Janika Oza’s recently published novel, A History of Burning, is an epic spanning more than 100 years, several continents, and the history of one family’s determination not only to survive but also to thrive. It’s a gripping tale that begins in India with a poor family not even managing to scrape by and a young, uneducated, naive boy tricked into years of unrelenting servitude an ocean away in Mombasa, Africa. Upon eventually gaining his freedom, the boy finds his way to Kenya and into the lives of an Indian family who’d moved there to make a life better for themselves than they had in India. They owned a small store in which the boy worked and proved himself to be an honest, honorable person.

After marrying the family’s daughter, the boy, now a man, moves with her to Uganda to open another store for the family there, sending money back not only to her family in Kenya but also to his in India. They raise a family in Uganda until it undergoes the military coup led by Idi Amin. The family is fractured by the unrest and brutality of Amin’s regime, and members are forced to flee to whatever countries are willing to take them. Eventually, remaining family members find a life in Canada, but not without experiencing much heartache and loss.

Reading the book provided me an understanding of the East Asian diaspora that I previously wasn’t aware of and reminded me that racism and bigotry exists everywhere and throughout time. I felt keenly a part of the family’s lives through each generation, the writing vividly portraying each individual character and their hopes, dreams, difficulties and disappointments. It’s a wonderful book that I recommend reading to anyone with an interest in historical fiction.

Thank you to Ms. Oza, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me an advanced reader’s copy of the book. My opinion is given voluntarily.

This is the saga of a very resilient family. It begins in 1898, when a teenaged boy is tricked into leaving his home in India. He winds up working in Africa, where he establishes a new family. Between 1898 and 1992, the book covers British colonialism, the Partition, the Idi Amin dictatorship, racial cleansing, and anti-immigrant prejudice. The family ends up being spread over several continents.

The book jumps around among several family members. At times, I found the jumps a little jarring, particularly since the chapters usually skipped ahead a few years. The most vivid part of the book, and the part in which I was most engaged, was the period in Uganda. Overall, the book was very skillfully and cohesively written, especially considering that this is the author’s first novel.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Incredibly brutal and intense look at the multigenerational trauma and lives of immigrants .

My favorites reads of the year ! Thank you for the arc NetGalley !

Another beautifully crafted and well-written multi-generational tale of sadness, success, striving, and love. Covers a portion of history I think the average white American probably isn't super familiar with.

One of the best novels I’ve read all year, A History of Burning is a brutal, emotional look at the lives of four generations of an immigrant family.

While all of the characters are compelling, I especially felt for sisters Latika, Mayuri and Kiya, who experience the rise of Uganda’s military dictatorship as young women. The turmoil in their country changes the trajectory of their lives and those of their family members in utterly heartbreaking ways that moved me to tears at points.

When I first finished this novel, I admit I was a bit taken aback by one huge character arc I felt was unresolved - but the more I thought about the author’s choice, the more I appreciated it. Life itself often feels unresolved.

Moving and at times difficult to read but well worth it, I would recommend A History of Burning to any reader who enjoys literary historical fiction. Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

Janika Oza truly put out an astonishing debut. This is an unforgettable historical fiction and truly memorable. I will be thinking about this story for a very long time. Oza's writing tugs at my heartstrings and reminds me of the pain and suffering I've seen my own grandparents live through in post-colonial British India. Bravo.

A History of Burning by Janika Oza is a tender, melancholy collection of stories about good people, struggling with dangerous political situations, prioritizing their families' safeties, and the challenges of living as refugees. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

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.

Was quite excited to read this book.It may be the first one I’ve ever read about the Gujarati migration to Uganda.Very little has been written about it.
Beautifully written saga. Most sagas mainly focus on the first generation but this author laid the foundation with the first generation and moved quickly through to the rest. It is one of those books that haunt you while it educates you on history .Extraordinary writing skills.Enjoyed reading this thought provoking book.
Thankyou to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

I am so glad I read this book, although it is not one I would normally have selected. There is so much history in the book that I knew nothing about. A young Indian boy is tricked into agreeing to work because his family is starving.
He ends up in Uganda and never returns to India again. I would call this a saga since it goes through multi-generations of his family. When Idi Amin came to power, the Indians were forced out of Uganda and relocated around the world. The suffering was painful to read. I am so glad I read this book to fill out my knowledge of the history of Africa, which I know so little about.

Sometimes books that follow an entire family thought generations don't work of me, but this one worked for me! Following the family as they navigate life and try to keep connected truly kept me engaged.

This epic, generational story of family and the human spirit really resonated with me.
Sadly it shines a light on how terribly refugees, who are usually trying to escape horrific circumstances, are treated.
I loved the vivid descriptions of food and traditions and way the characters are developed.
I highly recommend this book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sweeping and powerful, I enjoyed this so much. I cannot wait to see what else this author writes in the future.

4.5 stars. Thank you to Net Galley and Grand Central Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I was interested in this books as it dealt with a part of history I had never heard about -- the ethnic cleansing of Asians in Uganda during the time of Edi Amin. The story starts with Pirbhai, a teenage Indian boy, who is taken from his homeland to Uganda by the British to work on the East African Railway. He makes a harrowing choice that reverberates through the generations. The story then follows the next generation through racism, survival, and making a better life and then to Ugandan independence under Edi Amin. the story then follows Pirbhai's granddaughters, Latika, Mayuri, and Kiya, very much different and how they respond to the 90 days notice that all Asians must leave Uganda or they may face extermination (Amin admired Hitler and said he handled things properly).. Latika is a revolutionary, Mayuri is leaving to go to med school and Kiya is young and follows her family to Toronto. From there, the story is more about family -- what we do to survive, the secrets we keep, and how we move forward in life. I found this one to be a page-turning and very much enjoyed the storytelling and learning about a part of history that I don't believe is widely shared or documented. I highly recommend this one.

Multi-generational stories are either your jam or they aren't. They cover large amounts of time and, typically, many characters. I'm hit or miss if I love them. This one had interesting storyline, the family and the railway. But I found myself not really connecting to any one character. I was hoping I would find one to really be swept away with. But the subject is really interesting, the jumping around just let me feel a bit jarred and, sometimes. confused. I liked it but didn't love it.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This is one of those novels that you start to read, and begrudgingly continue, knowing that it will both be amazing and horrible (because it will break your heart).

This was an excellent book that made me feel so many things.

I look forward to reading more books by Janika Oza in the future.

This was an interesting story about a family lineage that spans from being tricked into going to a different country to build a railroad and how the family dynamics changed as well as their home country. It's sad to think that these really did/could happen.

A History of Burning by Janika Oza is a captivating tale that takes readers on a journey through generations of a family shaped by colonialism, migration, and political turmoil. The story begins with Pirbhai, a young Indian boy forced to work on the East African Railway for the British. His act of survival sets off a chain of events that affects his family for years to come, including his granddaughters Latika, Mayuri, and Kiya, who navigate coming of age during Uganda's path towards independence and military dictatorship.

Oza's writing is beautifully descriptive, transporting the reader to the lush landscapes of India and the scorching sun of Kampala. The characters are well-drawn and complex, each with their own struggles and desires that shape their decisions throughout the novel. The family's journey from Uganda to Toronto is a harrowing one, and the emotional toll of their exile is palpable on every page

A History of Burning Janika Oza


This multigenerational, far reaching, epic novel starts in 1898 India with a young boy looking for a job to help support his family. The fascinating story takes us across many years and many miles through the end of the British Colonial rule in Uganda to new countries, opportunities, and situations.

Readers who enjoy multicultural fiction from a non-Western viewpoint will like this book.

A History of Burning by debut author Janika Oza is a must-generational saga focusing on an Indian Community in Uganda. Through the various generations we see the family struggles and victories and I enjoyed the exposure to cultures other than my own. Very well written this book will appeal to readers who like historical fiction and those that like diverse settings.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of A History of Burning. It is on sale now.