Lion of the Sky

by Ritu Hemnani

A historical novel in verse about a boy and his family who are forced to flee their home and become refugees after the British Partition of India.

Twelve-year-old Raj is happiest flying kites with his best friend, Iqbal. As their kites soar, Raj feels free, like his beloved India soon will be, and he can’t wait to celebrate their independence.

But when a British lawyer draws a line across a map, splitting India in two, Raj is thrust into a fractured world. With Partition declared, Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim families are torn apart—and Raj’s Hindu and Iqbal’s Muslim families are among them.

Forced to flee and become refugees, Raj’s family is left to start over in a new country. After suffering devastating losses, Raj must summon the courage to survive the brutal upheaval of both his country and his heart.

Inspired by the author’s true family history.

Genres: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, India, Poetry, Historical, Novel In Verse, Fiction

416 pages, Hardcover

First published May 7, 2024

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure why it took me so long to finish this book. I think it's because I kept picking up other things that I needed to finish; however, it is beautifully crafted and such a realistic portrayal of what life was like for those who experienced the British Partition of India.

Lion of the Sky, written in verse, follows main character Raj who is excited to participate in (and hopefully win...) the kite festival alongside his best friend Iqbal. Simultaneously, Raj and his family and friends are excited about India finally gaining its independence from the British. Unfortunately, a British lawyer makes the decision to a draw a line down India dividing it in half separating Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh communities. At the center of this separation is Raj's family and his friendship with Iqbal.

What Worked: There are a couple of novels that are coming out this year that detail the British Partition of India, and I was happy to see Lion of the Sky amongst those titles. Historical fiction in middle grade can get quite repetitive (a lot centers WII) so it's nice to see publishing focusing on a historical event that forever changed the face of India and those that lived there. There is much to be said about the impact of imperialism and colonialism, but Hemnani presents it in bite sized digestible segments that are relatable for the intended audience. Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh communities lived amongst each other in peace and that peace was forever destroyed by one lawyer's decision. In the case of Raj and his community, violence ensues, and his world is turned upside down. There are a lot of great themes in this book including hope, courage, and bravery. With so much upheaval that occurred during the course of the novel, it was nice to see a silver lining in Raj's story. I also appreciated that Raj challenged his father in his own way especially in regard to traditional gender roles.

What Didn't Work: I wish that Hemnani would have considered making the chapters just a little longer. They were extremely short and made the story feel choppy in some sections.

Overall, this a good historical fiction novel and I'm interested in seeing what Hemnani decides to explore in the future.

[Judy Rath · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting novel in verse about the Partition. Will be a new topic for a lot of kiddos, although I wish there was a little bit more background information. Liked the connection it had to the authors own life. I like the focus on kindness, specifically, the line… we don’t need my kind or your kind, just kindness.

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

Drawing from family history, Hemnani delivers a wrenching historical verse debut that traces the eagerly anticipated end of British rule in India and the subsequent conflicts between Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh populations during the 1947 Partition, which forced millions to relocate.

[BooksAsDreams (Tiffany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful novel in verse brings readers into a family story of the British Partition of India. Forced from their homeland, 12-year-old Raj and his family must find a way in a new country as refugees.

An historical fiction novel filled with themes of identity, belonging, and hope, this middle grade text addresses complex issues through the eyes of a child, helping to make meaning of world events. “The strongest people are those who stand up for others” is a powerful message in the book.

A lyrical and important text of our time. Thank you #NetGalley and #HarperCollins for the ARC! Look for a May 7 release date!

[Lyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book was so perfect. I loved that it was set in India and focused on the Partition, I loved the beautiful verse it was written in, I loved the storyline and the characters. The story was motivational, heartwarming, and told perfectly. If I could recommend a book to anyone, it would be this. It cut straight to my heart like the manjha string on the kites and is definitely one of the more beautiful books I have read recently. It absolutely deserves my 5 stars.

[Emily McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have two main criticisms of this novel:

First, it’s another novel in bullet points, and at over 400 pages, it was physically uncomfortable to flick my eyes across the short lines so quickly, and I rushed to get through it.

The author’s note refers to the verse style as “distilled.” Hmmm, inner monologue or train of thought, maybe? I cannot be persuaded to call a sentence broken into four lines by the enter key “poetry.” Surely, some of you will also admit that you cannot see the emperor’s new clothes.

This might be listen-able as an audiobook if the narrator reads it like the prose it should have been.

Second, the author assumed the readers had at least some prior knowledge of Indian culture and history. What a disappointment! I cannot imagine many American middle grade readers have the necessary background knowledge to draw the correct inferences from the sparse text. This could be improved if the book were used alongside nonfiction on the subjects of the colonization and partition of India.

Should authors of historical fiction concern themselves with educating the reader on historical context? I think for middle grade readers they should. And I have seen it done in ways that don’t clutter the text with clunky asides.

I was also disappointed that everyone felt like stock characters—-including a masculine older brother, perfect little sister, and misunderstood middle child (main character, Raj). Raj’s voice was annoying, immature, and whiny; then he underwent your standard character growth and self-discovery. Again, maybe prose could have solved this.

The resolution avoided the deus ex machina ending I thought it was headed for, but still quite a tidy ending. For a novel that didn’t want to “act” middle grade, the conclusion was too upbeat for the completely devastating loss they experienced.

I won’t discourage you from reading this, but you should know what to expect.

My reviews for Isabel in Bloom and Invisible Isabel have more of my thoughts on the verse novel trend.

[Sharon Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting History with a Lovely Story

Really enjoyed this story. A nice blend of history with a family story of coming together to deal with loss and reinventing your life!

[Tracy Erler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book through a young Hindu kid eyes on the Partiton of India in 1947. And it was written in beautiful verse. I loved it. Will be adding it to my wish list.

[Dev · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first poetry book that I voluntarily read because its such a heartwarming and emotional book! The way that it makes you feel so attached to Raj and his hardships as a Hindu migrant because of the partition of India--it just makes you realize how many people had to go through this and all the perspectives of people who went through the same problems. 5/5 must read!!!!!!!!!!!!

[amirah :)]

lifting off
my main problem is that verse was absolutely not the best way to tell this story. the book is forcing poeticness and for the whole part, the lacklustre character setup felt like the only thing that happened. also, we hate baba.

gliding
this poetry is not it i’m sorry 😭 but every time baba appears, i’m incredibly scared, so great job at conveying emotion. i can sense that he’s going to be redeemed though, so why make him so unbelievably unlikable? the storytelling, again, nothing happened. overall, a little better than the last because the writing wasn’t as hard to read, but it’s not grasping me as well as i thought it would.

spiraling
the writing- the dialogue is starting to annoy me. you can use quotation marks in poetry, no one’s stopping you. on the other hand, a deep hatred for uncle bari has suddenly stemmed, which i think was the intention, so yay.

falling
oh, this made me ANGRY. the first actually good part of this book, dare i say? the verse is flowing better now and i can understand why it was chosen (although this would be so much better as a regular novel!). the cliffhanger wasn’t as good as it should have been.

crashing
so we’ve gone from bad poetry to average poetry to actually not that bad poetry to rupi kaur to instagram quotes. cool. not a horrible chapter, though.

rising
in a book about this incredibly serious topic, we still have a bizarre storyline involving a girl who the main character treats differently because of her gender. cool.

review to be finished later

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a moving middle grade verse novel that takes place during the British Partition of India. It's both hopeful and bleak.

12-year-old Raj, who is Hindu, loves flying kites with his best friend, who is Muslim. Raj is the middle child and often feels like he isn't good enough in his father's eyes, which seems to be true. Raj loves cooking, but his father sees that as women's work. Meanwhile, his father wants Raj to excel at math so he can work in the family's tailor business, but numbers swim for Raj and he has trouble getting them to line up straight and make sense (possible learning disability).

He and his family are excited about India's independence. They at first are disbelieving about the Partition, but when violence breaks out in their town, they're devastated. Then they learn that they will be forced to move into what is now considered 'India.' During the harrowing journey, Raj's younger sister is lost.

Once they arrive to their new home—a relative's small house—the grieving family is faced with more difficulties. No one wants to hire Baba to make clothes. Raj is bullied at school. The relatives initially clash.

Thankfully, everything does begin to improve thanks to Raj's bravery—something he struggles to understand from the beginning.

I really enjoyed the verse, though it was a bit difficult to read at times on my e-arc. I assume it will be better formatted for e-books when it releases.

Despite being over 400 pages, I flew through it.

[Stephanie Affinito · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lion of the Sky by Ritu Hemnani was a lyrical experience. I had to stop many times to catch my breath, wipe my eyes, soak in the beauty of the words and sit with the emotion on the page. In it, we meet Raj and his family as they experience the British Partition of India. Seemingly overnight, Raj’s world is changed. Religions and families are unfairly torn apart and Raj is separated from his grandfather and best friend, from his home and the only country he has ever known. As his family starts over, they experience hardship and loss, but also kindness, forgiveness and hope and Raj is at the center of it all. There are so many entry points and themes for readers to discover: learning about the rich history and hardship of the time, exploring the changing role of friendship, navigating complicated family relationships and loss, dealing with bullies and being brave and my favorite, believing in and celebrating who you are just exactly the way you are. You must read this beautiful book.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve-year-old Raj’s first-person voice describes what he observes, hears, thinks, and feels in this heart-wrenching story of his Hindu family’s close-knit community, including their Muslim and Sikh friends, torn apart by the Partition of India in 1947.

It’s easy to relate to this middle child, who sees himself as not as strong, capable, or charming as his older brother, nor as cheerful, clever, and confident as his younger sister. He loves to fly kites with his grandfather Nana and his friend Iqbal. Hindu Raj and Muslim Iqbal are aware that their families follow different religious and cultural practices, but they both deeply value their friendship, strongly built on mutual interests, good humor, and gentle, caring acts of support.

The first half of this novel-in-verse takes place in Raj’s home city of Sindh in northwest India, when Raj is eager to participate in a kite competition alongside Iqbal, after much mentoring from his grandfather, and to demonstrate his skills to his father. Soon after the Independence Day celebrations, the people of Sindh realize that the British-drawn border puts their city within the Muslim-dominated state of Pakistan, violence breaks out, and Raj’s family is in distress.

Hemnani has unfortunately structured her story so it seems Raj is to blame for an angry mob of Muslim residents mistaking the good intentions of a group of Hindu young adults. History shows that there was large-scale violence throughout India, with casualties near or over a million people. To imply even slightly that this might have been worsened in any way by a 12-year-old trying to help is not appropriate.

I liked that Hemnani cleverly obscured the exact location of Sindh, so when the line is drawn, readers will experience the shock of Raj’s generous and kind family becoming homeless and defenseless, having made a violent mess of the few weeks when they thought (and readers assumed) they had the upper hand.

Readers of all ages will find themselves sobbing, even before the tragic disappearance of Raj’s little sister, but thankfully, the ending is hopeful; from desperate to determined to discouraged to soaring. Raj and his family’s efforts to create stable lives with cranky relatives in Bombay despite their despair brings together several threads from earlier character-building. Because all of it was foreshadowed by kite lessons on the first four pages - “Hold on tight, Raj, says my grandfather, Nana. Soon the wind will change in your favor, just as long as you don’t let go,” and “Fall seven times if you must, he says. Just make sure you stand up eight.” - the whole feels affirming of readers’ emotional journey, not condescending or manipulative.

This story of mass displacement based on ethnicity or religion is unfortunately timely and relevant, since even now, 75 years later, the United Nations seems to be powerless to stop colonial domination or ethnic violence, whether it is instigated by the callousness of an departing colonial power or by an elected government, and perpetrated by authorities or by citizens made desperate by the scarcity of basic goods and services.

Lion of the Sky is unique and worth reading whether or not you have read other recent middle-grade children’s books about the Partition of India, all of which feature 12- or 13-year olds: The Night Diaryby Hiranandani takes place at the same time with a similar focus on the traumatic displacement, but which features a more passive protagonist - a girl whose father is Hindu and whose mother is Muslim; The Partition Project, by Faruqi takes place in the current time when a Muslim American girl learns from her visiting Pakistani grandmother about her family’s history; Ticket to India, by Senzai, less well-reviewed, in which a modern-day American girl is visiting India and Pakistan to help her grandmother; and I'm from Here Too, by Sheth, also less well-reviewed, which focuses on a Sikh Indian American boy, experiencing ostracism in the US and then traveling to India and learning about his grandfather’s isolation during the Partition.

A colleague who was born in what is now Pakistan pointed out that the author doesn't adequately describe the racial tensions prior to the British partition.

[SOYAMRG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lion of the Sky by Ritu Hemnani is a stellar work of historical fiction written in verse.

The framework is the random partition of India that Muhammad Ali Jinnah demanded as part of the independence agreement in 1947. Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs coexisted harmoniously throughout India, their lives closely intertwined. Raj, a Hindu boy old enough to take algebra, is the main character. His cherished friend Iqbal is a Muslim boy. Raj is a loser. He is a failure at school in general, and math in particular. His older brother Vijay is involved in protests, and Raj leads him into an ambush. As the family flees after Partition, Raj is given one task. He is to protect his younger sister Maya. He falls asleep, and she disappears. Raj and his family move in with relatives after a harrowing train journey when all their money and jewels are stolen. The families live in cramped quarters with relatives, and tensions skyrocket. Raj is viciously bullied at school. Father and son are unable to find work. Raj loves to cook, and his cooking leads to his transformation from loser to winner. He makes pickles and delivers them to neighbors, passes out sweet treats to the bullies at school, and delivers food to immigrants at a relocation camp and discovers a lead to find Maya. One thing leads to another and Raj and his mother are supporting the family with their food sales. The family finds living quarters of their own, and they have plans to open a restaurant.

I highly recommend the book for boys between sixth and eighth grades. Really, I feel like girls would read the book.

C.S.
Retired Teacher

[Varsha Seshan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love historical fiction, and I love novels in verse. A middle-grade work of historical fiction in verse? I knew I wanted to read it.

And Lion of the Sky by Ritu Hemnani didn’t disappoint.

Set in Sindh in August 1947, Lion of the Sky tells the story of Raj and his family, who are confused by all that is happening around them. On the one hand, India is soon to be independent. On the other hand, they hear that a line is going to be drawn through the nation, carving out a separate country for Muslims. Initially, Raj thinks that his best friend Iqbal will have to leave. Soon, however, he realises that it is not the Muslims who must leave Sindh, but the Hindus.

Lion of the Sky is both heart-breaking and optimistic. When suspicions run high and we are inclined to think the worst of one another, what do we do? Do we hold on to love, kindness and hope, or do we grow angry and resentful?

Lion of the Sky is a gorgeous story about finding courage. It reaffirms that friendship surmounts everything. Even at our lowest, when we choose to stand up for those who are powerless, we are the true victors. Above all, I loved the character arcs. Raj grows through the story, slowly finding within himself the courage to step out of the shadows of the older males in his family. He makes mistakes, but he learns and grows. He aches for his father’s approval, but it is when he discovers his own strengths that he blossoms.

With Raj, we live through the tumultuous Partition and arrive, finally, at an imperfect yet optimistic sense of peace. The verse form of the story is perfect, leaving us with a sense of love, loss and hope.

[Eric Sutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Verse novels aren't exactly my cup of tea, but many of my students absolutely love them because they package a full narrative into poetic bits. Lion of the Sky explores the partition of India and Pakistan through the narrative of a young Hindu boy named Raj. He and his family live in Sindh province, which after partition becomes fully incorporated into Pakistan, meaning that they are no longer welcome and must relocate. What transpires is a coming-of-age story in which Raj suffers personal and collective loss that he must come to process even though he is not yet ready to. He forges an identity as a result, though not one built along the lines of hatred and division that have consumed so many, on all sides. Because it is based on a true story, Lion of the Sky is not without its tragedies. But there are plenty of triumphs, too, and the descriptions of food are awesome! I didn't realize that there was a glossary of terms in the back of the text, which would have helped clarify some points. As it stands, I did learn a lot about the British partition of India, studying maps and looking up the various events that the book mentions. In short, an informative text that carries a rich narrative. It may require some contextualizing for those not familiar with that part of history.

[Martha Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lion in the Sky is a gorgeous verse novel giving kids a sense of what the largest migration in World History was like for children enduring it. So timely, as migration is going to only increase! Also, it is long overdue for American fiction for kids to deal more with Partition, the sudden British separation of India into states divided by religion. It provides a corrective too, sharing that the much hoped for freedom became instead a nightmare crafted by one British man, who spent 5 weeks in India, deciding where to cut it up to achieve the "peace" of separation.

I loved Raj's story arc of a boy who so wanted his father's acclaim and couldn't have it, until the world was turned upside down and his weaknesses became the family's and his classmates' strength.

I have read 2 other Middle Grade books in 2024 dealing well with Partition: 1) I'm From Here Too and 2) The Partition Project. This is the best of the 3, breaking your heart, shocking you, and giving an idea of how peace actually begins. Brava, Ritu Hemnani!

[Jan Raspen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is lovely. I have been lowkey obsessed with the Partition of India in 1947, mostly because I never learned about it growing up. I just cannot imagine what these families, friends, and neighbors went through. The whole mess is unbelievably complicated, but I think that the author did a good job distilling it down for a middle grade reader.
The story is personal yet universal, and I think it's a good way for our students to begin to understand what the Partition was all about. I loved the narration of this novel in verse, although the short chapters took a little to get used to (which often happens with novels in verse as they are read aloud).

[Katherine McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful story written in verse, Lion of the Sky will be good exposure for middle grade readers and young adults. Prior to reading, I was not knowledgeable about the Partition. It wasn't a thorough history of the time, but a historical fiction outlook of the lives of the characters. It is centered around Raj and his family. He is a 12 year old boy and struggles to measure up to his siblings and the expectations of his parents and teachers.

My favorite part was the relationship between him (a Hindu) and his Muslim best friend, Iqbal.

Thank you #NetGalley and #HarperCollins for the ARC!

[EByard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful narrative in verse, this book tells the story of Raj-a young Hindu boy in the midst of the great partition. Readers will fall in love with his story, following Raj's every step in his difficult journey out of Pakistan. Defying the standards of 1940s India, Raj lifts his family and his new community out of anger, fear, and sadness, and unites cultures together with his cooking-bringing peace and connection to a divided India. This book is riveting and beautiful, as well as deeply moving and emotional. Perfect for all ages, this book will entrance all its audiences-truly incredible.

[Chrissy Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel in verse follow 12 year old Raj and his family before, during and after Partition. Raj’s family is a wealthy family. Raj is struggling at school & with his father. He finds comfort in flying his kite. When India is split during Partition, they are forced to flee and start over. So much happens to Raj, but he never gives up hope!

This is quite a story. I couldn’t put it down. This story is inspired by the author’s family history. I highly recommend this story!!

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

This is a lyrical novel in verse Raj and his family are forced to flee during the British Partition of India. There is a lot of kite flying that reminded me of a little Park's The Kite Fighters. There are a growing number of interesting books about this period of history, including Senzai's Ticket to India, Kelkar's Ahimsa, Hiranandani's The Night Diary and Amil and the After.

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a beautiful novel in verse of a look at India during a troubling time.
We get to see a lot of the Hindu and Muslim cultures and how they survive and thrive by one another, but also what happens when they are forced against each other.
Raj is such a great character and I loved his family. I loved all the descriptions of the food and the colors of everything. It made it all so vibrant in my mind.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

[Samiha Hoque · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel in verse would have been great EXCEPT for three things:

-no mention of Bangladesh (East Pakistan); there were some name-drops of Bengal but nothing to give context,
-almost made it look like "Muslims started Partition violence" when it was the British who stoked the violence prior by giving power to Hindus in Muslim-majority towns,
-completely erased the religious Muslims who fought for independence, opting for (Hindu) Nehru, (Hindu) Gandhi, and (Muslim) Jinnah only.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started slow, but I ended up really liking it. I read it as a possible Iowa Children’s Choice award boon for next school year, but I don’t think my 4-5 graders would get it because of the content and historical information they don’t have knowledge of. There’s also use of foreign language, which would throw some of them. However, I am going to be putting it in my middle school library because I think they’ll like it a lot.

[Railey Banasky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed thoughts about this book. I actually loved the verse form and found the writing to be very poetic and artful. That being said, there seemed to be a weird bias in the way the characters described the partition of India that just bugged me. The historical context also seemed lacking which made the story a bit confusing. Overall, I’d recommend this book but only in tandem with some good conversations about the historical events described.

[Punam de Manny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a subject that is close to my heart as my mother's family went through the Partition in 1947. Ritu Hemnani poignantly narrates the family's journey in verse, based on her own family's experience. It was touchingly depicted, as seen through the eyes of a young boy and his feelings are tenderly portrayed. I loved reading it and was inspired by it.

[Kim Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic story. Written in verse, it's a fast read. It will be hard for many middle-grade readers to hang in there with it because of all the Sindhi dialect included. The glossary at the end defines everything, but it will take a patient reader to flip back and forth. This might be a great small group or class novel with teacher guidance.

[LS Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

More books about the partition are needed for the American audience. Most have never heard of it. Most don't realize the history behind it. An added plus for this book is it is written in verse so it is very accessible.

[Tabi A · Rating 4 out of 5]

A middle grade free verse about the Partition and the Radcliffe Line in India. I really knew nothing about this time in history and learned a lot, and thought the format will make it super accessible for younger readers. I also definitely teared up at the end.