A review by happiestwhenreading
A History of Burning by Janika Oza

5.0

I had no expectations heading into this book; I picked it up because it’s the December #readwithtoni selection. I was interested in the synopsis, requested it on my Libby app, and was surprised when it showed up the next day!

While the first one hundred pages started a little slow and uninteresting for me, once I passed that point, the story totally took off for me and I had the hardest time putting it down. I had no previous knowledge about the Indian diaspora in Africa or its mass expulsion under the terror regime of Idi Amin.

Not only did I learn a lot, I also became so invested in the characters and the multigenerational story that Oza created. This is her debut novel, and she definitely made a name for herself! Her writing is engaging, lyrical, and nuanced. She had me feeling all the feels, and I am sure I will be reflecting on this family’s story for a long time!

Interestingly, I found a lot of parallels to current events happening in Israel and Palestine. The collective expulsion of a group of people from their homeland, the generational trauma of living through such an experience, and the affects on a person and a family when they are forced to uproot their homes and lives over and over again.