Belonging by Umi Sinha

 Belonging is written from the perspective of three characters- letters of Cecily to her sister Mina, Cecily's son Henry and Henry's daughter Lilian (Lila). In spite of having three main characters Umi Sinha never underrepresents any of them. Their emotions, fears, apprehension were detailed meticulously and I found myself living the pre-Independent era through their eyes. 

Much of the Partition literature that I read was written from the perspective of Indians. Belonging shows the other side of the story-- it talks about three generations of an ordinary British family living in India. Throughout the book each of the characters struggle to find a sense of belonging in their lives. In spite of being English by birth, India has always been their home and they never thought of their servants as anything less than family. When Lila falls in love with a native, they both knew that it was not to be. Her aunt's dislike of the natives coupled with the possibility of War looming in the distance ensured that their love was doomed from the very start. And yet hope is a powerful thing. It kept her alive, gave her the strength to withstand the horrors of the War and the courage to go on.

The most striking aspect of the book was that it had neither a beginning nor an ending. Told simultaneously from the perspective of three characters, the plot meanders across three eras and everything falls neatly into place at the end. Rich in detailing, the book also throws light on the siege of Cawnpore under Nana Saheb which had barbaric consequences on the British women residing in India at that time. In spite of being a bit slow paced, the element of mystery surrounding Henry's and Cecily's death kept me glued till the end. 

This book is a rollercoaster of emotions with events which both shocked and horrified me. I remember holding my breath in the last few pages as the circumstances surrounding Henry's death were finally revealed. If you love historical fiction, I can't recommend this book enough.