“When they moved out of the house, they kept pieces of their old bedroom intact: the hangers of ties and sequined saris they no longer had occasion to wear, the drawer of baby teeth and birthday cards and finger paintings. They did this to placate their children, as if the home were still theirs, their leaving only a temporary step away. But what they knew of leaving was that you couldn't go back. As they had driven off, fingers linked over the gearshift, they had felt an old wisdom shaken by the act of departing. They left to keep their family whole, something their ancestors had understood….How the leaving was protection, a kind of survival. How sometimes, holding on required letting go.”

Starting with in 1898, A History of Burning follows several generations of a family from India, to Kenya, then Uganda, the UK, and finally, ending in Canada a hundred years later. Their journey is an intimate family story that highlights the ongoing struggle to survive and thrive in the face of the displacement and violence wrought by colonialism, totalitarianism, and racism.

The story begins with Pirbhai, a young boy in India whose search to support his family takes him without his foreknowledge to Kenya to work on the railroad being built by the British. Each chapter in this early part of the book focusses on a single key event in the lives of a main character, one which charts the course for the next part of the family’s journey. Then, taking a secondary character from that event, in the next chapter, the spotlight moves to that character and their important piece of the puzzle. I loved this connect-the-dots way of moving the story through many years as it kept me easily oriented to where we were and who we were focussing on and it demonstrated how, as it says later in the book, “every choice has a shadow.” In some multi-generational stories the skipping of years and generations can be disorienting, needing readers to take time to sort out what’s happening. In A History of Burning, Janika Oza keeps readers right alongside as the story moves forward, a narrative structure I really appreciated.

Pirbhai’s indomitable will to survive leads eventually to a family, stability, and home which gives the subsequent generation the ability to further establish themselves in Uganda during the end of colonial rule and coming of independence. Oza deftly handles the challenges of those times, showing both opportunity but also the limitations, racism, and ultimately, danger as Idi Amin gave Asian people 90 days to leave the country. Oza’s writing here was powerful: “They held their voices low, because they knew: how a dictator's word becomes the world, how he bends reality before him, how it was not the facts that would determine their lives but the whispers, the rumours spilling between.” From Uganda, Pirbhai’s descendents find their way to Canada and the final chapter of their story begins.

The early chapters were my favourite part of the book. Moving through years and countries kept the story vibrant and exciting. It felt like the pace slowed down in the final part of the book as the family settled in Toronto and events involved the same set of characters, the story moves were smaller, though still important. It was a change of pace that took some getting used to and perhaps because I live in Toronto, the familiarity of the location to me may have had something to do with that feeling as well. But I appreciated that this part of the story allowed Oza to help readers to take a close look at the immigrant experience from schools to the workplace to neighbours and to show how racism continued to impact their lives here.

In telling one family’s story, A History of Burning is at its most powerful in its depictions of the many forms that racism can take: from the violence of expulsion to seemingly subtle but also damaging experiences like assumptions made in the Canadian school a character attends. The message is clear: while it looks different from a hundred years ago, racism is not all in the past nor only in other parts of the world.

Despite being a novel that sweeps across time and place and deals with big ideas, A History of Burning is nonetheless an intimate story. I loved the characters and found myself invested in what happened to them. They have a burning will to survive and to find a way to thrive that manifests in different choices but which runs through the generations.

A History of Burning is an accomplished work. It deals with important themes, tells an intimate story, is thoughtfully structured, and beautifully written (I really haven’t said enough about this but this post is already very long; hopefully the few quotes have given a sense of the gorgeous prose). This is all the more impressive as this is a debut work. I wouldn’t be surprised to see A History of Burning in chats about upcoming book prizes, in particular the Canadian prizes (the Giller, Writers’ Trust, and Governor General’s).

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an advanced copy of this ebook.

I finished it a little late so this book is out now!

Wow is the first word that comes to one with this book. I have gotten really into historical fiction lately and have recently been learning a lot about Asian history so I was really excited to read the description and request a copy of this book. A History of Burning tells the heartbreaking story of Pirbhai and his family. Pirbhai is a young teenage boy tasked with finding work to support his mother and ill sister when he comes across a man who tells Pirbhai he is looking for men just like him, just give me your thumbprint. Pirbhai is made to get onboard a ship with many others with no idea where they are going as they don’t speak English well enough at this point and they were not told. They eventually ground in East Africa where Pirbhai and the others are made to start building a railway for the British colonials. We get a peek into the horrific conditions these workers lived and worked in before Pirbhai is faced with the ultimate test of loyalty and survival then we skip ahead a few years where our multigenerational story begins.

This book is a well balanced story of survival, family ties and struggle. Oza covered extremely complex topics sensitively and authentically. This book taught me a lot not only about immigrant settlers in Africa but also opened my eyes to how this affects a family for generations. It was also heartbreaking to see the struggles of their experience immigrating to Canada. As a Canadian I still learned a lot about the Toronto riots and struggles for immigrants in my own backyard.

Do not hesitate to pick this one up. Beautiful sorry that tugs on your heartstrings and shows you what it means to be resilient in the face of adversity.

"A History of Burning" is a sweeping family drama that takes place between the 1890s and 1990s. It is a fascinating, finely rendered tale of Indians who migrate from their country to Africa, then England and Canada.

The story begins with the family's origins in Africa, when in 1898 a young Pirbhai is tricked into boarding a boat to Kenya to help build the railway from the sea to Victoria Lake. From there, we follow his life and the life of his descendants as they build relationships, flourish, flounder, bend with changes, and see themselves through it all by clinging to each other.

More than the history of one family, the novel is a history of British colonialism in the 20th century and the real impacts of that regime on families and communities. I enjoyed spending time with Pirbhai, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and anticipated returning to the book each time I was force to take a break for work or sleep. The only criticism I would offer was that, as opposed to the time spend reading about the family as they lived in Uganda, the later time in England and Canada (especially where concerned the great-grandson) felt a little rushed and denied the reader the final emotional beat that would have felt so satisfying (however saccharine).

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. Giving a family of different generations account of the Ugandan expulsion gave the reader the opportunity to fall for each of the characters and consider their experience. I did find that some characters needed more development as the author did not spend enough time on some of the stories, but overall, it was well written.

What a read! Took me a bit to get into the pacing of the book as it jumps around a bit between characters and there's a lot going on. But once I got into the book, I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and all the different characters. This is not an easy read but it is worth the time, energy and heartbreak. Learned some new history from this very powerful first book from Janika Oza.

This is an amazing, historical, stunning debut novel. It tells us of the journey of a family over a period of almost 100 years. The author has an incredible way of threading family, history, pain, loss, and resilience into this read.
The story opens with Pirbhai who is forcefully recruited into railroad service from India and sent to Uganda. He is forced to make a choice by his British “employers”, a choice that will have implications for his ensuing generations to come.
We follow Pirbhai and his family from Uganda to Canada as their homes are ripped away from them, again and again. However, the determination of the family, their willingness to restart so many times, all for the sake of their children having a better life, is compelling. There is so much Indian /Ugandan history wrapped into this story, events that I was only vaguely aware of, growing up.
The story flips between Pirbhai’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren as time passes. I don’t have a problem with the story being related by different characters but some people do.
This book was beautifully written but also gives us, the reader, an insight into the harsh reality of uprisings and takeovers in foreign countries; the effects they have on the common, everyday people.
I truly enjoy reading about different cultures and the common thread that always comes to mind is family. Enjoy the read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada and Janika Oza for giving me the opportunity to read “A History of Burning”.

This might be a 4 star book but I listened to the audiobook during a very hectic, stressful two weeks so really wasn't in the headspace to give it a proper listen. I learned about a period of history that was new to me (expulsion of Indians from Uganda in 1972) and I enjoyed how some of the family characteristics (bravery, resilience, moral conviction) wove through the generations. Thank you to Libro.FM for the ALC and Netgalley for the ARC.

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3.5 stars

This is a book covering a lot of history and many deep, interesting characters. It traces the route of Pirabhai's family through the generations from east India, Africa, Britain and Canada. I am somewhat familiar of the history and circumstances faced by visible minorities from this part of the world (as I am one) but I found the overwhelming belief that family survives no matter what tiresome by the end.

The numerous people mentioned from neighbours, friends, school mates was really too much for me (SO much detail) and other essential pieces of the family dynamic were missing (Meetu, what was the family's response, how did they cope?) and I wanted to know more of how the ending transpired.

I felt that the author shared an overabundance of accumulated misdeeds of discrimination (in Toronto) and the impact lost steam. Yes, I have lived first hand with 'being' an outsider and cultural norms of duty to family can be painful too. I wish the author could have spoken to that side of it.

For a deeper look into the history on resistance to authoritarianism as faced by east Indians, this is a good overview, but as a long time #canadian a more balanced approach would have been more appealing.

Thank you to #NetGalley for this early copy.

The story opens with a teenage boy named Pirbhai looking for work and follows him through to old age.

It’s hard to describe this book … spanning several generations, from Pirbhai to his grandchildren, from Uganda to Toronto, this story was intense.

It was interesting to see how one characters decisions and actions would impact the entire family dynamic and the ripple effect it had.
This was a heavy read and one I would definitely recommend if you’re looking for an epic and dramatic read.

Beautifully written poignant story that tells the tale of those who are often forgotten in the melee - South Asians who were stolen and then pitted against the local - and the impossible lives they had to live. Highly recommend and I can’t wait to check out the author for more.

A History of Burning by Janika Oza burns with the fire of love, family, sacrifice and the hope that tomorrow will be better. The flames of those desires and that quest travel through four generations and from India to Africa to England and to Canada. It is a novel that is simultaneously heartwarming and searing. 

The story begins in India with a young boy who just wants to earn some money to help his family and ailing sister. Instead, he is sold into indentured servitude and finds himself building a railroad in Africa. It is grueling work in dangerous conditions. His choices haunt him but he is a survivor and grows up to find love and build a family.

The partition of India and Pakistan casts a shadow over the second generation.  It is an incident that shapes all members in a variety of ways.  By now the family has moved to Uganda and is finding success and a sense of belonging in the Indo community there.

But soon, politics will interfere again, this time in the shape of Idi Amin.  His brutal policies tear through the family, with tragic consequences, including yet another relocation across a wide ocean, this time to Canada.
The impact of this move to North America has far-reaching implications for all members of the family, as they struggle yet again to rebuild from the devastation caused by racism, colonialism and too many secrets.

I learned so much from this book, especially around the Indo-community in countries like Uganda and Kenya.  It also offers, yet again, another portrait of the impact of the racism and discrimination felt by many newcomers to Canada. But it is not a finger-wagging lesson. Instead, it is an invitation to come inside, have some tea and cake, and see a situation from a different perspective.

I loved this book.  I wanted to know this family in real life and be invited to their dinner table!  

I will definitely be recommending this book. Thank you Net Galley for the advance copy.

Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for providing me a copy of A History Of Burning for review.
I have to admit it took me a minute to get into this one. This book jumps around between characters and time and places and it was a little disorienting for me at first. However once I got into it and the characters became a little more familiar I couldn’t stop reading. Following one family on their journey starting in India in 1898, through their lives in Uganda, India, Canada and England this book chronicles a search for belonging and acceptance. I knew a little of some of the history covered here but definitely had my eyes opened to new parts I had never heard of. Beautifully written, it was a pleasure to read @o.janika debut novel. #bookstagram #ahistoryofburning #immigrationstories #read #readers #reading #readersofinstagram #readforjoy #readmore #bookrecommendations #bookreview #booklover #storiesthatmatter

From 1898 to 1992, Janika Oza brings us on one family’s journey as they do everything to make their place in the world regardless of hardship they have to endure. This stunning work of historical fiction sheds light on the South Asian experience in Uganda and the heartbreak of dictator Idi Amin’s brutal expulsion of South Asians in 1972.

Oza’s work should be praised as one of the best of the year. The way she weaves the story and uses so many character perspectives is truly some amazing writing. I found myself completely absorbed into this book to the point where I didn’t want it to end. I can’t recommend it enough.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and McClelland & Stewart for access to an advance copy to review.

A History of Burning is a fascinating multigenerational family saga spanning generations and continents. The novel begins in 1898 with Pirbhai—a young boy who is tricked into leaving India to work on railroads for the British in Uganda. From there, we follow Pirbhai as he moves to Kampala with his new wife to start their own family under British colonial rule until they are forced to flee Uganda in 1972 under dictator Idi Amin's order for the expulsion of Indian minority. They then immigrate to Canada and settle in Toronto as they strive to make a new home for themselves there.

I'm blown away that this is Oza's debut novel. It took me a few chapters to settle into the rhythm of the story; but once I did, I was hooked. With numerous characters introduced and perspectives from Pirbhai, his children and grandchildren; I thought it would feel overwhelming and confusing to grasp the narrative, but Oza beautifully writes fully fleshed out characters with distinctive voices—making the story flow seamlessly from one character to the next. My heart ached for their struggles, pains and traumas—the decisions and sacrifices they made individually that were necessary for survival but ultimately had an impact on generations. This story gracefully displays a family's love and the extent they would go to protect their children and give them a better life.

I'm ashamed of my lack of knowledge of Indo-Ugandans and British colonialism in East Africa but grateful to Oza for bringing attention to this part of history that is omitted from school teachings. I learned so much in the span of 400 pages and found myself continually researching as I was reading and afterwards. This is definitely a debut novel that deserves all the hype. I highly recommend picking this one up!

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the eARC.

4.5/5

3.5 stars.

I loved some parts of this book, and some just did not work for me. I loved reading about the content, but I didn't really connect strongly to any of the characters.

I really enjoyed learning about the history of India and Uganda and the rule of Idi Amin. I had previously known nothing about this subject matter, and I really enjoyed learning about it; although it was all very heartbreaking. I loved the descriptions of the settings and places, and overall, the writing was just very well done.

The problem I had personally was with how the book jumped from character to character over the generations. I think that multi generational stories may just not be for me, as I find it hard to get really connected to the characters. The characters were very well written, I just couldn't connect for some reason.

If you are a fan of epic generational stories such as Pachinko, I think you would really love this book and should definitely give it a read.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a superb debut novel that grabs you from start to finish. A part of history that few know about, told in the most honest way. At times delightful and other times difficult to read, the story of Pirbhai and his descendants will take you from India to Uganda and finally Canada. A tale of survival, hard work, ambition and love, it is sure to appeal to readers' humanity and emphaty. A truly excellent read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the e-ARC of this title.

A History of Burning is a multigenerational novel spanning nearly a century from India to Uganda to Canada, the author has skilfully crafted a must-read historical fiction. It is heart breaking and beautiful, an exploration of the legacy of colonialism and the impact it had on the displacement of the Indian diaspora. Pirbhai’s story is one that many families across the diaspora has lived and endured. This book was beautifully written and I loved how so much of it was set in Toronto. I highly recommend this novel about family, resistance and survival.

A History of Burning is an epic multigenerational novel spanning nearly a century from India to Uganda to Canada.
I'm in awe of the fact that this is Janika Oza's debut novel. This novel was wildly ambitious, and Oza delivered on its execution.

It took me the first 20% or so to settle into the rhythm of the novel. Initially the switches between characters and timelines that occurred each chapter felt very abrupt and dizzying, however, I soon settled into the flow and allowed myself to be transported through rich detail of the story. I had only recently in the last couple years educated myself on the immigration of Indians into Uganda (often as indentured labourers) during the first half of the 20th century and their eventual brutal and violent expulsion under the rule of Idi Amin in the 1970s. This story takes the readers on this immigration journey from India to Uganda at the turn of the century and the decades that follow through the eyes of several members of one family. It then details the horrific circumstances of their expulsion, and ultimately their immigration to Canada as a result.

This novel is heart breaking and beautiful, centering on themes of family, resilience, and ultimately forgiveness. It explores themes of immigration, racism and colonialism, and the lengths that one takes to establish their foothold in this world.

The novel reads almost like a work of art and any fan of richly detailed historical fiction with a deep character connection will appreciate this novel. My only wish is that it had been paced a little tighter, as I found some parts drawn out a little too much, and other parts left me thirsting for more.

A History of Burning is a beautifully written and intimately crafted saga that traces the lives of a family across generations and continents. The novel spans India, Uganda, and Canada, exploring the legacy of colonialism and the impact of displacement on the lives of ordinary people. It is a story of survival, resilience, and the power of family ties, told with compassion and sensitivity.

A HISTORY OF BURNING by Janika Oza was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and it did not disappoint! This beauty came out yesterday, and I strongly urge you to pick this one up, especially if you're a fan of epic historical sagas centered around family.

AHOB is a multi-generational tale, originating with Pirbhai, a teenage boy in India who finds himself working in perilous conditions building the East African Railway for the British. Pirbhai eventually marries an Indian-Ugandan woman and has several children, one of whom is Vinod - who eventually has 3 daughters - Latika, Mayuri and Kiya.

The first few chapters of the book develop Pirbhai & Vinod's past; however, the bulk is focused on Latika, Mayuri and Kiya, growing up under Idi Amin's horrifying regime of anti-Asian sentiment in Uganda (primarily geared at South Asians who had been born, raised and thrived in Uganda). Admittedly, I was unaware of much of this period in Africa, and I am so thankful to Janika Oza for carving a story out of this time in history.

Sweeping, epic - I absolutely adored this. My heart clenched for the experiences of these characters - their sacrifices, their triumphs, their challenges - I imagine this will be one of my favourites this year. I found out Janika Oza also lives in Toronto, and so the last few chapters of the book also felt special, given the focus on their immigration to Canada.