# A Burning The Most Electrifying Debut Of 2021 by Megha Majumdar (Paperback)

Immaculately constructed, acidly observed and gripping from start to finish, _A Burning_ is a brilliant debut.' _The **Guardian**_  
  
'Megha Majumdar's _A Burning_ is an uncanny debut, a fierce condemnation of modern India - the corruption, racism, misogyny, the feverish obsession with celebrity - this is the antithesis of shrill. The author, although still in her early thirties, has the composure of a mature artist, and has produced a political novel that makes its wider points through the subtle, intimate exploration of three characters' lives.' _**Sunday Times**_  
  
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.  
  
#KolabaganTrainAttack  
  
On the small, glowing screen, she types a dangerous thing...  
  
'_If the police didn't help ordinary people like you and me, if the police watched them die, doesn't 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 Jivan's 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.**

## Details

- **Price:** 8.99 GBP
- **Vendor:** Scribner
- **Tags:** All, thrillers

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 8.99 GBP | In stock |

## Images

- A Burning The Most Electrifying Debut Of 2021 by Megha Majumdar book cover

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> Source: [Somiibooks](https://somiibooks.com/products/a-burning-the-most-electrifying-megha-majumdar-9781471190292)
> Updated: 2026-09-12