A review by riddhikanetkar
Belonging by Umi Sinha

4.0

At times, this novel felt a bit Kipling-esque, but I think the epistolary format was used really well to tie the Langdon family history together. It was interesting that their narratives were embedded against a backdrop of events in Indian history during British rule, which had a clear impact on the characters’ own actions. Especially, it was significant that Jagjit’s own disenfranchisement with Britain was developed after he served in the War, only to be discriminated as an Indian soldier, and to later discover Britain’s role in the Amritsar Massacre. The non-linear narrative also kept the book interesting until the very end, as it slowly unearthed the complexity of Lila’s own identity. And the bar is low, but I appreciated that the book negated any Orientalist perceptions of Indian culture.