Slow Burn: A Novel

by Amal Singh

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 27, 2026

About the author

Writer of Science Fiction & Fantasy, with works having appeared/forthcoming in venues such as Tor.com, Clarkesworld, F&SF, Asimov's, among others.

Debut novel, "The Garden of Delights" now out!

Reviews

[a_geminireader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up " Slow Burn" because the premise sounded fascinating, but I stayed for everything it made me think about long after I finished it. The story follows a struggling actor who suddenly finds himself living the life he always dreamed of, and watching him navigate that reality was both exciting and surprisingly emotional.

What I loved most was how the book goes beyond fame and success and explores the cost that often comes with them. The alternate version of Mumbai felt vivid and cinematic, yet there was something unsettling beneath all the glamour that kept me turning the pages. Amal Singh blends speculative fiction, psychological drama, and sharp observations about ambition so effortlessly that the story never feels overcomplicated.

More than a story about dreams coming true, this is a story about identity, choices, and whether getting everything you've ever wanted can truly make you happy. Thought-provoking, immersive, and difficult to put down, Slow Burn is a book that lingers in your mind even after the final page.

[Khushi Khandelwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if one strange moment could completely change your life?
Imagine waking up in a world where all your dreams have come true; fame, money, success, and people finally noticing you. Sounds perfect, right?
But what if that perfect life slowly turns dangerous? This is exactly what makes Slow Burn such an exciting and unforgettable story.

The book is about Rishi Tripathi, a young man living in Mumbai who dreams of becoming a successful actor. However, his real life is full of struggles, rejection, and disappointment. He feels invisible in a busy city where everyone is trying to chase their dreams.

One day, after a mysterious incident involving a mirror, Rishi enters another version of Mumbai; a strange “inverted” city where his life is completely different.

In this world, he is famous, rich, and admired by everyone.

At first, Rishi enjoys this new life. He gets attention, luxury, and opportunities he never had before. But slowly, he realizes that fame is not as perfect as it seems.
The glamorous world hides fear, pressure, loneliness, and danger.

As the story moves ahead, the suspense keeps growing and it makes you curious to know what will happen next.

What I liked most about the book is how realistic Rishi’s emotions feel. Even though the story has fantasy elements, his fears and dreams are very relatable.

Many of us can connect with his struggle to prove himself and find success. The author has also described Mumbai beautifully, showing both its bright and dark sides.

In my opinion, Slow Burn is not just a story about fame. It is also about identity, choices, and understanding what truly matters in life. The ending left me thinking deeply about success and happiness.

Overall, it is a gripping and meaningful novel that I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys suspense and fantasy mixed with real emotions.

[Sonali · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.5/5)

Slow Burn is exactly the kind of book that sneaks up on you.

It doesn’t rely on grand gestures or constant twists. Instead, it patiently builds its world, relationships, and emotions until you find yourself completely invested in the story.

What I loved most was how naturally everything unfolded. The characters felt real, their journeys felt earned, and the emotional moments landed beautifully because the author took the time to develop them.

This is a book best savored rather than rushed. The payoff comes from staying with the story and letting it reveal itself chapter by chapter.

A thoughtful, immersive, and emotionally satisfying read that stayed with me long after I turned the final page.

A strong 4.5-star read for me. 📚✨

[Vidushi]

Came here from scroll.in
It genuinely saddens me this book has no reviews.
This book has an interesting premise
Sadly indian reading community is very poorly developed

[Abhisikta Basu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow Burn by Amal Singh follows a struggling actor Rishi Tripathi who after failing an important audition punches a mirror in his room and suddenly finds himself living a version of Mumbai where all his dreams have come true. Fame, success, and life that he always wanted are finally within reach. However, things are not quite as rosy as they seem.

While reading the book, i kept turning the pages as it was engaging as well as fast-paced. The book's premise and the author's writing style immediately grabbed my attention. Moreover, every new revelation made me want to know what would happen next. Beyond the twists and suspense, the book also raises interesting questions about ambition, success, and whether getting everything you have ever wanted is really enough.

The book also captures many real life Bollywood scenarios and adapts them into interesting but sarcastical and ironical twists and circumstances in the story.

If you are looking for a quick, engaging read that keeps you hooked from start to finish, then you must definitely this one up.

[Rahul Vishnoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

-Identity & Ambition at Loggerheads inside a world of Magical mirrors, two Mumbais and Movies-
Review of Slow Burn by Amal Singh

Quote Alert
"𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐲. 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞. 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐩-𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐣𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐬. 𝐀 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐠𝐢𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐥. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦."


A good storyteller, particularly who writes a story with some amount of thrill or a mystery, is known to carry a fistfull of magical dust. Something they use it, not to create an air of glitz, but to blow it slowly into your unsuspecting reading eyes, rendering you partially blind. The clues are all there. And yet you pass over them, your gaze gliding over the clues cemented between or under the lines. That's what Amal Singh does in his book with 2 Mumbais: Slow Burn.

So what's it about? Rishi Tripathi is a failed actor. Through a portal in a mirror, he lands up in a city where he is a superstar. What happens then? Does this fate come attached with a price tag? How high would that cost be? Would he be able to pay for what fate has thrown into his lap?

Amal Singh's story asks many questions: are you really a good person? Or is it that circumstances are keeping you from going from bad to worse? What's the cost of identity? Would you be willing to lose it for your ambition? Would you be willing to trade places in the world if that could guarantee you success? Would you sacrifice your love at the altar of ambition?

Singh dissects the glitzy world of Mumbaiya glamour, showing movie shark producers, softwares that can make full movie without actor even having to act, the reality of violence behind the stage and so much more. As soon as Rishi lands in the world where he is a star, the reader discovers something is off. I can't say more than that or it would be a spoiler.

Singh has underlined the routine of a struggler in Mumbai. How they cope with life and love. Have a look:
"Perhaps the question did drill down to the basics. Did he want it badly enough? Was he hungry enough? Did the absence of food in the belly actually push a person to their limits, driving them to do things they were previously incapable of doing? Or did an empty stomach dim out the last thrum of passion, sliver by sliver, until the only thought left was of survival?
'Beta, come back if you don't succeed,' Rishi's mother had told him as he stood nervously clutching an airbag."

He also writes about how something someone loves, in absence of success, how it turns into a completely different entity that may suck the very joy that it produced in the first place.
He writes:
"That was also the time when Rishi was getting continuous. ad gigs. He had felt something was around the corner, a much-needed break. It was a special time for both of them. But now, there's something about dance that carves out desire from her, filling the liminal spaces with an echoing quietness that numbs her. In those moments, Manisha is made utterly hollow. Dance was supposed to be her cocoon. Yet now it makes her miserable."

Mumbai features, not just in the backdrop, but as an active participant in the story. And here, there are two of it.
What Singh writes about the city warms the cockles of your heart, and makes you want to dash to the town of movie maya.
Have a look:
"The autowallah had given no indication that he was a movie-watching man. But everyone in Mumbai was a movie-watching person. That's how the city functioned. Mumbai was films and films were Mumbai. There was a reason people flocked to the city, to Maya Nagari. Maybe the reason was hidden in the sea or the way the waves licked the sand. The reason, perhaps, was on the train tracks laid down from Bhayandar to Churchgate, from Virar to Mumbai Central. The reason, over all, were the people. Mumbai, by its true nature, is an open city. Every other city, despite how it pretends to be, is a closed city."

But more than Mumbai, movies and fate, the story is about how someone may lose who they are, when given a different fate than what was intended for them. Can success be bad for you? Perhaps fatal? The slow unraveling of personalities in the story vouches for that.
Slow Burn is most sincere when it talks about love and absence of it. Sharing two paragraphs here that drip with ache and longing.
Have a look:
"What point in a relationship is a point of no-return? Is it violence? Is it an irrevocable breach of trust? Or is it the slow crawl from everythingness to nothingness, from love to vapid unease, where conversations are a struggle, coiled in wispy tentacles of false promises and empty gestures? A train with no station."

And this one too:
"But Majnoo doesn't know the nature of that nothing. And Majnoo doesn't want to know it. So, he buries his nose in his lessons. In Maths, he finds triangles, rectangles and squares screaming the banality of nothing at him. He must choose to go about the day and his life, forgetting that such an event even transpired. He must dedicate his entire life to science, to maths, to the wonders of the world instead, and forget all about love. Great men did that, didn't they? Plunge themselves deep into the secrets of the universe because the secrets of love were beyond them. Love is banal, and the only thing that matters is the sun, the stars, the galaxy, the nebulae, the universe. Entropy. Algebra. Relativity. Geometry. Photosynthesis. Botany. Calculus. Important things. These are the thoughts that plague Majnoo's mind."

The character of Rishi Tripathi goes through various transitions and it is only in the Mirror Mumbai that we are finally able to understand why he couldn't make it big in the original Mumbai. His constant urging of the directors to use a software which shoots entire movie only in half a dozen facial expressions tells me a lot about his character.
Apart from this, the climax, written in full Bollywood glory, forms the mainstay of the story. I could hear the rushing waters of the Ganges. Very atmospheric.

And only a storyteller could be so clairvoyant as to gauge human nature so deeply that he could predict something like the unfortunate, fory, fatal knifing of a 22 year old Mayank Lohar:
"In times of distress, be polite. Be courteous. You don’t know who remembers. You don’t know who you would meet later in life beside a railway track or sitting with extra leg-space beside you in an airplane, ready to listen to you or ready with an icing knife. In a city like Mumbai, people remembered. That’s how someone became big or disappeared into obscurity. The town was filled with stories of both uncommon generosity and uncommon cruelty."

Pick up the book. And get to know the city of Maya.

[Debjani Ghosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mumbai, the city of dreams, sapno ki nagri, for every aspiring actor out there. So it is for Rishi Saxena, a man from Varanasi, with dreams to make it big in Bollywood. But years have passed and he is making do with odd ad gigs, party shows here and there enough to make ends meet somehow but not even truly close to being an actor.

Amidst these frustrations, an important audition of his is botched. Angry as hell, he punches a mirror only to slip right through the mirror and arrive in an alternate-dimension Mumbai.

In this inverted city, Rishi is a superstar. The nation adores him; he is in high demand among the producers. But is it really so easy for Rishi to achieve everything he wants in this version of reality? Read Slow Burn by Amal Singh to find out.

I had read this author’s previous book "The Garden of Delights" and loved it. I am pleased to say Slow Burn surpassed his previous book.

What I love about his works is his attention to detail and lyrical prose. He brings alive both the Mumbais with remarkable vividness. I could visualize every scene as if it was unfolding right in front of my eyes. Sample the below sentence:

"Rishi's mouth hangs. The world around him crawls to a stop for an instant. There’s only the woman, a faint wind and him. Then, everything comes back in a sharp swoop, a hawk's dive into the ocean for a fish."

The author's writing makes Rishi's vulnerability tangible. For example, "Rishi has to get out of this place for a while. Before it becomes too much. Before he stops wanting it all. And he wants it all. Just episodically. In bursts and gasps, a day at a time. Not smacked in the face with a wet towel."

I particularly liked this quote as it shows the amount of thought the author has put into each of his characters.

'What favour?'
'He saved your life,' she said. 'How will you repay this?"
'It was the right thing to do. Right things aren't favours, Ammi. They just are.'

Every character is fully fleshed out, even the supporting cast. But what makes this a truly delightful read is how seamlessly the author has blended magical realism with urban fantasy and has also put in a healthy scoop of Bollywood dazzle.

The way all the pieces of the puzzle fit together by the climax makes this book well worth your time. If you love speculative fiction set in India, pick this up. You won't be disappointed.

[Tanushri · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘I don’t have to feel broken anymore. I am whole and this is my truth. This is the life I had always wanted.’

A struggling actor, Rishi Saxena, is trying his best to survive in the dreamland called ‘Mumbai’. He goes to auditions, fails and hopes that he’ll make it big one day. But, one day in his rage, he punches a mirror. He expects that he’ll get hurt. Instead, Rishi Tripathi falls through the mirror.

He falls through the mirror and in this world, he is a big star, a celebrity. He is now Rrish Kumar. He has achieved everything he dreamt as Rishi Tripathi. No one remembers his old name and his old identity now. He enjoys this life and starts living it. He calls it Mumbai Right and his old life Mumbai Left. But everything happens for a reason and every success has a cost in this industry. Rishi, now Rrish faces a new challenge. He gets more and more confused in this identity crisis and sometimes misses his old life. The more time he spends here the more he looses grip on his reality. He wonders whether he should return? Is he ready to leave this luxury and go back to being a struggling actor, Rishi Kumar?

‘Rishi doesn’t care anymore. And when the critic eventually-deliberately-throws questions at him, he keeps straight face and answers with patience.’

The book starts with a simple premise and gets deeper once you start reading it more and more. The idea of a multiverse is always an interesting concept in a plot but giving it a thriller twist with a psychological element is new and intriguing as well. The book manages to hook the readers and make them read till the end without a dull moment. The ending felt apt and very satisfying.

‘Where’s home? Rishi doesn’t know. The idea of a home has been wrenched free of all meaning.’

Definitely a must read if you enjoy reading psychological thrillers!

[Arpita Rajan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up Slow Burn because the premise sounded so so intriguing. A struggling actor waking up in a version of Mumbai where he's everything he's ever wanted to be, where all his dreams are true. The story follows Rishi Tripathi a struggling (and somewhat failing) actor who feels trapped in a life that's going nowhere. When he suddenly finds himself in an alternate or "inverted" version of Mumbai where he's a celebrated superstar, he's given everything he's ever dreamed of, basically an up-sode down situation: fame, recognition, and success. At first, he loves it (because ofc, who wouldn't?) and enjoys and wants to stay.
But as the story goes ahead, Rishi realizes that this seemingly perfect life and the fame he had been chasing for so so many years also comes with consequences and things he never expected!!

Rishi begins as someone desperate for a break, constantly measuring himself against the success of others, and that makes many of his choices understandable even when they're frustrating. (Because like I feel, sometimes seeing others get more even when you are also doing the same amount of mehnat, it is bound to get frustrating!)

The more time he spends in this new reality, the more he has to confront what success actually means and what he's willing to sacrifice for it.
(Like Blair Waldorf once said "There's a proce to pay, you should be willing to choose if all this (fame/success/name) is worth it...)"

By the end, the story felt like a reflection on ambition, self-worth, and the temptation of becoming the person you've always imagined yourself to be. Sometimes the choices are difficult, sometimes very absurd, but it is upto you to decide in the end...
I really really enjoyed reading this book, and would absolutely recommend reading it.

[Anjali Anil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently finished Slow Burn by Amal Singh and this was one of those books that completely surprised me.

The premise itself caught my attention. An actor struggling with failure suddenly finds himself in a version of Mumbai where he has everything he ever wanted. Fame, success, recognition. Now that sounds perfect, right? But the more I read, the more I realised that this story is not really about success. It is about the cost of chasing it.

What I enjoyed the most in this book was how immersive it felt. The author instantly teleports us to the world of cinema, ambition and dreams which felt incredibly vivid and also elevated the overall reading experience.

I could literally picture the film sets, all those chaos behind the glamour and the constant pressure that comes with being in the spotlight. While reading I asked myself the question that would I still want success if it came with all this? And my answer was NO.

Now coming to the protagonist Rishi, he was such an interesting character to follow because he felt real and raw. All his fears, frustrations and desire to prove himself made it easy to understand his choices even when I did not always agree with them ( yes there were instances where I was telling him to think again 😭)

The story also raises questions about happiness, ambition and whether getting everything you wished for would actually make you happy. And I found myself thinking about that long after I finished reading.So if you are someone who enjoy books that blend a touch of magical realism with a deeply connecting human story, then Slow Burn is definitely worth picking up.

[Meghna · Rating 4 out of 5]

❝People have a tendency to surprise you. Even the worst find it in them to change.❞

Imagine punching a mirror and waking up as a superstar—your lifelong dream. The happier you are, the harsher your new reality becomes and now you can’t find the exit door!

The story follows Rishi Tripathi, who is a struggling actor in Mumbai, India. While he dreams of becoming a superstar, he is confined to small roles and ads. When at the verge of losing everything— his dream, choice, and girlfriend, he punches a mirror. The next thing he knows he's in a different reality where he has everything he ever wanted. Will this instant fame, success, and recognition make Rishi question his identity or will they make him a worse version of himself?

Just like the title says, this book is a slow burn. It's a character-driven story that takes its time, allowing you to settle into Rishi's world and his internal conflicts. I was intrigued the moment I read the blurb. While I wasn't fully satisfied with some of the choices made toward the end, I genuinely enjoyed the book.

Beneath the thriller elements, the book makes you question on who we really are— are we the stories we tell ourselves or are we the choices we make when no one is watching?

❝But then he thinks love makes people do strange things.❞

This line carries a lot of truth. Throughout the story, we see that it's love that influences one's choices. It's either love for your loved ones or love for oneself. It keeps reminding is that the heart may not always follow the right thing.

If concepts like magical realism, alternate reality, parallel world and questions about identity interest you, this book is worth picking up.

[Rudrashree Makwana · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Rishi is not sure if he’s at the cusp of breaking out or not making it. Every opportunity seems like a big opportunity, and every no passes his mouth becomes a yes for someone else. Every yes turns out to be a dud.”

The book stands out because it not only speaks about the characters feelings, emotions, and each phase of their life but it takes us deep inside the world of cinema, Bollywood, fame, power and greed. The book has portrayed Rishi’s struggles behind becoming a successful actor but success comes at a cost. Will Rishi willing to pay that cost? kept me going.

The most beautiful part of this book was the bond, he shared with Manisha. Some things felt deeply saddening to the core while some things felt so right. While reading this book, I lost my grip of reality and got so invested in the book. Rishi’s odyssey gripped me. With author’s sharp observations, humour and deeply grounded reality of Mumbai and film world, author has given us a glimpse of Rishi’s life, all the insights, sad truth and unsettling reality will make you feel all the emotions.

Everyone should read this book because there are so many people out there who are oblivion to the hidden reality of the cost of fulfilling one’s dream. Experiences may be different but everyone meet at a point where their struggle begins. Sometimes people become worn out and sometimes they get up again, willing to pay the cost to reach the ladder of success while some people feels too drained with everything that life throws at them like a curveball of emotions, struggles, and reality.

[Varsha Dubey · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I don't have to feel broken anymore. I am whole, and this is my truth.
This is the life I had always wanted."
-An abstract from the book.

The storyline follows Rishi Saxena who was trying hard to fit in and succeed as an actor in the city of dreams. When things don't go as we plan rage consumes us and same happened with Rishi too and out of rage he punches the mirror and something unexpected happens, instead of any injury he arrives in the Mumbai which he dreamed of where he is a superstar.

"But then he thinks love make people do strange things."
-Line from the book.

What I loved most in the book-
. At first the storyline looks simple but as the story follows new twists and turns come making it not only interesting but also full of thrill. The urge to know what will happen next is uncontrollable and shows how interesting writing style is.
. The idea of parallel universe or multiverse is so interesting to read.
. Those who are chasing their dreams and running behind ambitions and success no matter what field will feel connected while reading this book.
. Book also explores the dark side of success, the sinister schemes etc. which shows everything comes with a cost.



"If there's something that living with your father for forty years has taught me, it's this: the more people change, the more they stay the same."
-An abstract from the book.

[Hetanshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very start, the book has made hooked. The storyflow and Authors writing made it very easy for me to read. I just keep turning pages often without realising how many I had read in one sitting. This book can be easily finished within 2-3 days.

The book consists of five sections. However, each section builds on the previous sections information, and it leaves you curious about what the next chapter would be?

What I found most enjoyable in this book is the way it has provided the reader with the entertaining read, while also exploring deeper complexities of life through Rishi's journey: ambition, identity, fame and the choices people make, the prices people are willing to pay to find success and even though it may have been set in an alternate version of mumbai , it adds to the overall complexity of the plotted story.

The characters' motive is believable.Their struggles are authentic, and the emotional scenes stick with you. The imagination used by the author is striking, yet is simple enough to make the reader feel immersed in the story.

Overall, slow burn is a deep, engaging read that mixes elements of magical realism, bollywood style glamour, and self-discovery for an unforgottable experience! If you enjoy reading fiction that keeps you engaged as well as gives you something to think about.You will definitely want to add this book to your shelf.

[Surbhi Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

What immediately drew me in was the atmosphere of the novel. Amal Singh has an incredible eye for detail, and his prose feels cinematic without ever becoming heavy.

The two versions of Mumbai - the ordinary city and its unsettling inverted reflection, are written with such vividness that every scene felt alive in my mind.

The magical realism blends seamlessly with urban fantasy, Bollywood glamour, and psychological drama, creating a world that feels strange yet deeply believable.

Rishi is also such a compelling protagonist. His vulnerability, frustration, ambition, and desperation feel painfully real. Even when he makes questionable choices, you understand him completely. The supporting cast is equally well-developed, and every interaction adds another layer to the story.

The pacing is deliberately measured, much like the title suggests. It’s not a fast thriller rushing toward twists, but a carefully structured narrative that slowly tightens its grip on you. And when all the puzzle pieces finally come together in the climax, the payoff feels incredibly satisfying.

A beautifully written, thought-provoking speculative fiction novel that deserves to be savored slowly.

[Moni Singla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slow Burn: A Contemporary Fiction Novel Set in Mumbai by Amal Singh.

Slow Burn is an engaging and imaginative story that explores ambition, identity, and the complicated nature of success. Amal Singh takes readers on a fascinating journey through an alternate version of Mumbai, where a struggling actor suddenly finds himself living the life he always dreamed of. What begins as a fantasy quickly unfolds into a deeper reflection on fame, self-worth, and the choices that define us.

This book is that it goes beyond the glamour of the entertainment industry. Beneath the excitement of celebrity life lies an exploration of loneliness, pressure, and the hidden cost of getting everything one wishes for. Rishi’s journey feels relatable because it touches on a question many of us have asked at some point: if given the chance to rewrite our lives, would we truly be happier?

The fast-paced narrative, intriguing concept, and emotional depth kept me invested throughout. Amal Singh blends reality and illusion beautifully, creating a story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. It is ultimately about second chances, accepting oneself, and understanding that success means little without purpose and authenticity.

[Rheaa Noor · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a moment in Slow Burn where the story stops being about alternate realities and starts becoming about something much more familiar: the fear that perhaps the person we wish we were is not actually happier than the person we are.

Amal Singh builds an imaginative premise around mirrors, parallel worlds and celebrity culture, but the emotional core of the novel lies elsewhere. This is a story about longing. About artistic failure. About the exhausting pursuit of validation.

Rishi Tripathi is an engaging protagonist because he feels painfully human. His frustrations, insecurities and ambitions never feel exaggerated. Even when the novel moves into increasingly fantastical territory, the emotions remain grounded.

The Mumbai of Slow Burn is one of the book’s greatest strengths. It feels alive, contradictory, ambitious and unforgiving. The city becomes more than a backdrop. It becomes a character.

What I appreciated most was that the novel never offers easy answers. Success is not presented as salvation. Failure is not presented as tragedy. Instead, the story explores the uncomfortable space between the two.

Thoughtful, inventive and emotionally resonant, Slow Burn is a novel that lingers long after the final page.

[Saumya Vasdev · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if your biggest dream came true... and it still wasn't enough?

I picked this up for the Bollywood setting and alternate reality premise, but stayed for the deeper conversations about ambition, identity, and success. Watching Rishi navigate a version of Mumbai where he's already a superstar was fascinating, especially as he realizes that fame comes with its own set of sacrifices.

One of my favorite details was the concept of the mirrors themselves:

*Mirrors that danced all around the city, existing inside alleyways nobody dared venture after sunset, tucked away in niches where mongrels and vermin spent their nights."

The book takes you behind the glamour of the film industry and explores the pressure, power, and greed that often hide beneath success. And at its core is this thought-provoking line:

"Many of them don't know the mirror's true purpose because they don't desire to be anything other than what their circumstances allow them to be."

More than anything, it's a story about choices, ambition, and understanding what truly matters when you're finally given everything you've ever wanted.

[Bindu · Rating 5 out of 5]

What begins as a story about failure soon turns into an intriguing exploration of ambition, identity, and the price of success.

The concept immediately caught my attention a struggling actor stepping into an alternate version of Mumbai where he's already living the life he's always dreamed of. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that every dream has its shadows, and every version of success comes with its own set of consequences.

What I enjoyed most was how the narrative goes beyond the glamour of the entertainment industry to explore questions of self-worth, choices, and what truly defines success. The fast-paced storytelling and unexpected twists keep the pages turning while also leaving you with plenty to think about.

If you enjoy speculative fiction blended with psychological drama and stories that make you question the 'what ifs' of life, this is a compelling and thought-provoking read.

[Rhoda Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up from Netgalley because the premise was really interesting. Rishi Tripathi, a failing actor, falls through a mirror into a parallel Mumbai where he had become famous under the stage name Rrish Kumar. Rishi must live as Rrish and find a way to get back home.
It was a little slow to get started, but once we got to Mumbai Left, it became really intriguing. You had the feeling that something was off with Rrish's life and watching Rishi try (not always successfully) to navigate it was interesting ... and a little stressful.
Rrish's reaction to suddenly finding himself in Mumbai Right, where he's no longer a super star, was genuinely unexpected. I really liked that.
The writing is lyrical, so it pays to take your time with the book. The descriptions of Mumbai were vivid.
I really enjoyed this book.

[Our_readingjourney · Rating 4 out of 5]

SLOW BURN - AMAL SINGH

You are struggling in life and nowhere close to achieving your dreams and then imagine if while standing in front of a mirror you get transported to your dream world.. wouldn't it be fascinating and absolutely surreal!!
Well this is the story of Rishi Saxena a failed actor who in an alternative reality is a superstar for whom success knows no bounds!
But achieving this success isn't fulfilling at all!! He feels unsettled and empty.
.
This is a layered book with the way the author writes about Mumbai City and Bollywood makes it almost cinematic. The magical realism part adds uniqueness to the story while exploring deeper themes of failure, identity and self worth.
After reading the book it made me ponder on the fact that if all our dreams and ambition are achieved would we be truly happy and contented!?!?

[Prashanth Srivatsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent novel! After Amal's Garden of Delights, which is set in a secondary fantasy world, I was pleasantly surprised to see Amal take a more contemporary approach with magic and speculative elements. But damn, Rishi Tripathi's character and the world of film in a shadowy, inverted Mumbai absolutely blew me away! This is a novel about power, greed, the mirrors we fall through and struggle to crawl back out of. Amal's writing his deft, and it's clear he's grown as a writer from his Garden of Delights days. There's wit and humor, sharp social commentary, and even snow in Mumbai. It is magical, but it's also deeply grounded and believable. Don't rush through it. Savor the choice of words and the world Amal has built with care, because much like the title, it's all a slow burn.

[Olya · Rating 5 out of 5]

You had me at alternate universe... I can’t resist stories that explore different versions of reality, especially when they are about choices, chances, and missed opportunities that shape a life. Slow Burn takes that fascination and runs with it, and it kept me curious from beginning to end.

I received this book from NetGalley. Thank you to Amal Singh and Flame Tree Press. All opinions are my own.

[Nupur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through Rishi's journey, it explores ambition, self-worth, fame, and the desire for a life we believe is better than our own.

What I enjoyed the most was how the book balanced fantasy with emotional depth. Watching Rishi step into a world where all his dreams had come true was fascinating, but discovering the cost of that success made the story deeper and interesting.

[Emm Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s something deeply compelling about stories that ask: what would happen if you stepped into the version of your life where everything finally worked out?

Slow Burn by Amal Singh takes that question and wraps it in a darkly atmospheric, speculative Mumbai setting filled with ambition, identity, fame, and the seductive pull of alternate possibilities.

Following a struggling actor who stumbles into a reality where he’s suddenly successful, this book explores the uncomfortable space between wanting the life you dreamed of… and confronting what that dream might actually cost.

What worked for me: the immersive setting, the intriguing mirror-world concept, and the way the story leans into themes of self-worth, obsession, alternate selves, and the complicated relationship we have with success.

If you enjoy speculative fiction, alternate reality stories, literary sci-fi, Indian SFF, psychological fiction, flawed protagonists, dark contemporary fiction, identity-driven narratives, atmospheric books, and stories about ambition, fame, and parallel lives, this one might be worth adding to your TBR.

[Mugdha Mahajan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading Slow Burn, and it was such an adventurous ride. The concept of a failed actor accidentally slipping through a mirror into an alternate Mumbai where he is a famous superstar completely hooked me.

Watching Rishi navigate the dark side of his doppelganger's fame kept me flipping pages late into the night. The character development was really well done.

While the plot had great small twists, I felt the ending could have been a bit better. Still, it was a totally enjoyable, unique read.