br 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.brbr #KolabaganTrainAttackbrbr On the small, glowing screen, she types a dangerous thing...brbr 'iIf 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?'/ibrbr Set in contemporary India, iA Burning /iis 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. brbr 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.br 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.br 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.brbr Taut, propulsive and electrifying, from its opening lines to its astonishing finale,i A Burning/i 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.brbriA/iiBurning /iis a novel for our times and for all time.br