A review by cecestonier
A Burning by Megha Majumdar

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Oh my god, this book was phenomenal. It is incredibly difficult to grasp that this novel is Majumdar's debut! This book grapples with such intense themes and leaves much to be questioned and analysed. The corruption of government, the questioning of innocence and the presence of social responsibility. The book is a masterful crafting of a political landscape in a country I have not read much literature about, and despite its basis in Indian culture and the Kolabagan slums, I find that this book is very topical and can be applied to the political plains of many other countries too.

The book was slow to hook me. I was roughly 42% in before I really began to find myself invested in the characters and their storylines. Lovely, in particular, had my heart from the start. A transgender woman who wanted to become a movie star despite people's prejudices. I also LOVED how PT Sir was never named but the two female protagonists were. Perhaps this was an angle to propose two fascinating heroines at the centre of this story, or maybe a reflection of the anonymity of political corruption. 

This book was fascinating and undeniably a book I must recommend to everyone who enjoys a challenging and thought provoking read. A HUGE thank you to Kaleidoscopic Tours for allowing me the opportunity to join this book tour, I have found another favourite read of mine, I think!
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