A girl walks through the slums of Kolkata holding an armful of books. She returns home smelling of smoke, and checks her most prized possession: a brand-new smartphone, purchased in instalments. On Facebook, there is only one conversation.#KolabaganTrainAttackOn the small, glowing screen, she types a dangerous thingIf the police didnt help ordinary people like you and me, if the police watched them die, doesnt that mean that the government is also a terrorist?
Set in contemporary India, A Burning is the story of three unforgettable characters, all dreaming of a better future, whose lives are changed for ever when they become caught up in the devastating aftermath of a terrorist attack. Jivan a poor, young, Muslim girl, who dreams of going to college faces a possible death sentence after being accused of collaborating with the terrorists. Lovely an exuberant hijra who longs to be a Bollywood star holds the alibi that can set Jivan free, but telling the truth will cost her everything she holds dear. PT Sir an opportunistic gym teacher who once taught Jivan becomes involved with Hindu nationalist politics and his own ascent is soon inextricably linked to Jivans fall. Taut, propulsive and electrifying, from its opening lines to its astonishing finale, A Burning confronts issues of class, fate, prejudice and corruption with a Dickensian sense of injustice, and asks us to consider what it means to nurture big ambitions in a country hurtling towards political extremism.A Burning is a novel for our times and for all time.
