A review by serendipitysbooks
A History of Burning by Janika Oza

emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 If you are like me and enjoy a good multigenerational family saga, especially one involving a secret or two, told from multiple perspectives, that takes you to different parts of the globe and highlights aspects of history that are perhaps less well known - at least to many in the West - then I recommend you pick up A History of Burning. It opens with 13 year old Pirbhai, desperate for work to help feed his family, being tricked into signing up to lay railways for the British in Kenya. He eventually marries and the family move to Uganda and slowly achieve a middle class existence until Idi Amin forces all Asians out of the country. The chaos of this era is well-depicted. The family is fractured and most end up in Toronto, which is where a secret from the past finds them a threatens to further divide them. The writing was strong, there were plenty of interesting characters - most especially Latika and her sisters - to hold my interest, while the themes - family, the desire for belonging, racism and impacts of colonisation - fall firmly in my preferred wheelhouse. A really enjoyable read. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings