A Burning: A novel
In this National Book Award Longlist honoree and “gripping thriller with compassionate social commentary” (USA Today), Jivan is a Muslim girl from the slums, determined to move up in life, who is accused of executing a terrorist attack on a train because of a careless comment on Facebook. PT Sir is an opportunistic gym teacher who hitches his aspirations to a right-wing political party, and finds that his own ascent becomes linked to Jivan's fall. Lovely—an irresistible outcast whose exuberant voice and dreams of glory fill the novel with warmth and hope and humor—has the alibi that can set Jivan free, but it will cost her everything she holds dear.
Taut, symphonic, propulsive, and riveting from its opening lines, A Burning has the force of an epic while being so masterfully compressed it can be read in a single sitting. Majumdar writes with dazzling assurance at a breakneck pace on complex themes that read here as the components of a thriller: class, fate, corruption, justice, and what it feels like to face profound obstacles and yet nurture big dreams in a country spinning toward extremism. An extraordinary debut.
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Community Reviews
The story follows three characters whose lives intersect after the terrorist attack.
Through their perspectives, the novel examines the impact of societal structures on individual lives and raises important questions about justice and power. Majumdar's writing is sharp and evocative, capturing the tension and unease of a country grappling with rapid change and deep divisions.
It is a captivating and important debut that illuminates the challen...read more
I found this to be a very interesting story that gives you a vivid glimpse into a completely different world.
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