Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame

by Supriya Kelkar

In 1857 India, 12-year-old Meera escapes a life she has no say in--and certain death on her husband's funeral pyre--only to end up a servant to a British general in the East India Company. When a rebellion against British colonizers spreads, she must choose between relative safety in a British household or standing up for herself and her people.
India, 1857

Meera's future has been planned for her for as long as she can remember. As a child, her parents married her to a boy from a neighboring village whom she barely knows. Later, on the eve of her thirteenth birthday, she prepares to leave her family to live with her husband's--just as her strict religion dictates. But that night, Indian soldiers mutiny against their British commanders and destroy the British ammunition depot, burning down parts of Delhi. Riots follow, and Meera's husband is killed. Upon hearing the news, Meera's father insists that she follow the dictates of their fringe religious sect: She must end her life by throwing herself on her husband's funeral pyre.

Risking everything, Meera runs away, escaping into the chaos of the rebellion. But her newfound freedom is short-lived, as she is forced to become a servant in the house of a high-ranking British East India Company captain. Slowly through her work, she gains confidence, new friends, new skills--and sometimes her life even feels peaceful. But one day, Meera stumbles upon the captain's secret stock of ammunition, destined to be used by the British to continue colonizing India and control its citizens.

Will Meera do her part to take down the British colonists and alert the rebellion of the stockpile? Or will she stay safe and let others make decisions for her? It really comes down to this: how much fire must a girl face to finally write her own destiny?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Historical, Young Adult, Fiction, India, Juvenile

324 pages, Hardcover

First published February 24, 2021

Reviews

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this is a YA book I was drawn to it because I had just finished reading Honor by Thrity Umrigar ( which is a heart wrenching beautiful book) and it made me want to learn more about India.

Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame is about the East India Company’s tyranny and “ colonization” of India. The story is told through 13 year old Meera’s eyes. She is faced with a life or death situation and has to flee for her life. Her flight brings her into direct contact with the British occupation.

I learned a lot. I don’t want to give away spoilers but I will say that I had no idea how the British abused and exploited the Indian people. Other countries occupied India as well but this book is about the British.

The author explains which parts of the book are fact and which parts are fiction. She also includes a very detailed description of events and words that may be foreign to the reader.

I enjoyed it a lot and because it made such an impression on me I immediately googled everything the author mentioned in the endnotes. I’m looking forward to reading more about India’s history.

[Sahitya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read only a handful of middle grade novels every year, that too usually fantasy somehow related to Asia because despite feeling that the age group is not for me, I want to support Asian authors always. But when I saw that this book was gonna be a historical fiction set in pre-independent India, I couldn’t resist.

There are hardly any books in YA or younger age groups that are on my radar which explore the colonization of India/South Asia in any meaningful way, so this novel set just after the events of the 1857 First War of Independence felt like a breath of fresh air. Through the story of Meera - a child bride and a preteen widow all set to be sacrificed in the ritual of sati - the author shows us the reality of India at the time. How there was a dichotomy between rebels wanting to achieve freedom for India from the British colonizers who stole our land and taxed our people for using our own resources, leading to many dying of hunger; while at the same time, there were still Indian families who supported the cause for freedom of the country but couldn’t imagine the women in their households to be equally free.

We also get to meet interesting and brave young girls like Meera, Bhavani, Chhaya and more who want to prove that just because they are women, it doesn’t mean they can’t contribute to the cause. We get to see the indifference that British women showed towards the Indians, considering themselves as liberators and saviors and the rebels as just inconveniences who didn’t deserve any leniency. The author did a brilliant job showing exactly how the Indian people were exploited and then expected to feel fortunate to be serving their colonial masters. It definitely evoked very strong feelings in me because of my personal connection to this history, and that’s probably why I was so cheering on for the young women to succeed in their small rebellion and carve a path for their freedom and future.

To conclude, this is a very engaging middle grade novel about a young brave woman who decides to escape her fate and make her own future; but this is also an excellent exploration of the atrocious conditions during British East India Company’s rule and how many people contributed in their own small ways which led to our independence, despite many of them living in dire straits and also facing additional problems of their own like misogyny, sexism, illiteracy etc. This is a wonderfully written tale of strength and resilience during a tumultuous part of Indian history, and I can’t recommend it enough.

[Bandita · Rating 5 out of 5]

The time is 1857. Our country is under the British Rule. We are oppressed. Our fellow country people are dying of famine or oppression. This is the story of a 12 year old girl, Meera, who lives amid this scenario.


Meera’s marriage has been fix with Krishna but she don’t want to marry. But what can she do? She has no choice but to marry him. Meera wants to study but cannot because her father thinks education is reserved only for the boys. After all what would she do with education when she is to end up in the kitchen? As soon as she turns 13, she’d be sent to her in-laws house.
But Krishna unexpectedly died and Meera is forced to go through the practice of Sati: she must end her life by throwing herself on her dead husband’s funeral pyre. But she understandably doesn’t want to die. So, she flees.


She ends up with Bhavani, another girl like her, and ends up working in the house of a British East India Company captain. Meera wants to collect some money and start a new life elsewhere, but Bhavani wants to join the rebellion and help the country seek freedom.

Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame was an incredible book, a must read, and one of the best historical fiction book set in India. It was the first time I ever read a middle grade book that is set in the pre-independence era in India. This book shined light upon the sexist mindset that prevailed during that time, how women were looked down upon, how women were forced to go through the evil practice of Sati, how they were not given any education, and so on.

Meera and Bhavani were amazing characters and were epitome of strong women. They were quite opposite of one another and shared a unique friendship dynamic. Bhavani was the strong headed one while Meera was the meek one at first but Meera transforms into a fierce fighter. It was great to see Meera’s transformation into a more confident young woman who has ready to fight for her country. The women in this book proved to be more than just women. They proved to be brave in a time period where they were given no recognition. They proved to be brave and fought for their freedom when they were given no choice and voice.

This book also reminded us how we brutally we were treated by the British; how they invaded our home, took our lands, taking outrageous taxes from the farmers, leading the nation into famine; how they viewed us as weak and submissive.

This book was also written incredibly. Supriya Kelkar’s writing was beautiful and her storytelling was engaging.

Overall, I think Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame is a must read for every Indian to remember what we went through before our independence and how much our people fought for our independence. This feminist book deserve a lot of appreciation. This book will remind you how strong a woman can be when society tries to crush her under its patriarchal claws.

[Fanna]

MG historical fiction?? Set during the British Raj in India?! Deals with hard themes like child marriage? OOOFFF!

[Sayantoni Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

The year is 1857. A year that witnessed one of the greatest revolts in Indian history. Meera is a young girl, who runs from her dying fate to live a life of freedom. Freedom is relative, because she frees herself from the clutches of the society and unwittingly jumps right into the arms of the East India Company. We have read about all the social evils persisting back then. Child marriage, Sati, no education for women, and so on. And with the East India Company in picture, racism scoops a big part as well.

Meera's undying resilience against the face of all odds is a huge inspiration and would definitely have an impression on people from all age groups. The book is middle-grade fiction, yet it reaches out every reader in a way that it resonates deeply with feelings of patriotism, freedom and unity.

Meera, Chhaya, Bhavani represent all the women who fought against the society (both home and foreign), the patriarchy, and the British raj to free not just themselves but our Country as well. I wonder, just like Meera there are countless other nameless, faceless women of all ages who had fought for one single cause - freedom. History may have forgotten them, but with Supriya Kelkar's Strong As Fire Fierce As Flame, we're reminded of their strength yet again.

[bookswithchaipai · Rating 5 out of 5]

How much power does a 13-year-old girl have? Especially one who has the ill-fate of being a victim of the Sati System, fleeing to save herself, not wanting to follow her husband to the nether world? Can she be like Meera Bai, who refused to jump into her husband's pyre, who led her life singing Krishna's devotional songs? Or like Jhansi Ki Rani, bringing up a rebellion against the British and who died fighting, setting an example for women. Meera, just a slip of a girl, proved she could do this and more.

This slice of British-Indian life set in the 1850s, throws light on the Sepoy Mutiny in protest of the pig and cow fat used to grease the bullets. As we follow Maya through her adventures, I was proud to see little girls bring a change in the political scenario, especially at a point in time when women were oppressed.


Kelkar has spun an engrossing tale, weaving bits & pieces of real History entwined in fiction, bringing the suffocated and oppressed British-India to life. Marketed as Middle-Grade Historical Fiction, the attention to detail to customs, the tiny anecdotes, the nibblets of colonial life in a Memsahib's house held me rapt with attention as well.

What shocked me is the gross neglect of Indian sentiments by the Britishers, viewing us as monkeys bowing in meek submission, taking away the land for free, & charging backbreaking taxes leading to famine. The landscape shown is derelict & stark, the Memsahibs & Collector's living in great comfort, throwing scraps at the local workers like dogs. It is a lesson in history, worth reading.

The beauty of the tale lies in viewing all this through the eyes of a 13-year-old girl, as we shuffle through her thoughts and dreams. Sepoy Charan is another shocking revelation that filled my heart with joy & is an ode to the bravery of women since time immemorial.

[Suruchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set against the backdrop of India during 1857 when indians were under the colonial power, Strong as fire, Fierce as Flame is an enchanting Historical Fiction novel with a strong female protagonist.

Meera is almost thirteen when she runs away from her house pushed to do so by the venomous sting of the Sati Pratha. At the beginning she is confused, often caught between conflicting emotions and battling her feelings.
The book also talks about old inhuman religious traditions that pushed women on the brink of death. While India as a country had external enemies like the British, it was also fighting with internal enemies like Sati, child marriage, dowry and a lot more.

Kelkar's fierce narration and strong Female characters bring out the beauty of the title. Not just that, the writing style is exceptionally beautiful.
Every emotion has been portrayed exquisitely. Kelkar writes,
"I found in my research to paint a more accurate portrait of what was going on in the lands and nations where Colonial powers had taken over."

The best thing about the book is the character development. Meera can be seen ferociously rising from the ashes of her protected past shelf that was sheltered by her parents.
The pace of the story is fast, it grips the reader's attention, keeps them hitched and satiates their hunger for action as well.

[doodlesandcalm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading more south asian books written by south asian authors is something I’m really trying to prioritise as a reader & this was the first. Meera was a wonderful character, I could relate to so many pressures she faced as a south asian girl.

I loved her fierce nature & strength as well as her relationships with different characters & complexities to each character

& i also loved the author at the end of the book giving so much historical data, timelines, glossaries. It’s a beautiful piece of work to understand the colonial era & impact on India from a fiction lens then supplemented with non fiction at the end.

Not too heavy & traumatic to read but enough to get you thinking, feeling & understanding

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1857 India, 13-year-old Meera escapes a life she has no say in—and certain death on her husband's funeral pyre—only to end up a servant to a British general in the East India Company. When a rebellion against British colonizers spreads, she must choose between relative safety in a British household or standing up for herself and her people.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an adult reader of this YA fiction, I would rate this book 2 (characters are fairly one dimensional, the writer’s viewpoint is obvious, and nothing is left to inference), but since the book seems geared to middle level readers (5-8 grade seems appropriate), I rate it 4 stars for the intended audience.

[Shirley Freeman]

When I was in school (a long time ago), I remember learning about the Dutch and British East India Companies. My impression at the time was that they were positive or neutral entities and I didn't really question it much. I don't know what kids learn today but this novel, told from the point of view of some of the people being colonized, will help round out kid's understanding of the situation. Meera, from a small village in India in 1857, is about to turn 13, which means she will need to join the boy from the next village to whom she has been married since age 4. Both families also believe in sati (which the author emphasizes as an infrequent tradition followed by a small percentage of the population, whereby a widow has to immolate herself on her husband's pyre). Meera's husband becomes ill and dies just before her birthday. Minutes before Meera is expected to follow the tradition, an aunt helps her escape. The rest of the story follows her escape and subsequent employment as a servant for a captain in the British East India Company. Meera comes of age while trying to understand where her loyalties lie - with the captain's family who seems to be taking decent care of her while she saves money for a life on her own or with her friends who are resisting the East India Company and all that it has taken from their lives. Great story!

[Jerry Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame by Supriya Kelkar, 2021, is Young Adult historical fiction about Meera, a young 12-year-old girl about to turn 13 living in India in 1857.
The story takes the reader to a continent many are not too familiar with. And more, may not have any historical reference for India during the time this story takes place. It is set in time of over 160 years ago. This is 90 years before India gained independence from British colonial rule.
During colonial rule there were many, many poor and starving people. It was an oppressive time. It was a custom that girls and boys were married at the age of 4 and would begin to live together by the girl moving into the in-law’s house on the day the girl turned 13. Girls were excluded from school. What schooling that was available was for boys only.
Meera’s marriage was fixed with a boy at 4 and she didn’t want to be married. She wanted to learn and grow as a person and not become a laboring part of another family’s household. And this is just where the story starts. It unfolds with bravery, intrigue, and action.
Kelkar is a gifted storyteller. She has written an engaging, enlightening, and provocative book.
Kelkar engages the reader with a captivating story of one girl trying to navigate a controlling colonized system. Kelkar skillfully and honestly enlightens (in a very age-appropriate way) the reader to the struggles of the people of India during this time: dying of famine, oppressive racism, discrimination, misogyny, and violence. Additionally, she has presented a provocative counter view to a sanitized narrative of the living conditions under the British rule of India.
I highly recommend this book. It is excellent. I also recommend Supriya Kelkar’s earlier book, Ahimsa, which is also excellent. In Ahimsa, Kelkar tells the story of the Indian freedom movement. Kelkar’s great-grandmother lived through the Indian freedom movement.

[Krutika · Rating 4 out of 5]

// Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame by @supriya.kelkar

I can barely recall a middle grade or a YA historical fiction that's set around the pre-independence era. So when @scholasticindia offered to send across a copy, I was understandably very excited. Set in 1857, this inspiring tale is of a 12 year old girl named Meera. Living with traditional parents who strongly believe in child marriages and even Sati, Meera always understood that the world worked in the favour of men. Married and widowed as a child, Meera flees to escape Sati but ends up in another difficult situation. In order to save money for her own place someday, much to her dislike Meera begins to work for the British colonizers. It is here that she realises how there's a bigger battle in play. One that involves pushing out the colonizers from her native land.

Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame is a female centric book, in which young girls and women fight in their own ways against the British Raj. In the author's note at the end, Kelkar goes on to explain how certain characters are based on real people who risked their lives to contribute for the fight. Kelkar cleverly addresses the Sepoy Mutiny, people's outrage against using the cartridge and how rebels shook the British with their courage. It is applaudable how sensitively Kelkar has managed to touch upon all these significant topics so that the younger crowd doesn't feel too burdened by this unfortunate history. For years, Indians were made to work as slaves, paying taxes for things that rightfully belonged to us. Kelkar also makes a point of throwing some light on how British writers portrayed India in a rather wrongful manner mentioning time and again about how the country was poor and uncivilized. It is impressive how Kelkar has managed to intertwine the life of a young girl who fights for her rights with that of other women who fought for freedom from the invaders.

It is important for us to be aware of our own history, even more so to teach the little ones about what it took for us to gain independence. Gift this to your children so that a part of our history remains with them.

[Stephanie Ridiculous · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, quick read. I appreciate the goal of raising awareness of how gritty and loathsome the colonization of modern day India was, as I agree with the author that it's too often romanticized or simply overlooked, or never even talked about at all. I particularly recommend reading through to the historical note for further context. While the nature of colonization is not new to me, there were a lot of specifics that I was unaware of. From the practice of sati to parcheesi being an Indian game brought to the west.

While this is technically Middle Grade, I think I would recommend most readers wait until early high school days, depending on maturity. There are a lot of intense concepts and actions in this book, which I think is very important for young readers to engage with, but I would encourage introducing this book very intentionally to help a younger person navigate the difficulties well. Like I said before, the historical note at the end is very important, so definitely don't skip out on that.

That aside, the writing is pretty solidly okay. I think the author does a good job of making Meera relatable, and I enjoyed the realistic journey she goes on to understand the truth of her situation both individually and as a people. As many others have said, it's very on the nose at times, and I think it gets repetitive here and there. It's already fairly short, but I think some of the middle still could have been cut down.

All in all, a worth while read; I'm glad I stumbled into it.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An utterly fantastic book that had me hooked from the very beginning. The subject matter is hard for anyone to digest, especially children, but the story is riveting in every way. I read this author's other historical fiction book for children, Ahimsa, and felt it was just as powerful, so I look forward to anything coming from this author going forward!

[Charlie N. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a great book on showing women how much power they can and will have. Meera was extremely brave to run away from her (mostly) Dad's tradition of sati. I'm glad that Meera did what she did. Bhvani could be a little more sympathetic for Meera, but in the end they do understand each others choices. The last scene though at the end drove me crazy, (this isn't a huge spoiler alert) when the boat captain keeps on asking for more money.

[Elizabeth Seeker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great historical fiction about the British East India Company in the late 1850s. I personally feel like this is an area of history that I haven't learned very much about so I really enjoyed reading this book. I also loved that there was conflict between the main character and the other characters that were supposed to be their friends. That made it feel a bit more realistic and relatable. Great book that will have a home in my future classroom!

[Gail Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this, what a talented author and an inspiring female protagonist for young readers. It also tackles a complicated, painful past in an approachable way that should appeal to all young adult readers. I especially loved reading more from the author at the end of the novel to understand how real life informed the narrative. A truly important lesson for all readers, to always question who is telling the story, who is centered, and who is left out.

[Jennifer Hottinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! Meera’s life and death is planned for her, but she is strong and will fight to live as she wishes! Historical fiction focusing on Meera’s experience during the Sepoy Rebellion of 1857. I learned a great deal about culture, colonization, and the hurt caused.

Book talked in my classroom today! Already a waitlist to read it! Copy ordered!

[Allison Behling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found out about this book because it was listed as a 2022 honor book for older children for the Jane Addams Peace Association Children’s Book Award. These books are chosen for “promoting peace, social justice, world community, and equality”. I checked out a physical copy of the book from my local library. I would recommend this book for middle schoolers, and would also recommend that the reader learns about the British colonization of India before reading this book. There is a great summary of this in the back of the book in the “Historical Notes” section as well as many other important terms. There is a timeline as well to understand where the story takes place in terms of this timeline.

In this book, Meera is a child bride living in British-controlled India in 1857, a pivotal year for the country. When her husband is killed, Meera feels pressure to commit sati, or sacrifice herself on her husband’s funeral pyre. Meera runs away but finds herself trapped again, this time as a servant in a British East India Company captain’s home. Meera learns important information about a secret stockpile and has to make an important decision. This is the story about a young girl coming into her own in the face of sexism and the harsh realities of colonization. Her friend Bhavani plays a crucial role in helping Meera develop into a girl who is “strong as fire” and “fierce as flame”. Bhavani is blunt and passionate about fighting for freedom as an Indian woman, and influences Meera in this way. I like when she says to Meera, “Looks like the fighter in you is finally alive.”

The story is action-packed and an exciting read. It is also very educational for people who do not know a lot about this time and place in history. It could easily be used as a companion to learning about colonization in history. It is interesting and much needed to tell stories from the side of the people being colonized. Apart from history, this book is a great example of character change. It also examines the internal struggle that many people face when they have to choose between fighting for what they believe in and taking the easy route of staying quiet or letting someone else do it.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a childhood fan of A Little Princess and other British books that took place in India, this was a little hard of a book to get through, because of the firm exposure of the realities of colonialism - the exploration, the deaths, the suffering. I definitely had moments of discomfort as a reader, seeing myself reflected in the white characters. But discomfort is important and Kelkar's story is realistic but not unkind.

My only quibbles was the expectation that a 13 year old, sheltered child, should automatically be invested in a revolution - the exasperations of the people around her for not joining the cause or getting papers quickly enough grew a little tiresome.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent middle grade book. I am excited to share it as next year’s global read aloud. The characters are well drawn but what a I most appreciated was an unvarnished look at the impact of colonialism. For too long children’s literature has glossed over the awful parts and made colonial India (and so many other parts of the world) seem romantic. This book takes an honest look at what it felt like to be the oppressed people and does it in an age appropriate way. I really appreciated the afterword as well and the way it addresses this whole issue bluntly.

[Jodi Escalante · Rating 3 out of 5]

The audiobook started out enjoyable, but the second half lost momentum.

[Jan Raspen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it is very important for student readers to see themselves in books, so I am happy to have this book in my middle school library. I love when I learn things from historical fiction.
A couple things, though, have me wondering about this book. The horrifying practice of sati--women self-immolating on their deceased husbands' funeral pyres--is at the core of this novel. Our main character Meera runs away from her family after her husband dies fighting for the resistance. Meera was expected to commit sati at her husband's funeral, and her parents would not budge on their viewpoint, even though it was illegal to do this. Meera was just about to turn 13, at which time she'd go live with her husband's family, but he was killed the day before she was to join them. Meera was actually married at the age of 4, I think. I don't know a lot about this custom, but my takeaway from reading the book was that this was widely practiced while sati was very much a fringe ritual. I think young readers will equate these two customs, even though they weren't practiced equally throughout history.
Meera ran away from imminent death, but I think the novel would've been even more powerful if she had instead run away from her arranged childhood marriage--certainly a child of 13 would not want that any more than to commit sati. India's population in the 1800s was over 169 million people, and sati was committed just a few hundred times a year, while arranged marriages were much more common then.
The main character really changed a lot throughout the novel, which is always great--Meera learned important political facts surrounding colonization by the British East India Company and, even though she was denied basic schooling as a child, she had a determination to be independent and to get an education. These are such important messages for students today to read.

[David Vance · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solidly decent book. It’s good to teach about colonization, and it was really interesting to hear about some aspects of a Indian culture.

Unfortunately, it was a little on the nose at some points, and somehow, even in the action, I just didn’t find this book as compelling as I thought it should be for a Global Read-Aloud book. It was just the plot, characterization, and writing style… they weren’t quite what they needed to be.

[Patti Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the eve of her 13th birthday Meera, a young Indian girl growing up in a small village in 1857 under British rule, prepares to join the family of the boy she was married off to several years prior. When Krishna, her young husband is killed in a riot, her family and his both expect her to commit sati and join him in the afterlife by throwing herself on his funeral pyre.
Meera is smart, even though she has no formal education, and she know she deserves more than what her family and Krishna's want for her. She escapes moments before they come to take her to her certain death, and flees to another village where she ends up working as a servant to a British Captain and his wife on their estate. Meera soon finds herself caught up in the rebellion against the British East India Company and has to decide whether her dreams of freedom are worth risking to help her friends and her country.
Well written and filled with lots of history from the time when India was under British Colonial rule. This book addresses racism, sexism as well as the reality of the brutality the people of India endured under British rule.
Be sure to read both the authors note and historical note at the back of the book. Author Supriya Kelkar shared this..."I hope this book encourages readers to question who is being centered in colonial stories and in ALL stories, to find out who is telling the story, and to remember who is being left out. Because that matters."

[Rachel Shields Ebersole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the intent of this book, but found it to be quite heavy handed. Maybe that's par for the course w books written for this age group? I appreciated the historical notes at the end, and the author pointing out how few historical novels are written from the colonized's point of view.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is set in India in 1857, so some generations before the author's previous work, Ahimsa, when the British East India Company was occupying the region, and was trying to put down a popular rebellion of conscripted soldiers (sepoys).

The main character - Meera - is an only child of conservative, traditional parents, and the story opens when she is just 3 days away from turning 13, when she will finally go to live with Krishna, whom she was married to at age 4. Although getting promised in marriage as a small child was apparently quite common at the time, Meera's father is "old fashioned"; shown to be stern & disapproving in general and doesn't see Meera as being as worthy as a boy. He is a teacher, but has refused to allow Meera to learn anything, even when he teaches boys her age right in their own home. Meera hides up in a tree to try to listen in, yet nevertheless has failed to pick up any reading or writing at all.

Illiterate and unhappy about leaving her beloved mother, Meera spends her last few days at home fretting and recapping her life - so we hear about her chores alongside her mother, how her baby brother died (of cholera, I think), and that one of her 2 aunts was burned alive in the funeral pyre made for her husband, an outdated ritual suicide mandated only by the most conservative and backward members of the community. (called "sati")

These first few chapters are indicative of the entire work - over-explaining, and foreshadowing by telling a story of something that happened in the past that then happens to the main or side character, and above all, a waffling back & forth between whining, wondering, doubting, and acting. Although this may be typical of modern 13-year-olds in general, Meera comes across as a childish ninny, much younger than 13.

For example, it is one thing for an 8-year-old to complain that she wants to learn to read and to climb a tree every day to try to glimpse a lesson, then get scolded by her father. That same child at 13 has had 5 years to figure out a way to sort out any of the papers her father must have had lying around the house, so to repeat that scene every day feels illogical.

In addition, the explanations of cultural practices are often inconsistent with the storyline or plot. For example, at the time in India, apparently many 13-year-olds were sent to live with their husband's family, so I would guess that everything in their community must have been preparing her for this day. Meera is petulant and in denial about it, as if it was *not* what her mother, aunt, and most other women in her community had experienced...which can't be true. One minute she is curious about her future husband, and goes to spy on his house, the next she thinks he must be awful because the one time she met him, he was sucking on a clove.

In fact, none of the plot points make sense based on the character's previous actions, statements, or private thoughts. At each inflection point, Meera chooses an action that makes no sense given who she is, and in most cases, makes no sense for anyone.

The more concrete and violent consequences she observes, for example, the more bold actions she takes, even though the author indicates that she is feeling more fear, more self-doubt, and more suspicion that her actions will be effective. Her illiteracy is a major character trait, but even when she reveals this to her best friend, neither of them adjust their plans or their activities to address it - she is still expected to hunt for a piece of paper with specific information on it! And, weirdly, she finds it! And can decipher what the map illustrates! Such a clever move would imply that she is just a few lessons away from learning to read & write, and yet none of the literate characters offers to teach her even the alphabet!

It made sense when Meera was asked to climb a tree, and she did it well. We saw that as a child, she climbed the trees in her yard every day. Yet, when they ordered her to climb the tree, she approached it with as much trepidation as entering a forbidden room or undertaking a task for which she knew she would be beaten or fired for trying.

In fact, almost every plot point feels contrived and illogical, so that it is perfectly clear that the entire story is a vehicle to hammer home the point that colonialism is murderous, violent, unfair, and illogical. Which it is, so this will be a useful and valuable piece of fiction to assign to middle school students.

Hopefully none of those young readers will trip as heavily as I did on the shoddy story construction, inconsistent characters, and the repetition of the incontrovertible message. There is something valuable here, it would have benefited from drastic editing, continuity tracking, and a rewrite.

[KD · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am substituting in an 8th class and this is one of the books the students had to read. I was most curious by this title.

Meera escaped a horrible death with the help of a family member. Sati was a custom where a Hindu widow would willing or unwilling burn herself alive on her husband's funeral pyre. This Hindu practice diminished the rights of women, especially their inheritance rights. In their culture they would get married young sometimes 10-12yrs old. One day before turning 13 Meera’s husband (Krishna) died unexpectedly.

This novel was set in the time when British-occupied India during the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. A period of rebellion against British rule in India.

Meera desperately wanted her family to fight for her and to have her back. Stand up for her so she didn’t have to die. Krishna’s (husband) family wanted her with him in the afterlife so she was to die on his Pyre.

In Buddhism, "sati" (Pali: sati; Sanskrit: स्मृति smṛti) means mindfulness, memory, or retention, and is an essential part of Buddhist practice.

The British outlawed sati in 1829, but the practice continued in India even after independence in 1947. In 1987, India passed the Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act to ban the practice and its glorification.

Meera escaped her Sati ritual and met Bhavani in her travels. Bhavani is very much against the East India Company. She tells Meera a lot about how they aren’t here for us. They took our land, house, they starve us so they can feed their country, they tax us and trade our goods all to make their lives better and rich while our lives suffer. This reminds me of a lot of what is happening in our country today with taxes on tariffs which is gonna raise prices of food, gas and clothes. Bhavani is part of the rebellion against the British.

Bhavani doesn’t understand how safety plays an important role in Meera’s life. Meera escaped death and just wants to save money so that she can live somewhere on her own. Meera craves for a family to love and care for her just like any 13yr old would. She wants freedom and safety and can’t risk being caught. Bhavani is so gun Ho about her part in the rebellion & telling Meera what the real truth is, straight up, that she doesn’t hear what Meera is truly wanting.

The racism with the drawing of Meera that Memsahib (her name means lady or mistress in Hindi. Or wife of British officer) drew that created some fire in my heart. “It was a silly joke” things like that are not a silly joke and then she goes on to say she doesn’t have to explain because Meera is a child or “just an Indian”. It matters. Things like this hurt others. The suppression of humans just because they are from a different culture, practice different beliefs, & have different color skin is NOT okay. I wish that this book went into that a little bit more because it’s important for young readers to understand this deeply. Memsahib doesn’t “see Meera as a human” how this has an impact on Meera’s self-worth and enoughness. Memsahib is a British women who has no right to degrade another human Being.

I had no idea what cartridges were. I looked it up, cartridges are an Enfield Pattern 1853 rifle-musket in 1857 greased with cow and pig fat, which was offensive to both Hindus (who consider cows sacred) and Muslims (who consider pigs unclean. Which caused a violent uprising against the British Rule.

Sometimes we don’t have to accept difficult situations that come up. We can stand up and speak up. We can be strong like fire and fierce like flames and do what we can to show that we don’t back down from the corruption and power that countries experience. Sometimes we wish that people would do the same for us in certain situations as Meera would have liked her mom to do in the tradition of Sati.

I do like historical Fiction. I definitely had to look up a bunch of stuff. Though a lot of information is in the back of the book that I didn’t realize.