A powerful and devastating novel about discrimination, injustice, corruption, and the dark side of aspiration in modern India

Jivan, a young Muslim girl living in a slum in India, is hopeful to one day work herself up into the middle class. Using the wages, she earned from her job in a clothes shop, she buys a phone and innocently posts an angry comment on Facebook about a terrorist train bombing. “If the police didn’t help ordinary people like you and me, if the police watched them die, doesn’t that mean that the government is also a terrorist?”. Before she knows it, she is arrested and sent to prison, accused of herself orchestrating the attack. As she is forced to live in fear waiting for her verdict, the testimony of two people may influence her fate – PT Sir, Jivan’s old gym teacher and Lovely, a hijra (transgender) who dreams of being an actress and who Jivan was teaching English. However, both PT Sir and Lovely aspire to their dreams and standing up for Jivan during a media onslaught against her may lead to their aspirations falling apart.

This was a deeply moving and politically charged novel about racial and religious discrimination, the power of the media in influencing peoples’ minds and the struggle for survival in a deeply unfair system, where saving yourself often means sacrificing others. The story is written from the POVs of three characters – Jivan, PT Sir and Lovely – all of whom have their unique voices, and their stories intertwine subtly throughout the novel. Jivan’s situation was truly heart-breaking and the injustice and hopelessness, she faced was both upsetting and enraging, made worse by the descriptions of the impact her imprisonment has on her elderly parents, who are already suffering in poverty. The violent and relentless media onslaught against Jivan felt all too familiar, and despite this story being set in India, certain aspects of it could have easily been happening in the UK, where all too often the media is out for blood and manages to successfully sway the masses against an individual. I also found PT Sir’s story quite chilling: a humble PE teacher who is inspired by a political rally finds himself rising the ranks of his party, but his ascent is sped up a little by the odd favour to the party leader – a false witness statement here, a bribe there – until he finds himself fully embedded in the lies and the political respect they have won him. It shows how easily someone can slip into corruption when offered even the smallest amount of power, and the dark side of human nature, where we are too easily ready to step on others to lift ourselves. The author does a fantastic job of exploring these themes in a thought-provoking way and her story and characters are a stark reminder of the deep-rooted unfairness and inequality that is endemic within humanity.

Whilst the powerful message of ‘A Burning’ was its main compelling feature, I also found the characters to be well-written and sympathetic. Lovely was a wonderfully engaging character, and her bubbly personality stood out in her chapters and her unique way of speaking. I felt both sympathy and hope for her, and she added some much-needed light-hearted moments in an otherwise quite dark story. Additionally, I always love reading about other countries and cultures, and the author excellently describes some of the settings richly and vibrantly, with smells, sights and sounds all adding to the vivid atmosphere. The book is quite short and concisely written, and therefore some events do occur a bit quickly without touching on too much detail, but that did not do much to hamper my enjoyment of the story, and the author has a talent for building up a lot of character and setting without lengthy descriptions. My one criticism would be that the story was overall quite depressing and bleak due to its nature and would not be popular with anyone looking for a happy, uplifting read.


In conclusion, I really enjoyed this story and its characters and themes resonated very strongly with me. My interest has been grabbed and I am keen to read more stories set in India that focus on these same issues and would certainly read more by this author. I would definitely highly recommend this book to anyone.


Daenerys


Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of this book to review.

I enjoyed the story and viewpoints from different characters - but found it hard to get in too because of the style. Something was missing for me and it ended quite abruptly, but a good read all the same!

I raced through Megha Majumdar's debut novel.
A Burning provides a view of a moment in time, from the perspective of three characters, Jivan, Lovely and PT Sir.

It is political, insightful and robust.
The writing is well-paced and keeps you hooked throughout.
The ending, is heartbreaking.
Would definitely recommend and can't wait to read what Megha writes next.

3.5 stars

This was a really impressive debut. I was curious to read fiction exploring the political climate in contemporary India, having previously only read historical novels which do so.

There's no denying that Megha Majumdar is an excellent writer and definitely sheds light on a range of issues India faces today. The story is told from three different POVs, who's lives and destinies are entwined.

Jivan is a bright, young Muslim girl, raised in poverty but lucky enough to attend school for some years before getting a job in a store at the mall. After posting a comment criticising the government on Facebook, she is arrested and held awaiting trial for an act of terrorism she didn't commit.

PT Sir, a PE teacher at the girls school Jivan attended, becomes involved with a political party through a chance encounter and commits morally corrupt acts to line his own pockets and ascend the political ladder.

Lovely, is a talented, aspiring actress who dreams of stardom but faces prejudice every day as a hijra. Jivan was teaching her English.

Lovely's narration was by far my favourite, written with flair in the present tense. Her personality really shone through and I felt like I was really getting to know her. I found myself looking forward to coming back to Lovely's sections when I was reading the other narrators' chapters.

I also liked reading Jivan's sections, although they were heartbreaking. I really dreaded coming back to PT Sir's sections though. While they served a key purpose through providing insight to the corruption within political parties and the justice system, I just really didn't enjoy reading them. I think it's because I so thoroughly disliked his character.

The multiple POVs helped to propel the novel forward, creating a pace that made it easier to work my through what is some pretty devastating content. However, I felt that while the novel succeeds in being a truly scalding and thought-provoking piece of sociopolitical commentary, I wish that there had been more room for character development and introspection. I think this was done best with Lovely, but I would have really liked to have felt a deeper connection with Jivan and maybe I would have even enjoyed PT Sir's sections a little more!

I am conflicted by this book. In some ways the author has perfectly captured the place and the people that she uses to create the narrative. There are however times when it feels like 3 separate storylines. It is only in the final few pages that she truly brings together the strands of the events. I found it difficult to like any of the characters - not even Jivan who can only really be accused of excess stupidity driven by a desire to be noticed. In fact a desire to be noticed drives all the character's actions and in the end creates the outcome.

I am not convinced by the title of the novel either - I don't think it really defines the narrative and have to say it would not attract me on a bookshelf.

It is difficult to rate this book but I can't in all conscience say I enjoyed it so it will end up as a 2 star (perhaps2.5)

*Many thanks to Megha Majumdar, Simon and Schuster UK, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
A terrific debut that took my to a place as exotic as it can be for. Character-driven and definitely dealing with problems so rarely discussed with regard to India. The plot develops in a most intriguing way and together with superb writing this book turned out to be unputdownable read.

Megha Majumdar's debut novel “A Burning” begins with an incident where more than a hundred people are killed in a fire bombing on a train as part of a terrorist attack by unknown assailants near the slum of Kolkata. There is public outrage and a need for someone to blame. A young working class woman named Jivan views an angry online discussion about it on a phone she feels proud to have recently purchased. Being naïve about the real world repercussions of engaging in virtual chat she posts on Facebook positing that the government is just as culpable as the terrorists. This turns her into a convenient scapegoat as she is imprisoned and faces the serious charge of orchestrating the bombing. Though the evidence against her is entirely circumstantial, the public's desire to see her punished and the government's need to take action means she's incapable of receiving a fair trial. She hopes to help defend her case with the help of character witnesses PT Sir, Jivan's former physical education teacher and Lovely, a hijra who Jivan has been teaching English to. The narratives revolves between the perspectives of Jivan, PT Sir and Lovely as the trial proceeds. The story movingly shows that everyone is capable of corruption in a skirmish for advancement within a struggling society.

It's become commonplace to read inspiring stories about how justice is served after a hard-won battle where a humble individual endeavours to bring down a tyrannical system. So there is something noble in Majumdar's painfully honest depiction of someone who isn't reprieved from false charges because of the corruption and moral failings of individuals as well as the media, politicians and the courts. Though it makes for a depressing read, it's probably more often the case that vulnerable individuals are sacrificed as part of these larger social mechanisms and schemes of personal ambition. PT Sir's desire for political advancement is fuelled after he happens to attend a rally because his train is delayed. His quest for advancement and its privileges means he turns a blind eye to the many people who are unfairly persecuted along the way. Equally, Lovely's dreams of becoming a film star means she's unwilling to face possible public scandal from being entangled in Jivan's case. As we follow the advancement of both these characters we're given more of Jivan's backstory as someone whose family has faced absolute poverty and persecution as Muslims. It's skilful how Majumdar has constructed this novel because it shows how the odds are really stacked against Jivan and her acute personal suffering is wilfully ignored by those who could defend her.

The novel includes many painful scenes but the voices gives an energy to the story in faithfully relaying their idiosyncratic perspectives. I was most drawn to the sections by Lovely who is so spirited in her interactions and snappy rejoinders she gives to members of the public who sneer and look down upon her. There's also a compelling depiction of the hijra community (a class of intersex and transgender people in India) through her perspective. I've previously only read about hijras in the novels “The Parcel” and “The Ministry of Utmost Happiness” so I was glad to get another perspective on this particular group and it was moving reading about Lovely's romantic difficulties. It was also effective in how I initially felt very sympathetic towards her but grew to feel more critical as she succumbs to her own shallow fantasies. In fact, all of the characters seem enthralled by the glinting surface of convenience and the illusion of prosperity which makes them ignore a harder reality. The trajectory of these stories mean that “A Burning” is certainly not an easy read but it is one that can cut to the truth of things with devastating effectiveness.

This story was so sad and so real.

The writing it deceptively simple yet manages to interpret the different voices of each character.

We view the developing story through the eyes of three characters, each one is trying to get on and make the best of their lives. They are hampered by poverty and discrimination but also by corrupt officials and unscrupulous politicians more interested in gaining money and power through populist gestures than serving justice or improving the lot of those less fortunate, trading on prejudice against the ‘other’ without concern as to the individual human cost.

The narrative, on one hand seemed so particular to India while, on the other hand, conveying such problems in a way that is relevant to all of us, the readers.

This is a magnificent debut and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I found this to be a thoroughly engaging novel, woven together from the sorts of ethical dilemmas one might normally associate with a writer like Durenmatt.

The storyline itself follows the fortunes of a young woman who is arrested for a terrorist atrocity she did not commit, as well as several other characters whose lives have intersected with hers both before and after the attack. In sheer plot terms, it is a compelling, sometimes harrowing, account of corruption in various guises. There are twists and turns, and I was particularly drawn to the storyline of the character called Lovely.

What impressed me the most about this novel was the way the author captures and renders the different voices of each character. There is enormous musicality in their turns of phrase and accents and this felt enormously authentic.

I could well imagine this as a Netflix series or film.

With many thanks to the published and Netgalley for letting me see a copy of this title.

A gripping novel told from the perspective of three characters, each with ambitions to make something of themselves in society. The book is set after a terrorist attack on a train in India; it feels rich and polyphonic, almost Dickensian. It offers plenty of food for thought about the intersection of social media and politics, and about the desire to succeed and what its costs are.

🌿BOOK REVIEW🌿

A Burning by Megha Majumdar

🌼🌼🌼/5

“If there police didn’t help ordinary people like you and me, if the police watched them die, doesn’t that mean, I wrote on Facebook, that the government is also a terrorist.”

TW// death, violence, Islamophobia, hate crime, rape, transphobia, misogyny

A Burning centres around three characters (Jivan, PT Sir and Lovely) who yearn for more. Jivan is a young Muslim girl who lives in slums behind a train station and she aims to rise to the middle class... until she is arrested for a terrorist attack she did not commit because of a careless comment on Facebook. PT Sir is a PE teacher at an affluent school and he seeks political power when he joins the countries right wing political party. Lovely is hijra (trans) and she wants to become a movie star!

These three seemingly individual character lives are more intertwined than they realise. With PT Sir’s rise becomes strongly linked with Jivan’s demise, and Lovely is the only one who holds an alibi that would set Jivan free.

I had absolutely no idea what this book was about when I started it and I’m actually very glad about that! I can’t say I would usually gravitate towards a politically themed book but I think especially in the current climate it’s very apt. It discusses morals and how important they are to a person when it comes to choosing between their dreams and their morals. It was heartbreaking reading about bigotry perpetuated by media and the vast inequality in India.

This is a book I would recommend especially if these themes interest you! It is a fantastic novel all around power, class, betrayal and the impact of media.

The topics that this book covers, namely terrorism, prejudice and politics, are really interesting to read about and definitely feel very relevant right now. The layout of the book, narrated primarily by three main characters is interesting and allows the subtle relationships and differences between the characters to stand out. However, a book with such an interesting and absorbing premise as this one needs a style that matches this, and for me this book lacked that substance. The progression of the plot was quite slow, and I felt the the point that was trying to be made was not pushed as hard and as powerfully as it could have been. By the end there was an underwhelming feeling. Furthermore, the inclusion of a trans character in the form of Lovely had potential to explore the issues trans people face in this society and this was touched on a bit, but definitely not presented as explicitly as I would have liked.
However I still enjoyed reading this novel and appreciated the subtle, elegant writing style.

I was highly anticipating this novel, and was thrilled to get approved for the audiobook too, as I think that enhances my reading experience.
It drew me in pretty quickly, following Jivan, a woman who is accused of a terrorist attack on a train, as well as Lovely, the woman who Jivan is teaching English, and PT Sir, a teacher.
I was really getting engaged with the story but I lost interest half way through, particularly with PT Sir's chapters and at 80% I still struggled to concentrate on his parts and was unsure of his connection to Jivan's story.
I honestly expected to be blown away by this book and I wasn't, sadly. The plot needed more substance for me, but I do believe it showed the prejudice around suspected terrorists in this country and that makes it wholly relevant.

This has been described as the most electrifying debut of 2021 and I cannot agree. I couldn't finish this book.
Although A Burning touches on some serious issues and it is thought-provoking, it didn't make me feel anything, I just couldn't get into it. I liked the ideas, I liked the message behind it, but not much else.

The plot relies heavily on politics and the daily lives of the three main characters. The story moves in a dull, slow-paced manner, and frankly, it doesn't seem like it's going anywhere. The writing meanders, full of unnecessary details and moments that made it boring and hard to read.

Overall, I did not enjoy this book.

Set in Northern India, A Burning explores the power that politicians abuse, the slandering that the media revel in and the broken system that so many are trapped in. She does it through three different points of view, each whose voices have very cleverly been written with language that is succinct and to the point.

A theme that runs through the whole book is the notion of people wanting more for themselves. But in wanting more for themselves, we see where their values lie. We see what happens when they’re asked to choose between themselves and someone else. Perhaps this is the rot within their humanity or perhaps it is just human nature.

Through her novel, Majumdar is sending a loud, clear and very cleverly written message about politics, the corruption within it, and the villainy of the media who use their words without a thought or care towards who’s on the receiving end.

Set in and around the slums of Kolkata, this novel tracks three intertwining stories following a terrorist train attack. Jivan is a poor Muslim girl from the slums who aspires to one day become middle classed, this is thrown into jeopardy after a thoughtless comment she makes on social media and circumstances going against her. Lovely is a hijra (born male, but identifying as a female) who pins all hopes on her acting skills as a way to escape the slums. PT Sir teaches PE at the all girls school that Jivan attended but takes all opportunities given to him by aligning with a political party to find his way to a better life.

On face value, I expected to love this book - I am always drawn to intertwining stories where characters stories overlap and influence each other's fate. Although I enjoyed the story and found myself reading it quickly, I found that I didn't really connect particularly with the characters and didn't really warm to them in a way I would have hoped. An enjoyable read and a great story but I felt that something, that I can't quite put my finger on, was lacking. I've given it 3 stars, but would give it an extra half if I could.

Many thanks to #netgalley and Scribner UK for a review copy of #aburning in exchange for my honest review.

Powerful and incredibly keeping with the times. The beginning is a little slow, but it picks up pace and then becomes a roller coaster ride of politics and justice. Very impressive debut.

An interesting read - the three characters give their viewpoints on the events following a terrorist bombing on a train. Unfortunately the poor and socially displaced come out with little control over their lives and are political gun fodder. The third character gets involved with the political opposition, and having done their dirty work, gets the life he has always wanted.

Most definitely not a fairy story as the happy ending does not materialise and it has left me rather shocked and battered. I don't know anything about India's society and political system so do not know how close to the truth this story is, however it is a book that has made an impact.

An interesting book about a young muslim woman living in the slums of Kolkata who posts on facebook with disastrous effects. She is one of the three main characters alongside a hijra (intersex/trans person) who longs to be a Bollywood star and the girl's optimistic gym teacher. The book provides a fascinating look at poverty, corruption, racism, misogyny in Modern India, written in a reporting descriptive style which has been compared to Dickens. The structure of the book is simple but the prose draws you in to each individuals's world in a convincing way. An important and timely reflection from a fresh perspective.

With thanks to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
An interesting idea but I didn't really enjoy this book.
An OK read.