Hong Kong, I can appreciate the adventures of Martin and his mother as they explore theirnew city.Hong Kong is a bustling and exciting place that never sleeps. When I first arrived in Hong Kong almost 9 years ago on my way to a new teaching job inChina, I thought it was the most thrilling place to be. When I lived inChina, I couldn’t wait for my holidays so that I could visit and explore more ofHong Kong. I still feel this way today. There is always some new part ofHong Kong to discover.
Book Review by : Susan Jane Alexandre
