Laura Ruggeri

​https://hkrbooks.com/2018/11/30/hong-kong-highs-and-lows/

'Hong Kong is undeniably experiencing rapid changes politically, socially, and culturally. But if there is any essence that lies at the core of the city amidst all these changes, capitalism is definitely one of them. In “Night Fugue,” Laura Ruggeri portrays how changes and memory are interwoven together through the story of two friends – one who has committed suicide and the other, the narrator, mourning her through her memories. Rather than simply presenting nostalgic sentiments, Ruggeri cleverly contrasts the stillness of the death of the narrator’s friend with the imagery of a transient Hong Kong:

The places we frequented religiously, with their high priests the DJs and barmen, have either disappeared under the wrecking ball or morphed into shops, restaurants, upscale lounges. I had assumed that these places would be more permanent than the people we met there. How wrong I was. In Hong Kong, transience applies to both people and places because there is nothing more sacred than the maximization of profit. The urban fabric of this city has been likened to a magnetic tape that can be erased and reused, leaving no traces of previous uses. But have my memories also been written over and erased? How do I hold on to them, when there are no anchors left?

In the face of the loss of a close friend, the narrator cannot help but wonder how insignificant her death is in a city that is interested most in the making money. The narrative is intriguing and echoes the concerns of people living in the city – how far are we going to go in this capitalist pursuit? How should one situate oneself in this era?'

(Emily Chow, 'Hong Kong Review of Books', November 30, 2018)