Book Review: A Burning by Megha Majumdar

Book: 100/150

Rating: 3.5/5

Summary: 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.

Thoughts: This is a tough one to rate and review. On one hand, I really loved the writing, it beautifully conveyed the characters and the themes of injustice, power, and purpose. There are three different perspectives throughout the story: Jivan, PT Sir, and Lovely, and their voices were all so distinct.

I'm one of those readers that likes an ending that's up to your own interpretation or that is a bit messy and isn't wrapped up perfectly with a bow. However, I struggled with the ending for this book. I think I was just expecting something more, and it felt almost incomplete. The writing is really impressive for a debut, and I look forward to following this author's career and reading more of her work.

Quick interlude post review: I have made it to book 100 way faster than I was expecting! And this picture was taken in support of #MaskUpBookstagram, a challenge to normalize wearing masks.