Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

A detailed and interesting book.
It was a tough read at times and the writing style wasn’t the easiest. But it was full of facts and details.

I really was keen to read this book so pushed on through the frustrating e-formatting and I'm glad I did. Review below.

As a self-confessed sinophile, I simply had to read Michael Kerrigan's China. On further investigation, I was staggered by the volume of this author's body of work and as a result my burgeoning TBR pile has grown considerably. This is a writer I am incredibly excited to have discovered, and I'm kicking myself that I didn't know about him sooner. "China: A Dark History" is accessible to non-academics like me. Beautifully presented and laid out, the content is highly informative and fascinating. I adored this book and will certainly be displaying it among the favourites section on my bookcase.