DNF - This story sounded very interesting & I'm sure it will be well-received by other readers but, ultimately, it just wasn't the right book for me. I know other readers will love it.

This is a sweeping family saga of an Indian family who insists on surviving through countless hardships and tragedies and keeping the family bond intact. I wasn't aware that there was a large Indian population in Africa, and learning about that time in history was very interesting. A History of Burning really helped me to understand diaspora and racism, and how the trauma affected future generations.

Overall a very good read! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Generational trauma is so excruciatingly painful and 'A History of Burning' delivers on capturing the raw brutality of the experiences across lineage and location.

‘The words hung between them like the past, which was not some distant place but a continuous story, woven through skin, the landscape to even their deepest silences.’

I knew when requesting this that it would be a painful exploration of familial and immigrant trauma. From it's start in Uganda to the modern day, I was just floored with how Oza so aptly navigated immigrant experiences. The setting is vibrant and the writing is impeccable. I think children of immigrants will find this story to be a reflection of their own stories and closely held vulnerabilities about their identity.

Thank you McClelland & Stewart, Penguin Random House and Penguin Reads for a finished copy of this book!

This was a masterful book, beautifully told with complex characters and deep insight into our humanity. There was so much to unpack but it all came together seamlessly.

I think this one was a case of right book, wrong time for me. The writing was spectacular and impactful and the synopsis interesting to me, but I kept zoning out and needing to re-read. I am definitely going to revisit this one in the future as I think it may have just been my attention span with life things.as this book seems like I would typically love it!

I could not put this down. This family saga relates the story of four generations of an Indian family. As a young boy looking for work, Pirbhai, is unwittingly sold into servitude to the British to work on building the railway in Uganda. Eventually he marries and has a family and so it goes. They have a reasonably good life until the unrest of the 60s and 70s. Expelled by Idi Amin, most of the family ends up in Toronto. The novel covers approximately 100 years. Last year was the 50th anniversary of the Ugandan expulsion of the Indian population of the country. Carlton University held a special conference and there were many memorial events throughout the country.

I thoroughly enjoy immersing myself in the captivating world of family sagas, and A History of Burning: A Novel by Janika Oza is no exception. This enthralling tale takes readers on an extraordinary journey spanning over one hundred years, transporting us from the vibrant landscapes of India and Uganda, both under the rule of the British Empire, to the bustling streets of England, and finally settling in the vast and diverse landscapes of Canada. The sheer breadth of this saga is truly remarkable.

One of the unique aspects that sets A History of Burning: A Novel apart from other family sagas I have read is its masterful use of multiple perspectives. By offering insights from various family members, the author provides a rich and multifaceted exploration of their lives, experiences, and relationships. This narrative technique adds depth and complexity to the story, allowing readers to truly engage with the characters on a deeper level.

While the use of different perspectives undoubtedly enhances the storytelling, it is worth noting that it can initially pose a slight challenge for readers. The transitions between characters and decades from one paragraph to the next may feel abrupt at times. However, this ambitious narrative technique is ultimately rewarding, as it invites readers to immerse themselves in the intricacies of each character's journey and uncover the interconnectedness of their lives.

It is important to approach A History of Burning: A Novel with patience and an open mind. Take the time to find the rhythm of the narrative and discover your own reading pace. Allow yourself to be swept away by the vivid imagery, the rich historical backdrop, and the emotional depth that permeates every page.

If I were to use one word to describe the theme of this book, it would be "Family". Secondly, it would be the never-ending occurrences of "Man's inhumanity to Man" down through the ages.


The story begins in India, moves to Africa, England and ends up in Canada over three generations of one family. Thirteen year-old Pirbhai is living in 1898 India still under the British rule of colonialism. Pirbhai's family is starving and he is unsuccessfully looking for some work when he is approached by a merchant promising a good-paying job if he's a hard worker. Pirbhai is tricked and basically kidnapped, ending up in Mombasa, indentured to the British to build, under brutal conditions, the East Africa railroad.


Pirbhai never returns to India. The railroad is completed and he begins working for a storekeeper, Eventually he is convinced to marry the eldest daughter, Sonal, move from Kenya to Uganda to work for Sonal's uncle and to send money to help support her parents and eight siblings.


The book continues to add family with characteristics and personalities well portrayed by the author. We live with them throughout four generations of celebrations, tragedies, births, deaths and true, historical events. Most notably the cruelty and ethnic expulsion of Asians from Uganda during dictator Edi Amin's rule.


Family members and close friends are spread over England and Canada where they begin the very difficult adaptation to an entirely different way of life. They are immigrants with the duality of safety yet living with their trauma, and freedom tinged with both overt and covert racism. British Colonialism in India and parts of Africa, Edi Amin's reign of terror in Uganda following freedom from Colonialism, and the resulting masses of East Indian people fleeing the county to points around the world, are true events. History teaches.


I liked this book for the characters who become alive under the pen of Janice Oza, the history lessons, and, yet again, a sterling example of the courage and resiliency of the human spirit.


Many thanks to NetGalley for the free eRead in return for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for access to this title.

The story begins in 1898 with a young Pirbhai, an Indian boy who is tricked/kidnapped and sent to Africa to work on the railroad there, all while trying to raise funds for his family. Throughout the years, the story is told from the perspective of Pirbhai himself and his descendants, who then become refugees and are forced to immigrate to Canada. This novel tells the plights of Indians who lived in Uganda during the British colonial rule and then delves into the uprisings and eventual freedom from the British government. However, the family experiences several changes in the social structure once the British are expelled, many of which are bigoted and xenophobic. Throughout it all, Pirbha and his family show that the bonds of family extend generations and despite the extreme circumstances that they experience, being a family and holding onto those bonds are what make the hardships worthwhile.

As this was a historical fiction, I was immediately fascinated by the premise and once given the opportunity, I immediately wanted to read it. While this was a book that I found I couldn't put down, some parts were a bit slow for me but didn't overly detract from the novel as a whole. The enduring love and familial bonds of this family can be deeply felt throughout the pages and there were times when I felt as if I were a member there, sitting down for some tea or enjoying some fruits in the courtyard with them.

This is a strong story and I highly recommend it to those who are interested in historical fiction, Indian and Ugandan historical fiction, or a good story about family and the trials and tribulations that may accompany them.

I look forward to reading more books by this author. :)

A History of Burning is unlike anything I've ever read before. Beautiful, heartbreaking, brilliant. I've already handsold this to so many customers because I know that many many people will love this. It deserves all the awards.

This book was so fascinating, there was so much history and it felt so well researched, A family saga that spans continents, decades, and generations. It was so well crafted I was throughly impressed. For being a debut this book was masterful

This was an incredible story of a family told over a hundred year time period covering periods of upheaval and rebellion across the globe.

The author did a great job weaving together the threads of family, pride, and the sense of individual belonging in a heart wrenching beautiful way. Who are we without our family? How far back in the past do we need to look to see the future? How many times can we reset, start over, rebuild?

Much like Yaa Gyasi's "Homegoing", Janika Oza follows one family through generations as they move, unwillingly in some cases, from India to Uganda to eventually Toronto, Canada. Oza switches between characters each chapters, and also jumps several years, at times, with each perspective change.

This is a book about a family's journey over the years, of immigration and starting over, with all that entails, from new people, new hopes, to the things left behind and the bigotry of their new home.

We begin with Pirbhai, a teenager who is taken unwillingly from his home in the Gujarat to work on the East African Railway for the British. When he eventually escapes some years later after a little arson, he's taken in by a family in Kenya. He marries the daughter, and they end up eventually in Uganda, raising their children. His son raises three daughters as the political situation begins gradually changing. The eldest daughter becomes a passionate fighter for rights, along with her husband, but when President Idi Amin gives all South Asians a short window to leave the country, most of the family flees, to begin all over again in Toronto. They bring secrets with them, which are slowly revealed as we watch the youngest family member, Hari, discover some shocking things about his family and his place within it.

This was brilliant. I loved the characterization; each character felt alive to me. Their thoughts and emotions were wonderfully drawn, to the point that even though we spent each chapter with a different family member, I never felt lost, and understood their choices.

I also loved the way Oza dealt with the shocking event about halfway through the book, and its repercussions. It's a gut-wrenching development, and I loved how the silences now between characters, and their pain, was handled, and explained why they all had so much trouble connecting with each other. It's a beautiful book, and left me teary by its end.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for my review.

A History of Burning is a sweeping saga that follows four generations, over the course of a century, as they move across the world in hopes of finding a better life for their family. It starts with Pirbhai at the age of 13 in 1898, living in India. He signs on with the British to go to Uganda, giving up his life in India, in hopes of one day owning his own property in Uganda. Through many trials and tribulations his family grows as him and his wife struggle to survive, and provide for their family members in Uganda, as well as back home in India.
Ultimately the South Asian expulsion in 1972 forces Pirbhai's living family members to flee to Toronto and once again start over, trying their best to flourish in a new country.

There is so much history and culture within these pages. I feel bless to have been able to read and enjoy this novel for the treasure that it is.

This is such an interesting story. I loved how it went through generations to tell the story of this family and where they came from, and everything they had to endure and overcome. The story starts in 1898 and each chapter is a new year and a story leading up to the year 1992. It was such an interesting concept to read. The characters and their individual stories were written so well.

It was a very serious and heartbreaking book. The topics and experiences in this were at times difficult to read but I did learn so much about the history and culture of Indian people, specifically living in Africa at that time.

A History of Burning is beautifully written.

I love books that immerse you into a time period and a culture that is completely unfamiliar and this spans three such tales as it moves through the generations of a family displaced by colonialism. The characters, the history, the geography, all were fascinating. It was a unique perspective on survival and immigration and continues to be thought-provoking even after finishing the book.

I love well written multi-generational sagas, that show the interconnected moments in families or groups. I thought A History of Burning was brilliant, and I'm so impressed that this was Oza's debut novel. The prose was lush and immersive. I was skulking around in their world, following everyone around, hoping for them and their dreams and grieving the heartbreaks and cruelties. Some parts felt a bit rushed, but most of this book is just magic.

Highly recommend. I read this book courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley.

This ambitious multi-generational tale of family, sacrifice, heartbreak, and identity was captivating (although a slow-ish start). You’ll get emotionally invested in the hopes and dreams of these characters. Great storytelling, totally immersive and shines light on the kind of story we don’t come across often.

I loved this book so much I had to go out and buy it as soon as I could. The writing is elegant and simple, but changes slightly depending on who is narrating. This book takes place mostly in Uganda, concerning history I had never heard about - about Indians/East Asians and their complicated interactions with colonizer and the Black Ugandans. It was at times a real testament to the beauty of human love and the gutting awfulness of losing love, both familial and romantic. If I had to describe a complete plot, I think I would struggle, but the interpersonal interactions, prose, and love the author has for the time period and the people she’s writing about scratches every itch.

A generational story of immigration and survival, family ties and bonds across continents and time. Really beautiful and powerful storytelling, an important voice and must read. Thank you NetGalley for the arc.