A review by silverliningsandpages
Belonging by Umi Sinha

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Belonging is an ambitious and beautifully written story that weaves together strands of three generations in India and Britain, from the days of the British Raj to after World War One.  trauma, secrets and betrayal are uncovered as the characters wrestle with their past to make sense of their heritage and identities.  It’s an epic story, brimming with emotion, as it delves into (my favourite!) themes of self-discovery, memory, loss, unfulfilled love and connection.  Belonging also sensitively exposes dark chapters of British colonisation in India; from flippant attitudes on natives’ intelligence and emotional capacity, to battles and massacres where Indian soldiers were sacrificed for the British empire.  What particularly impressed me was the nuanced writing, believable characters and fact that the brilliant storytelling is so unpredictable.

An engrossing and unforgettable novel!  Thank you Myriad Editions for the review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

“Hindus believe that when you cross the ocean - which they call the kala pani or black water - you lose your caste, and your caste defines your place in the world: where you belong, and ultimately, who you are.  You become an outcast.  My own experience, even though I am not a Hindu, tells me that this is true.”