What do you think?
Rate this book
A Moment Comes
Before India was divided, three teens, each from wildly different backgrounds, cross paths. And then, in one moment, their futures become irrevocably intertwined.
Tariq. Anupreet. Margaret. As different as their Muslim, Sikh, and British names. But in one moment, their futures become entirely dependent on one another's.
While the rest of India anxiously awaits the upcoming partition that will divide the country into two separate religious states, eighteen-year-old Tariq focuses on his own goal: to study at Oxford. But for a Muslim born and raised in India, there is no obvious path to England—until Tariq is offered a job translating for one of the British cartographers stationed in India, tasked with establishing the new borders.
Margaret, the cartographer’s daughter, has only just arrived in India. But already she has discovered it to be hot, loud, and dull. She can’t go anywhere alone for fear of the riots and violence. Eager for a distraction, she finds one in Tariq.
But it’s Anupreet, another member of the staff, who has truly captured Tariq’s eye. She’s strikingly beautiful—but she’s a Sikh, so not someone Tariq should even be caught looking at. And yet he’s compelled to…
Against the backdrop of the nearly forgotten history of the partition of India, Jennifer Bradbury, as if with strands of silk, weaves together the heart-pounding tale of three teenagers on wildly different paths, on the verge of changing each other’s lives forever.
Tariq. Anupreet. Margaret. As different as their Muslim, Sikh, and British names. But in one moment, their futures become entirely dependent on one another's.
While the rest of India anxiously awaits the upcoming partition that will divide the country into two separate religious states, eighteen-year-old Tariq focuses on his own goal: to study at Oxford. But for a Muslim born and raised in India, there is no obvious path to England—until Tariq is offered a job translating for one of the British cartographers stationed in India, tasked with establishing the new borders.
Margaret, the cartographer’s daughter, has only just arrived in India. But already she has discovered it to be hot, loud, and dull. She can’t go anywhere alone for fear of the riots and violence. Eager for a distraction, she finds one in Tariq.
But it’s Anupreet, another member of the staff, who has truly captured Tariq’s eye. She’s strikingly beautiful—but she’s a Sikh, so not someone Tariq should even be caught looking at. And yet he’s compelled to…
Against the backdrop of the nearly forgotten history of the partition of India, Jennifer Bradbury, as if with strands of silk, weaves together the heart-pounding tale of three teenagers on wildly different paths, on the verge of changing each other’s lives forever.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published June 25, 2013
34 people are currently reading
1222 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Bradbury
11 books128 followersJennifer Bradbury is an English teacher living in Burlington, Washington. She and her husband took a two-month long bicycling trek from Charleston, South Carolina, to Los Angeles, California for their honeymoon, changing more than fifty flat tires along the way. She was also a one-day winner of Jeopardy! Shift is her first novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
May 13, 2020
“Safe. I think about the word as we continue walking. What does safe mean anymore? I wonder if I’ll ever feel safe again. I wandered these markets and streets freely just a few years ago. And then I grew up.”
Tariq is Muslim born and raised in India. He is eighteen and aspires to study at Oxford. It is what Daadaa—his grandfather—dreamed for him and he will do anything to make it a reality. Anupreet is Sikh and nearly sixteen years old. She’s beautiful despite the scar that runs from her eye to her cheek. It’s healing, but will always be there, just like the memory of that horrible day when she acquired it. Margaret is sixteen and from London. Her father was sent to Jalandhar to work for the boundary award. His job is to help break India into pieces so that Muslims can have their own separate state. She knows why her mother made her come here…to restore her virtue, make her “respectable” again. Although she’s not sure how this hot, sticky, and loud place will be able to accomplish that. It’s June 1947 and the worlds of these three teenagers are about to come together and their journey will take them to what history would later refer to as the Partition of India of 1947.
Books, like Bradbury’s, that are based on actual world history play such an important part in the lives of our younger population. Historical Fiction is not only a way to educate, but to offer an all-important perspective. In "A Moment Comes", we are given three very different yet relatable young adults: each offering his or her own point of view about what is happening to them, their family, and the world around them. Bradbury largely avoids stereotypes and instead offers up an honest landscape about a country being torn apart from the inside.
The Partition of India of 1947 began after the Second World War. Lacking the sufficient resources to control its greatest asset, Britain exited India after three hundred years of British rule and partitioned the country into two independent nation states: India (with its Hindu majority) and Pakistan (with their Muslim majority). It marked one of the greatest migrations in human history and resulted in more than fifteen million people losing their homes and between one to two million people losing their lives. Bradbury is exceptionally careful not to choose sides and paint one party as “good” or another as “bad”. Instead, she lays out three lives told through three alternating points of view and allows the reader to form his or her own judgments and opinions. The story is fast-paced, harrowing, poignant, and bitter. But in the end, Bradbury offers up some much-needed hope. It’s faint and so very uncertain, but she places it there nonetheless so that we—along with Tariq, Anupreet, and Margaret—can grab it and hold onto it as tight as we can.
"A Moment Comes" reminds us that history is more than just words on a page. Rather, it’s people who breathe, dream, hope, bleed, and die. People who have risen above their own limitations in order to do something remarkable or historic or even heroic. And just like history is more than just printed words, maps are more than just lines. They are traditions and cultures and religions. Bradbury summed this up perfectly through Margaret when she said, “Lines are funny things. They make us feel safe—at least for a while—knowing where we end and something or someone else begins. But they can also make us want, can make us bitter, wanting what lies on the other side of the line. But whether it’s a border on a map or a boundary between two people, the lines are still only lines. Still something someone made up, decided on. They’re not even real, but so long as everyone agrees to play along, they work fine. But how can lines of a map tell a piece of land what to be any more than lines between one person and another can pretend to be what makes them different?” In the end, Tariq, Anupreet, and Margaret were all able to let go of their own prejudices and realize that they themselves aren’t so very different from one another…regardless of what the lines might say.
Tariq is Muslim born and raised in India. He is eighteen and aspires to study at Oxford. It is what Daadaa—his grandfather—dreamed for him and he will do anything to make it a reality. Anupreet is Sikh and nearly sixteen years old. She’s beautiful despite the scar that runs from her eye to her cheek. It’s healing, but will always be there, just like the memory of that horrible day when she acquired it. Margaret is sixteen and from London. Her father was sent to Jalandhar to work for the boundary award. His job is to help break India into pieces so that Muslims can have their own separate state. She knows why her mother made her come here…to restore her virtue, make her “respectable” again. Although she’s not sure how this hot, sticky, and loud place will be able to accomplish that. It’s June 1947 and the worlds of these three teenagers are about to come together and their journey will take them to what history would later refer to as the Partition of India of 1947.
Books, like Bradbury’s, that are based on actual world history play such an important part in the lives of our younger population. Historical Fiction is not only a way to educate, but to offer an all-important perspective. In "A Moment Comes", we are given three very different yet relatable young adults: each offering his or her own point of view about what is happening to them, their family, and the world around them. Bradbury largely avoids stereotypes and instead offers up an honest landscape about a country being torn apart from the inside.
The Partition of India of 1947 began after the Second World War. Lacking the sufficient resources to control its greatest asset, Britain exited India after three hundred years of British rule and partitioned the country into two independent nation states: India (with its Hindu majority) and Pakistan (with their Muslim majority). It marked one of the greatest migrations in human history and resulted in more than fifteen million people losing their homes and between one to two million people losing their lives. Bradbury is exceptionally careful not to choose sides and paint one party as “good” or another as “bad”. Instead, she lays out three lives told through three alternating points of view and allows the reader to form his or her own judgments and opinions. The story is fast-paced, harrowing, poignant, and bitter. But in the end, Bradbury offers up some much-needed hope. It’s faint and so very uncertain, but she places it there nonetheless so that we—along with Tariq, Anupreet, and Margaret—can grab it and hold onto it as tight as we can.
"A Moment Comes" reminds us that history is more than just words on a page. Rather, it’s people who breathe, dream, hope, bleed, and die. People who have risen above their own limitations in order to do something remarkable or historic or even heroic. And just like history is more than just printed words, maps are more than just lines. They are traditions and cultures and religions. Bradbury summed this up perfectly through Margaret when she said, “Lines are funny things. They make us feel safe—at least for a while—knowing where we end and something or someone else begins. But they can also make us want, can make us bitter, wanting what lies on the other side of the line. But whether it’s a border on a map or a boundary between two people, the lines are still only lines. Still something someone made up, decided on. They’re not even real, but so long as everyone agrees to play along, they work fine. But how can lines of a map tell a piece of land what to be any more than lines between one person and another can pretend to be what makes them different?” In the end, Tariq, Anupreet, and Margaret were all able to let go of their own prejudices and realize that they themselves aren’t so very different from one another…regardless of what the lines might say.
June 15, 2015
A Moment Comes was a really interesting read for me, for a few different reasons.
One: It's set during the partition of India, which is something I never heard of until I read this book. So it was really cool to read something about a period of time I never even knew about.
Two: I love that it's set in a time and place that I don't normally read about. I like historical fiction, but I feel like a lot of the historical fiction I read is in England/Europe/the U.S. So it's nice to read something different, as far as historical fiction goes.
And three: I really like that it's historical fiction that's for older teens. I've come across quite a few historical fiction books aimed at the younger end of the YA continuum, so it's nice to read something that's at the other end.
As for the book itself, I really enjoyed the three narrators. I don't always like multiple narrators, but it worked so well for this book, because you get to see all of the involved parties, and what it was like for everyone involved, instead of getting one side. My only complaint is that there weren't a lot of chapters told from Anupreet's perspective, and she mostly appeared whenever Margaret was narrating. While the book is more about what's going on in India than any sort of potential romance between any of the characters, I didn't really get the sense that Tariq was interested in Anupreet. There is a point where he does something incredibly brave in order to protect her, but I didn't get any forbidden interest vibes. Although...she does seem surprised by his interest in her, so...there is that.
You also get glimpses of some of the attacks/violence/camps where people living and how the characters are reacting to what's going on. I also like that Margaret, Anupreet and Tariq are all so different. Like I said before, I wish we saw a little more of Anupreet, because I feel like Margaret's story- as well as Tariq's- were very well-represented, but we mostly see Anupreet through the eyes of Margaret. We do get enough of her story and enough of her experiences but part of me wants a little more.
I also liked the glossary at the end of the book. It defines the words used throughout the book, as well as mentioning the places and food of India. I also liked the author's note, and how Bradbury had a Fulbright scholarship in India, and learned of the partition. And she does explain that the events that happened in Jalandhar, happened all over India.
Final Thoughts: I really liked A Moment Comes! I definitely want to read a little more about the partition, and I was hoping for more than a couple books listed in the author's note, because I think it would be interesting to see what books Bradbury used. A Moment Comes gets 4 stars.
One: It's set during the partition of India, which is something I never heard of until I read this book. So it was really cool to read something about a period of time I never even knew about.
Two: I love that it's set in a time and place that I don't normally read about. I like historical fiction, but I feel like a lot of the historical fiction I read is in England/Europe/the U.S. So it's nice to read something different, as far as historical fiction goes.
And three: I really like that it's historical fiction that's for older teens. I've come across quite a few historical fiction books aimed at the younger end of the YA continuum, so it's nice to read something that's at the other end.
As for the book itself, I really enjoyed the three narrators. I don't always like multiple narrators, but it worked so well for this book, because you get to see all of the involved parties, and what it was like for everyone involved, instead of getting one side. My only complaint is that there weren't a lot of chapters told from Anupreet's perspective, and she mostly appeared whenever Margaret was narrating. While the book is more about what's going on in India than any sort of potential romance between any of the characters, I didn't really get the sense that Tariq was interested in Anupreet. There is a point where he does something incredibly brave in order to protect her, but I didn't get any forbidden interest vibes. Although...she does seem surprised by his interest in her, so...there is that.
You also get glimpses of some of the attacks/violence/camps where people living and how the characters are reacting to what's going on. I also like that Margaret, Anupreet and Tariq are all so different. Like I said before, I wish we saw a little more of Anupreet, because I feel like Margaret's story- as well as Tariq's- were very well-represented, but we mostly see Anupreet through the eyes of Margaret. We do get enough of her story and enough of her experiences but part of me wants a little more.
I also liked the glossary at the end of the book. It defines the words used throughout the book, as well as mentioning the places and food of India. I also liked the author's note, and how Bradbury had a Fulbright scholarship in India, and learned of the partition. And she does explain that the events that happened in Jalandhar, happened all over India.
Final Thoughts: I really liked A Moment Comes! I definitely want to read a little more about the partition, and I was hoping for more than a couple books listed in the author's note, because I think it would be interesting to see what books Bradbury used. A Moment Comes gets 4 stars.
August 14, 2013
It is an excellent book in a time where YA historic fiction novels are few and far between. The subject matter was refreshing and it reminded me a bit of the movie 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel'. I enjoyed reading about the flavor of India and empathized with the two Indian teen characters seeking to better their lot in life. The juxtaposition of Margaret's life of privilege as a Brit to Anu's life as a Sikh and Tariq's as a Moslem during the turmoil that preceded partition was well done. I never got confused when she switched from person to person with each chapter.
I felt the open ending could easily lead to three sequels. Each character's story could use a follow-up--I was left wondering what would happen to each of them.
So many people watch silly shows on TV about people trying to survive in made-up situations. This books draws you in so that you can really imagine what it might be like to survive in India and Pakistan after the partition. I knew so little about this historic event that I had to ask my British husband to fill me in on what happened when the British finally left India. If you want to understand the news today, you have to understand the history of strife from the past. This book pushed me to think about that. Great topic for a teen book group or a social studies class.
I felt the open ending could easily lead to three sequels. Each character's story could use a follow-up--I was left wondering what would happen to each of them.
So many people watch silly shows on TV about people trying to survive in made-up situations. This books draws you in so that you can really imagine what it might be like to survive in India and Pakistan after the partition. I knew so little about this historic event that I had to ask my British husband to fill me in on what happened when the British finally left India. If you want to understand the news today, you have to understand the history of strife from the past. This book pushed me to think about that. Great topic for a teen book group or a social studies class.
December 25, 2019
Never really had enough nuance or energy to redeem the fact that this is a book about the separation of India and Pakistan, a serious issue with consequences that are still felt today, written by a white girl who taught English there for like, a year and decided that This Would Be Her Issue.
It's not that white people can't write about brown people, it's that to do so they need to actually understand their characters' culture enough to give them, you know, personalities? They need to figure out that maybe it's not a good idea to center the perspective of a bored rich English girl whose major issue is that the guy she likes is "leading her on" so he can maybe escape a situation defined by sectarian violence and gain the education he needs to help his people! They need to know how to write about conflict using something other than tired platitudes gleaned from an undergrad's level of research.
It's not that white people can't write about brown people, it's that to do so they need to actually understand their characters' culture enough to give them, you know, personalities? They need to figure out that maybe it's not a good idea to center the perspective of a bored rich English girl whose major issue is that the guy she likes is "leading her on" so he can maybe escape a situation defined by sectarian violence and gain the education he needs to help his people! They need to know how to write about conflict using something other than tired platitudes gleaned from an undergrad's level of research.
January 12, 2014
Wow, I went into this without the slightest bit of knowledge about the partitioning of India and Pakistan. I learned so much, but I was also drawn in to the lives of the three very different characters, one Muslim, one Sikh, and one cranky English girl. There was a tiny smidgen of romance, but this story was driven by the politics of the time. I think each of the main characters deserves a book of their own after this one. I loved the cameos of the Mountbattens, in no small part because they were people I'd heard of. Recommended.
Review copy from the publisher.
Review copy from the publisher.
October 13, 2020
Passable Historical Fiction based on the Partition Era. A lot of fluff, and did we really need a scene where Pamela Mountbatten visits one of the main families in the novel for tea and gossips about her mother's 'exotic' lover, Nehru?
July 29, 2018
View on my blog
Rating: 3/5 ★ | 60/100 | C+
Review Summary: A rare historical setting and an atmospheric read that unfortunately doesn’t fulfill its promise
Review:
The date of 1947 will jump out to most western readers as not long after the end of WWII. The British Empire has withdrawn from India after ruling since 1858, and now India is to be partitioned to create a new dominion, Pakistan, so Muslim Indians may be separate from the Sikh Indians. Bradbury chose a fantastic historical event for the basis of her novel. Not only is the partition of India an interesting and still culturally-relevant event, but any Young Adult historical fiction taking place outside of America and Great Britain is a welcome change of pace and opportunity for settings and characters that aren’t white.
The atmosphere of barely restrained violence is palpable, the threat of the next violent upset constantly hangs over every character’s head, over every moment. Pakistan has already been promised, the new borders are being drawn and Pakistan will come into being in a few weeks, in a fews days - but still they fight. Even those who are vacating land no longer theirs - Muslims from India to Pakistan and Sikhs from Pakistan to India - are slaughtered and enslaved by the trainload in an unending circle of revenge. It is horrifying, what people will do to one another in the name of religion. This novel does a wonderful job of portraying that horror in both subtle and momentous ways.
Each of the three POV characters have an interesting premise - Tariq: a muslim boy whose grandfather has instilled in him the dream of studying at Oxford University in England while his peers have their sights set on the new land of Pakistan; Anupreet: a Sikh girl so beautiful she and her family must always be on their guard to protect her, recently attacked in the fighting between Sikhs and Muslims and left with a facial scar; and Margaret: an English girl whose father is one of the cartographers charged with carving Pakistan from India, brought to India by her mother as a publicity opportunity to raise her family’s standing in English society and rehabilitate Margaret’s own reputation, after she was romantically involved with a soldier 10 years her senior while she was a volunteer nurse during WWII. Their characters, both alone and in relation to each other, build up and develop at first, but largely fail to achieve any deep or satisfying character development. Anu never develops much of a personality, and isn’t afforded any opportunities to display any agency and make decisions for herself the way the other two characters do. Tariq was the only one working towards something, and while I didn't expect him to be at Oxford by the end of the story, his character arc felt unresolved. Margaret, despite her interesting setup with great potential, mostly just serves the purpose of being the white POV. Since Margaret’s character arc didn’t turn out to be anything special I would have preferred not to have a white POV at all.
The book also offers some interesting secondary characters; I personally enjoyed Margaret’s father and Tariq’s brother.
As a YA novel there is, of course, romance. Margaret is drawn to Tariq’s handsomeness, Tariq is drawn to Anupreet’s beauty, and Anupreet has bigger things to worry about and barely notices any of this. (Atta girl.) No romantic relationships are actually formed and the pining is not overbearing. And, as a subplot should be, the romantic subplot is actually relevant to the narrative. Tariq and Anupreet are on opposite sides of the Muslim/Sikh conflict; Margaret seems to Tariq a potential ticket to England and Oxford. Nobody is needlessly blinded or made cruel by love. A small miracle, honestly.
Overall the prose is not bad but nothing special either. It told the story but lacked depth and the appropriate emotional impact for such events. It often devolved into paragraphs of short sentences of unvaried length, creating a monotonous rhythm, and employed one of my most hated YA writing trends of constantly starting a new line for dramatic effect~, except it’s used so often it removes all drama from the device, and it’s an amateur technique in the first place.
The ending was left very open, and if everything had been more fully-realized on the way there this would have been fine, but as the novel stands the ending was unsatisfying and had the unfortunate side-effect of making everything that had come before it all the weaker. The novel is not long - only around 60 thousand words - so it moves quickly and none of the novel’s underdeveloped elements create slow or boring areas. I think this novel would only be satisfying to the lower end of the Young Adult demographic (maybe 14 and under - depending on the person, of course), and as a reading and learning experience perfect for “Middle Grade” readers. That is, depending on if the amount of violence in this book is appropriate for children that age. (I couldn't tell you, personally.)
Weaker points:
Characters and development
Plot
Ending
Stronger points:
Setting
Atmosphere
Pacing
Historical event
Representation/diversity
Content/age appropriateness warnings: graphic violence, injury and death, explosions, threatened sexual violence against women, references to kidnapping for the purposes of slavery and sex work
Rating: 3/5 ★ | 60/100 | C+
Review Summary: A rare historical setting and an atmospheric read that unfortunately doesn’t fulfill its promise
Review:
The date of 1947 will jump out to most western readers as not long after the end of WWII. The British Empire has withdrawn from India after ruling since 1858, and now India is to be partitioned to create a new dominion, Pakistan, so Muslim Indians may be separate from the Sikh Indians. Bradbury chose a fantastic historical event for the basis of her novel. Not only is the partition of India an interesting and still culturally-relevant event, but any Young Adult historical fiction taking place outside of America and Great Britain is a welcome change of pace and opportunity for settings and characters that aren’t white.
The atmosphere of barely restrained violence is palpable, the threat of the next violent upset constantly hangs over every character’s head, over every moment. Pakistan has already been promised, the new borders are being drawn and Pakistan will come into being in a few weeks, in a fews days - but still they fight. Even those who are vacating land no longer theirs - Muslims from India to Pakistan and Sikhs from Pakistan to India - are slaughtered and enslaved by the trainload in an unending circle of revenge. It is horrifying, what people will do to one another in the name of religion. This novel does a wonderful job of portraying that horror in both subtle and momentous ways.
Each of the three POV characters have an interesting premise - Tariq: a muslim boy whose grandfather has instilled in him the dream of studying at Oxford University in England while his peers have their sights set on the new land of Pakistan; Anupreet: a Sikh girl so beautiful she and her family must always be on their guard to protect her, recently attacked in the fighting between Sikhs and Muslims and left with a facial scar; and Margaret: an English girl whose father is one of the cartographers charged with carving Pakistan from India, brought to India by her mother as a publicity opportunity to raise her family’s standing in English society and rehabilitate Margaret’s own reputation, after she was romantically involved with a soldier 10 years her senior while she was a volunteer nurse during WWII. Their characters, both alone and in relation to each other, build up and develop at first, but largely fail to achieve any deep or satisfying character development. Anu never develops much of a personality, and isn’t afforded any opportunities to display any agency and make decisions for herself the way the other two characters do. Tariq was the only one working towards something, and while I didn't expect him to be at Oxford by the end of the story, his character arc felt unresolved. Margaret, despite her interesting setup with great potential, mostly just serves the purpose of being the white POV. Since Margaret’s character arc didn’t turn out to be anything special I would have preferred not to have a white POV at all.
The book also offers some interesting secondary characters; I personally enjoyed Margaret’s father and Tariq’s brother.
As a YA novel there is, of course, romance. Margaret is drawn to Tariq’s handsomeness, Tariq is drawn to Anupreet’s beauty, and Anupreet has bigger things to worry about and barely notices any of this. (Atta girl.) No romantic relationships are actually formed and the pining is not overbearing. And, as a subplot should be, the romantic subplot is actually relevant to the narrative. Tariq and Anupreet are on opposite sides of the Muslim/Sikh conflict; Margaret seems to Tariq a potential ticket to England and Oxford. Nobody is needlessly blinded or made cruel by love. A small miracle, honestly.
Overall the prose is not bad but nothing special either. It told the story but lacked depth and the appropriate emotional impact for such events. It often devolved into paragraphs of short sentences of unvaried length, creating a monotonous rhythm, and employed one of my most hated YA writing trends of constantly starting a new line for dramatic effect~, except it’s used so often it removes all drama from the device, and it’s an amateur technique in the first place.
The ending was left very open, and if everything had been more fully-realized on the way there this would have been fine, but as the novel stands the ending was unsatisfying and had the unfortunate side-effect of making everything that had come before it all the weaker. The novel is not long - only around 60 thousand words - so it moves quickly and none of the novel’s underdeveloped elements create slow or boring areas. I think this novel would only be satisfying to the lower end of the Young Adult demographic (maybe 14 and under - depending on the person, of course), and as a reading and learning experience perfect for “Middle Grade” readers. That is, depending on if the amount of violence in this book is appropriate for children that age. (I couldn't tell you, personally.)
Weaker points:
Characters and development
Plot
Ending
Stronger points:
Setting
Atmosphere
Pacing
Historical event
Representation/diversity
Content/age appropriateness warnings: graphic violence, injury and death, explosions, threatened sexual violence against women, references to kidnapping for the purposes of slavery and sex work
November 2, 2013
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? It's not especially exciting, though the peacock feather is gorgeous, and is what initially caught my attention.
Characters: I didn't like Margaret from the start. Her first reaction toward Anupreet was to be jealous of her because Anupreet was prettier, and Margaret took an interest in Tariq simply so she could flirt with him. She was spoiled brat who was desperate for drama. Her only good quality was her medical training, and she doesn't get to do much of that in the story. I liked Tariq well enough; he was ambitious and wished to better himself and make his way in the world. As much as I disliked Margaret, I didn't like it when he started using her to get a good recommendation from her father. But overall, I liked Tariq, especially at the end when he defended Anupreet. And on that topic, we come to my favorite character: Anupreet. She was sensible and hardworking and just all-around likable.
The Romance: The love triangle is not nearly as prominent as the synopsis makes it seem. Margaret likes Tariq, and Tariq does find both her and Anupreet pretty, though he is more attracted to Anupreet. His flirtation with Margaret is more so she'll put in a good word for him to her father. Anupreet, meanwhile, has no interest in Tariq until the very end. She's too busy getting through every day - and as a Sikh girl, she shouldn't notice a Muslin boy anyway. So if you're worried that this is just a romance, don't worry; the romance is hardly there.
Plot: Other than being misleading about the romance, the synopsis does a very good job of summing the story up. It's not a complicated plot, and it's more character-driven, but it's very interesting to read about how Pakistan was formed through the eyes of three different teenagers from three different backgrounds. I would have liked to have known a bit more about Margaret's father's motivation behind not helping Tariq get to Oxford more, and the end was lacking in certain areas. But India has always fascinated me, and this particular moment in its history is one that I wish I knew more about. While A Moment Comes is fictional, it's a great story to pique a person's interest in this historical event. I wish it had been longer, though.
Believability: The Author actually offers a very balanced view on the Muslims and Hindus. There is no "this side did worse things than that side," and in modern-written stories I am always surprised when certain historical events are presented in a balanced way. It is the politically correct thing to depict Muslims as the misunderstood, peaceful group - or people who were understandably correct in their acts of violence; that they were forced into enacting horrible acts. However, Jennifer Bradbury does a very good representation of the Muslim, Hindu, and even British viewpoints during this time.
Writing Style: First person, present tense. Each chapter alternates between Margaret, Tariq, and Anupreet as narrators, which I enjoyed. I would not have liked to have been locked inside Margaret's head for this entire book - or Tariq's, even though I liked him well enough. I didn't care much for the present tense, either. There are a lot of native words used in A Moment Comes, and most of them have in-text translation or are explained based on context. There is also a glossary, but there is no pronunciation guide, and I would have liked to have had that.
Content: None.
Conclusion: I don't mind open-ended books, but this one was too open-ended. We don't find out Tariq, Margaret, or Anupreet's fates, and I really wanted to know! So while I enjoyed the majority of this book, despite Margaret, the conclusion left much to be desired. It was too sudden, too inconclusive, and I found myself feeling unsatisfied.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, fourteen-and-up; adults will also really enjoy this book. Readers who find India fascinating or just like historical fiction will find this an interesting read.
Characters: I didn't like Margaret from the start. Her first reaction toward Anupreet was to be jealous of her because Anupreet was prettier, and Margaret took an interest in Tariq simply so she could flirt with him. She was spoiled brat who was desperate for drama. Her only good quality was her medical training, and she doesn't get to do much of that in the story. I liked Tariq well enough; he was ambitious and wished to better himself and make his way in the world. As much as I disliked Margaret, I didn't like it when he started using her to get a good recommendation from her father. But overall, I liked Tariq, especially at the end when he defended Anupreet. And on that topic, we come to my favorite character: Anupreet. She was sensible and hardworking and just all-around likable.
The Romance: The love triangle is not nearly as prominent as the synopsis makes it seem. Margaret likes Tariq, and Tariq does find both her and Anupreet pretty, though he is more attracted to Anupreet. His flirtation with Margaret is more so she'll put in a good word for him to her father. Anupreet, meanwhile, has no interest in Tariq until the very end. She's too busy getting through every day - and as a Sikh girl, she shouldn't notice a Muslin boy anyway. So if you're worried that this is just a romance, don't worry; the romance is hardly there.
Plot: Other than being misleading about the romance, the synopsis does a very good job of summing the story up. It's not a complicated plot, and it's more character-driven, but it's very interesting to read about how Pakistan was formed through the eyes of three different teenagers from three different backgrounds. I would have liked to have known a bit more about Margaret's father's motivation behind not helping Tariq get to Oxford more, and the end was lacking in certain areas. But India has always fascinated me, and this particular moment in its history is one that I wish I knew more about. While A Moment Comes is fictional, it's a great story to pique a person's interest in this historical event. I wish it had been longer, though.
Believability: The Author actually offers a very balanced view on the Muslims and Hindus. There is no "this side did worse things than that side," and in modern-written stories I am always surprised when certain historical events are presented in a balanced way. It is the politically correct thing to depict Muslims as the misunderstood, peaceful group - or people who were understandably correct in their acts of violence; that they were forced into enacting horrible acts. However, Jennifer Bradbury does a very good representation of the Muslim, Hindu, and even British viewpoints during this time.
Writing Style: First person, present tense. Each chapter alternates between Margaret, Tariq, and Anupreet as narrators, which I enjoyed. I would not have liked to have been locked inside Margaret's head for this entire book - or Tariq's, even though I liked him well enough. I didn't care much for the present tense, either. There are a lot of native words used in A Moment Comes, and most of them have in-text translation or are explained based on context. There is also a glossary, but there is no pronunciation guide, and I would have liked to have had that.
Content: None.
Conclusion: I don't mind open-ended books, but this one was too open-ended. We don't find out Tariq, Margaret, or Anupreet's fates, and I really wanted to know! So while I enjoyed the majority of this book, despite Margaret, the conclusion left much to be desired. It was too sudden, too inconclusive, and I found myself feeling unsatisfied.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, fourteen-and-up; adults will also really enjoy this book. Readers who find India fascinating or just like historical fiction will find this an interesting read.
August 4, 2013
What makes us fall in love with a book? Well for me it takes a few different things. I need to relate to the characters, feel like I understand the setting and fall in love with the writing style. When I started A Moment Comes it seemed like I would hate this book because everything expect for the writing style was missing. It had the makings of a book I would feel nothing for, yet it turned out to be the exact opposite.
The characters were so far removed from my way of life that I was immediately sucked into their world and their culture. I think when I read that they were from India and were there during the conflict between Sikhs and Muslims i did not know how I was going to react because I have never been through something like that, and to tell you the truth, the children in this book should not have had to go through something like that. The religion and their treatment of woman was something that I knew about from news etc. but reading it in this context where they are characters that I am invested in made my heart break. There were moments when I would sit back and stop reading because I didn't think I would be able to go on.
I loved the way this book was written because it was in three different perspectives. One Muslim boy who has aspirations of getting out of India and away from the violence and attend Oxford University. Another was a young Sikhs girl who was, a time before this books beginning, attached by some men and it left with a lifetime reminder on her face. And the last one is a young British girl who is on "vacation" with her mother in India while her Father works for government trying to separate India and Pakistan.
These three voices were so different and gave a different perspective to someone like me who had no idea what to think. I found it extremely interesting to read the perspective of Tariq, who is the young Muslim boy who wants to go to Oxford. He works for the British girls father in hopes of getting his approval to attend Oxford and go home with them, but what I found so interesting was his views of his own country and how much he contested what was going on. I loved that.
This novel was a wonderful surprise for me because of how much I related to these character. They are all young, and they are all trying to find themselves a place in the world. And honestly we all do that no matter what religion we are, or the color of our skin. This novel felt true the culture as far as I could tell and the characters felt real and honest. It is such a heartwarming read that everyone needs to read.
The characters were so far removed from my way of life that I was immediately sucked into their world and their culture. I think when I read that they were from India and were there during the conflict between Sikhs and Muslims i did not know how I was going to react because I have never been through something like that, and to tell you the truth, the children in this book should not have had to go through something like that. The religion and their treatment of woman was something that I knew about from news etc. but reading it in this context where they are characters that I am invested in made my heart break. There were moments when I would sit back and stop reading because I didn't think I would be able to go on.
I loved the way this book was written because it was in three different perspectives. One Muslim boy who has aspirations of getting out of India and away from the violence and attend Oxford University. Another was a young Sikhs girl who was, a time before this books beginning, attached by some men and it left with a lifetime reminder on her face. And the last one is a young British girl who is on "vacation" with her mother in India while her Father works for government trying to separate India and Pakistan.
These three voices were so different and gave a different perspective to someone like me who had no idea what to think. I found it extremely interesting to read the perspective of Tariq, who is the young Muslim boy who wants to go to Oxford. He works for the British girls father in hopes of getting his approval to attend Oxford and go home with them, but what I found so interesting was his views of his own country and how much he contested what was going on. I loved that.
This novel was a wonderful surprise for me because of how much I related to these character. They are all young, and they are all trying to find themselves a place in the world. And honestly we all do that no matter what religion we are, or the color of our skin. This novel felt true the culture as far as I could tell and the characters felt real and honest. It is such a heartwarming read that everyone needs to read.
June 16, 2013
Source: Received an e-ARC from the publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
After taking some classes on Indian history, I discovered that I have a deep fascination for the country and its history that is not often sated in YA fiction, which so often focuses on American or fantastical worlds. Luckily we have books like this, a more serious offering from the author of Wrapped, the historical MG/YA.
What first caught me about this book is its setting during the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, a situation whose repercussions are still felt today in seemingly unending conflict between the two bodies. I knew vague factoids about the situation but this story places you on the ground with Sikhs and Muslims battling over territory but also thankfully highlights the good of people stepping up to do the bit of good that they can do. This is demonstrated in the form of our three narrators: Muslim Tariq, craving to study at Oxford; Sikh Anupreet, a beautiful girl confined to her home to protect her from the violent angry men around her; and Margaret, the British daughter of a cartographer come to divide India who meets the previous two when they are hired as servants in her family's household.
I did not read the summary very closely as it clearly states that these three would be followed so I was surprised to meet the three as narrators. Each chapter lists the narrator so it is easy to keep track that way although the personalities, wants, and desires of all three are so different that it would be simple to do even without (it is appreciated still.)
Probably what I liked most about this was how everything kept building. The circumstances became darker and more violent, everyone became a bit more desperate until the great climax of these ordinary people stepping up to do what they could despite the odds. In the author's note, Bradbury writes a little about this and I loved how she brought that theme out.
I do think there could have been a bit more depth into the religious, racial, and gender issues of the time, especially for people who are not familiar with the period. Still there are a few books to reference mentioned in the author's note that I think it would behoove me to check out so as to further enlighten myself.
Overall: A very well-done historical novel about a time not very well-known to modern American audiences.
After taking some classes on Indian history, I discovered that I have a deep fascination for the country and its history that is not often sated in YA fiction, which so often focuses on American or fantastical worlds. Luckily we have books like this, a more serious offering from the author of Wrapped, the historical MG/YA.
What first caught me about this book is its setting during the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, a situation whose repercussions are still felt today in seemingly unending conflict between the two bodies. I knew vague factoids about the situation but this story places you on the ground with Sikhs and Muslims battling over territory but also thankfully highlights the good of people stepping up to do the bit of good that they can do. This is demonstrated in the form of our three narrators: Muslim Tariq, craving to study at Oxford; Sikh Anupreet, a beautiful girl confined to her home to protect her from the violent angry men around her; and Margaret, the British daughter of a cartographer come to divide India who meets the previous two when they are hired as servants in her family's household.
I did not read the summary very closely as it clearly states that these three would be followed so I was surprised to meet the three as narrators. Each chapter lists the narrator so it is easy to keep track that way although the personalities, wants, and desires of all three are so different that it would be simple to do even without (it is appreciated still.)
Probably what I liked most about this was how everything kept building. The circumstances became darker and more violent, everyone became a bit more desperate until the great climax of these ordinary people stepping up to do what they could despite the odds. In the author's note, Bradbury writes a little about this and I loved how she brought that theme out.
I do think there could have been a bit more depth into the religious, racial, and gender issues of the time, especially for people who are not familiar with the period. Still there are a few books to reference mentioned in the author's note that I think it would behoove me to check out so as to further enlighten myself.
Overall: A very well-done historical novel about a time not very well-known to modern American audiences.
February 17, 2017
“Lines are funny things. They make us feel safe—at least for a while—knowing where we end and someone else begins. But they can also make us want, can make us bitter, wanting what lies on the other side of the line.”
2 stars. This is a half-decent historical fiction novel, but altogether isn't anything special.
THE GOOD
This book's one pro is that it addresses a little-covered topic: the Pakistan-India partition. This issue is handled with care and sympathy towards both sides of the issue.
THE BAD
The characters aren't at all memorable. They are all used exclusively as plot devices. The romance is, likewise, a plot device. There's instalove AND a love triangle, neither of which is well-executed. I don't even know what more to say.
It's clear that Bradbury wasn't trying very hard with the character work here, and unfortunately, the otherwise poignant moments of this novel left me completely cold.
THE UGLY
A major white character is used as a bit of a white savior. She's an earl's daughter who is shown to really care about the savage Indian people. And her father, the rezoner, cares a lot too and knows better than every Pakistani resident. Bradbury clearly wanted to have a sympathetic white character, but she didn't execute the character and her narrative at all.
The narrative of this book also punishes the major Muslim character for his ambition, forcing him to , while the major white character ends her life in India with no consequences for her bad actions. There's nothing explicitly bad about this, maybe, but the author seems to imply that the character deserved his fate. It comes off badly.
Not recommended.
2 stars. This is a half-decent historical fiction novel, but altogether isn't anything special.
THE GOOD
This book's one pro is that it addresses a little-covered topic: the Pakistan-India partition. This issue is handled with care and sympathy towards both sides of the issue.
THE BAD
The characters aren't at all memorable. They are all used exclusively as plot devices. The romance is, likewise, a plot device. There's instalove AND a love triangle, neither of which is well-executed. I don't even know what more to say.
It's clear that Bradbury wasn't trying very hard with the character work here, and unfortunately, the otherwise poignant moments of this novel left me completely cold.
THE UGLY
A major white character is used as a bit of a white savior. She's an earl's daughter who is shown to really care about the savage Indian people. And her father, the rezoner, cares a lot too and knows better than every Pakistani resident. Bradbury clearly wanted to have a sympathetic white character, but she didn't execute the character and her narrative at all.
The narrative of this book also punishes the major Muslim character for his ambition, forcing him to , while the major white character ends her life in India with no consequences for her bad actions. There's nothing explicitly bad about this, maybe, but the author seems to imply that the character deserved his fate. It comes off badly.
Not recommended.
December 14, 2013
Despite its beautiful cover, this book left a lot to be desired. Set during the partition of India and Pakistan, the plot weaves the stories of three very different characters: Margaret, the British cartographer's daughter, Tariq, the Muslim errand runner and Oxford hopeful, and Anupreet, the Sikh housemaid. While I think this book had a lot of potential and an interesting setting, it just didn't live up to what the author was attempting. I think the historical component was merely scratched, as the novel only gave me a superficial understanding of the reasons behind the partition. I also don't think the characters interacted enough with one another, so the individual story lines seemed disjointed and forced. I couldn't pinpoint the overall conflict in the story that should have tied the characters together; the uniting force presented in the story didn't seem like it applied to all the characters. I would only recommend this novel to readers particularly interested in the time period and setting.
July 19, 2014
Jennifer Bradbury's A Moment Comes is a fascinating glimpse into some of the struggles surrounding the partitioning of Pakistan and India, told from the perspective of three teens, a Muslim boy, a Sikh girl, and a newly arrived British girl. All have a "past", but how they handle these few months will determine their future.
A great read for YA up. Especially recommended for those who enjoy armchair travel or historical fiction.
A great read for YA up. Especially recommended for those who enjoy armchair travel or historical fiction.
March 9, 2014
3.5 - A hugely promising novel that evolves into a somewhat unsatisfactory conclusion.
January 18, 2018
The book, A Moment Comes by Jennifer bradbury is an interesting book about the partition of India during the 1940’s. These real events happened in the other side of the world so it is compelling to read about something that we in the western world do not focus a whole lot of whether it is in history class or just in everyday life. I would like to state first off if you are someone who enjoys history and historical fiction this is a good book for you. If you read Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson and enjoyed it, this book is also a great book to read because it captures the experience of young people during major political, and social shifts in their society. Overall, I did enjoy reading this book because I have wanted to branch out and read other genres of book that I would not normally read, and this book is pleasant to read through. One great thing about this book is how each chapter there is another character’s point of view. Throughout the story the point of view alternates between three different characters during an intense time in their life. This does show different perspectives and opinions each of these characters have. This is important to the story since there were many conflicts and violence between different groups of people. The different perspectives makes it easier to understand the emotions that these characters are going through. This story does a decent job showcasing true events in the form of a story where the characters are teenagers and the readers can be more empathetic to these characters. Diction is also an element that contributed to the story and its characters. The author chose to use some words in a different language to make the story seem more realistic. Since, this story is set in India, her choice to use words in that language makes the story seem more realistic. By doing this the story is more authentic, true to culture and not a white washed version. These realistic events portrayed in the story shows the amount of work and research put into the book. Overall, diction gave the story a realistic element. Another component that contributed to the story nicely was the development of the characters. Each individual character comes from different background culturally and religiously. Tariq is muslim and faces many struggles during the partition such as his family being forced to move to Pakistan. He is more oblivious earlier on and has one wish, to study at Oxford. As the story progresses he goes through many struggles and violent traumatic experiences. These events emerges him to be more wise and cautious about his decisions. This does add a emotional aspect to the book, which makes it more thrilling and relatable to read. His progress takes you on a journey as well as the other characters and makes you emotionally invested while reading. This leds to a better understanding of the book and keeps the readers absorbed in the story. In conclusion, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend this to anyone who wants to try to read different genre of books. Ultimately, it is a decent book to read and to explore other cultures, as well as characters.
June 1, 2022
I had a stack of four YA books about India’s fight for independence—Ahimsa by Kelkar, Climbing the Stairs by Venkatraman, A Moment Comes by Bradbury, & Ticket to India by Senzai. Of the first three, this one by Bradbury is the best. In fact, it’s a really informative and enjoyable read!
The structure of the book allows for multiple perspectives. We see the situation post-Independence in 1947 through the eyes of Anu, a poor Punjabi girl who has been a victim of Hindu-Muslim strife; Tariq, a Muslim boy aspiring to study at Oxford; and Margaret, the daughter of a British cartographer hired to divide India. Anu & Tariq both work for the cartographer and thus, these three lives and perspectives intertwine beautifully.
Bradbury is brilliant at infusing allusions that will enhance the reader’s understanding. Whether it be references to poetry by Keats and Coleridge or a Biblical passage, she carefully chooses additional sources to allow us to fully appreciate the various conflicts. One of my favorite references is to King Solomon/Suleyman who famously orders a baby to be divided in half so each of the two women who claims to be its mother can get a piece of the child. Of course, this reveals who the true mother is. The cartographer, Darnsley, compares the dividing of India to this story. It’s a really powerful comparison: “They say the people want partition. That it will bring peace. That it will be better in the end. But I keep wondering, waiting for someone to realize that cutting this body in half may do more harm than anyone realizes.” Another character predicts, “And make no mistake, there will be war for years to come. Do you think all this between the Sikhs and us will die down when we have a border? How much worse will it be when there are real boundaries to dispute, real territories to squabble over? Already there are rumblings of what will happen if Kashmir goes to India.”
Really hoping that Ticket to India is just as great.
“Lines are funny things. They make us feel safe – at least for a while – knowing where we end and something or someone else begins. But they can also make us want, can make us bitter, wanting what lies on the other side of the line. But whether it’s a border on a map or a boundary between two people, the lines are still only lines. Still something someone made up, decided on. They’re not even real, but so long as everyone agrees to play along, they work fine. But how can lines on a map tell a piece of land what to be any more than lines between one person and another can pretend to be what makes them different?”
The structure of the book allows for multiple perspectives. We see the situation post-Independence in 1947 through the eyes of Anu, a poor Punjabi girl who has been a victim of Hindu-Muslim strife; Tariq, a Muslim boy aspiring to study at Oxford; and Margaret, the daughter of a British cartographer hired to divide India. Anu & Tariq both work for the cartographer and thus, these three lives and perspectives intertwine beautifully.
Bradbury is brilliant at infusing allusions that will enhance the reader’s understanding. Whether it be references to poetry by Keats and Coleridge or a Biblical passage, she carefully chooses additional sources to allow us to fully appreciate the various conflicts. One of my favorite references is to King Solomon/Suleyman who famously orders a baby to be divided in half so each of the two women who claims to be its mother can get a piece of the child. Of course, this reveals who the true mother is. The cartographer, Darnsley, compares the dividing of India to this story. It’s a really powerful comparison: “They say the people want partition. That it will bring peace. That it will be better in the end. But I keep wondering, waiting for someone to realize that cutting this body in half may do more harm than anyone realizes.” Another character predicts, “And make no mistake, there will be war for years to come. Do you think all this between the Sikhs and us will die down when we have a border? How much worse will it be when there are real boundaries to dispute, real territories to squabble over? Already there are rumblings of what will happen if Kashmir goes to India.”
Really hoping that Ticket to India is just as great.
“Lines are funny things. They make us feel safe – at least for a while – knowing where we end and something or someone else begins. But they can also make us want, can make us bitter, wanting what lies on the other side of the line. But whether it’s a border on a map or a boundary between two people, the lines are still only lines. Still something someone made up, decided on. They’re not even real, but so long as everyone agrees to play along, they work fine. But how can lines on a map tell a piece of land what to be any more than lines between one person and another can pretend to be what makes them different?”
January 25, 2023
This story was more intense and gut-wrenching than most we've been reading about. The romantic elements are more upper-teen than most of the books we usually have been reading about in the evenings (as was the smoking and drinking and teenage flings), and the descriptions of violence and riots and such were not graphic or inappropriate, but were definitely intense. I found it fascinating how the three stories intersected but how each teen only understood a sliver of what was going on in the other two, and even when they thought they understood what was going on they had no idea: I think it made for a good life lesson for our kids. The story was interesting and well-done, but as I said, a little harsh and difficult to read, and maybe more suited to ages 14+ rather than 10+, where our kids are.
July 17, 2017
What I Liked
I liked the setting of this story. It's difficult to find fiction set during the partition of India, so I was excited to catch a glimpse into a monumental time in Indian culture.
What I Didn't Like
Bradbury does not do a good enough job of making the character voices individualized. Each chapter switches between Margaret, Tariq, and Anupreet, and I often found myself checking the top of the page to see who was supposed to be speaking.
There is a lot of insta-love, attempted (and failed) love triangles, white savior heroism, and more cheesy plot points that had me rolling my eyes more than finding myself caught up in the story.
I liked the setting of this story. It's difficult to find fiction set during the partition of India, so I was excited to catch a glimpse into a monumental time in Indian culture.
What I Didn't Like
Bradbury does not do a good enough job of making the character voices individualized. Each chapter switches between Margaret, Tariq, and Anupreet, and I often found myself checking the top of the page to see who was supposed to be speaking.
There is a lot of insta-love, attempted (and failed) love triangles, white savior heroism, and more cheesy plot points that had me rolling my eyes more than finding myself caught up in the story.
March 2, 2019
My Review: This book was very interesting. It was about India in a time that I knew nothing about and it was interesting to learn more about it. The 3 POVs were a little much for a book this short but they didn't take away to much of the story. I would have preferred it being in just one but it wasn't too bad. The romance was beautifully done and I loved all the characters.
This one does show a lot of violence but it was necessary for this story.
Go Into This One Knowing: Violence
This one does show a lot of violence but it was necessary for this story.
Go Into This One Knowing: Violence
October 19, 2020
Read aloud with my son for school. This was a really engaging book about a time in history I really didn't know much about (1947 Partitian of India). Led to some very good historical discussions.
Told from three alternating points of view: Tariq, a Muslim young man, Anupreet, a Sikh girl, and Margaret, a British girl. I usually dislike first person/alternating POV's , but this worked for this book to get inside the head and experience what life was like for each person of different religions and cultures.
Told from three alternating points of view: Tariq, a Muslim young man, Anupreet, a Sikh girl, and Margaret, a British girl. I usually dislike first person/alternating POV's , but this worked for this book to get inside the head and experience what life was like for each person of different religions and cultures.
July 9, 2017
I enjoyed this look into India at the time of British relinquishment. It is told from the perspective of three individuals, all from a different societal class. It was different, but switching between voices was, at times confusing. There was a bit of a love story, which is usually not of interest to me. There is some violence, and because of that and the love story, which will bore my middleschoolers, I am skipping my recommendation that they read this.
January 21, 2020
So. This was part of our school curriculum for my big kids... this is NOT a middle grade novel, nor is it a read aloud appropriate for middle grade students. Way too much sexual content, threats of rape and affairs not to mention the story centers around a love triangle. There are other books to read about India to learn about the partition. I did not finish reading it aloud but did finish the book on my own.
December 11, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It was mainly about lives of three kids from different lives in the times before Pakistan or while Pakistan was getting made. The first live is of a Muslim child. The second is of a Hindu child. And the last child is a british child that is visiting with her family. The book shows the differences in their lives and how being different can also give you different safety and rights.
February 6, 2021
I enjoyed this book so much until the last few pages, when the whole message if the book became clear: boundaries are dumb. Sorry Ms. Bradbury. That's not a good message. Plus the audience of this book is meant for the impressionable idealistic young. In view of the cultural changes being pushed in the US at this time, I am very disappointed that an educator decided this was the message to send.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2025
I found this book really interesting because it explains the story in three different people's point of view and then all leading up to the same conclusions. I really enjoy how the author created the setting as well as it was both vivid and dangerous as quoted in the book. A lot of conflicts and hard decisions made in the book between the characters and it was really enjoyable for me to read over the break.
February 20, 2025
It was an interesting read told from 3 teens' viewpoints about the partition when India and Pakistan became 2 different countries. I enjoyed the story. However, I do wish there had been a little bit more of the history included. It was worth the read and I would definitely recommend it for those interested in the time period. I never learned about this event in school and didn't even know they used to all be one country.
March 19, 2020
I really enjoyed this book! It is set in 1947 in India during the outset of the independence of India from England and the division between India and Pakistan is being settled. A part of history I knew very little about. The characters have rich inner lives and the author does a good job explaining the issues of the times through the struggles of the characters.
October 14, 2020
A copy of this book was on a stand above the bookshelves in my library. I noted the title in my list of books to read. I enjoyed the progress of the narrative through the eyes of Tariq, Anupreet, and Margaret, the three main characters. I found the Glossary to be most useful. I appreciated the Author’s Note. A tense and dramatic story told through the eyes of three young people.
January 7, 2018
A great read, re-telling events of a historical event, (the partitioning of Indian and Pakistan) in a modern way that is accessible for teen readers and, to be honest, me too, as I didn't know enough about what happened as I should have done.
The story is based around three main characters, Margaret who is in Indian against her desire, as her father is a cartographer creating boundaries for India and Pakistan; Tariq, a young Muslim man working Margaret's father and desperate to get to Oxford, and Anupreet, a young Sikh girl, very beautiful but wih a terrible scar as a result of a bombing and attempting rape. They each view the events differently, have different motivations for their actions, but have stories that interweve and connect with pretty dire consequences. Although the events are historical the characters are utterly modern and well drawn, ensuring that this will be a popular teenage read. Our Bangkok group of librarians BLISS, has selected it as a shortlisted text for this coming yera's BAngkok Book Awards, I am hoping it will prove a popular read.
The story is based around three main characters, Margaret who is in Indian against her desire, as her father is a cartographer creating boundaries for India and Pakistan; Tariq, a young Muslim man working Margaret's father and desperate to get to Oxford, and Anupreet, a young Sikh girl, very beautiful but wih a terrible scar as a result of a bombing and attempting rape. They each view the events differently, have different motivations for their actions, but have stories that interweve and connect with pretty dire consequences. Although the events are historical the characters are utterly modern and well drawn, ensuring that this will be a popular teenage read. Our Bangkok group of librarians BLISS, has selected it as a shortlisted text for this coming yera's BAngkok Book Awards, I am hoping it will prove a popular read.
July 7, 2019
Honestly?
This book was booooooring.
I mean, there were a couple of significant events, but the book really didn’t have that good of an ending.
Or even an ending at all.
See, itwasn’t supposed to end when it ended, if that makes sense.
Bottom Line: Would not recommend.
This book was booooooring.
I mean, there were a couple of significant events, but the book really didn’t have that good of an ending.
Or even an ending at all.
See, itwasn’t supposed to end when it ended, if that makes sense.
Bottom Line: Would not recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews