Across the Line

by Nayanika Mahtani

A tale of borders and beliefs shaped by the games people play

1947
New Delhi. Cyril Radcliffe's hands are clammy, partly from the heat but mostly from the enormity of the task assigned. Mopping the sweat off his brow, he picks up his pen, draws a deep breath--and a dark line.

Rawalpindi. A barbaric frenzy of rioters fills the streets, disrupting a game of pithoo between Toshi and her brother, Tarlok, shattering their lives unimaginably.

2008
Rawalpindi. Cricket-crazy Inaya is sneaking out behind her father's back for net practice when she discovers that she is not the only one in her family keeping a secret.

New Delhi. Jai accidentally stumbles upon an old, hidden away diary in his kitchen. The date of its last entry: 17 August 1947.

As Jai and Inaya's unlikely worlds collide, another story unfolds. A story that started with the drawing of a line. A story that shifts the truth in their lives.

'Compelling and uplifting . . . lingers long after the last page is turned' -Vidya Balan

236 pages, Paperback

Published November 22, 2019

About the author

Nayanika Mahtani once dreamed of a career in musical theatre, but took a detour to pursue an MBA at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore, which led her into investment banking. Nayanika is now an award-winning author and screenwriter based in London.

Her books, published by Penguin Random House, span genres from historical fiction to multi-generational family sagas. They have received critical acclaim, bestseller recognition, and awards, including the prestigious South Asia Book Award.

In film, Nayanika has co-written the story and screenplay for the Hindi film, Shakuntala Devi, starring Vidya Balan. Released on Amazon Prime, the film became one of the platform’s most-watched Hindi titles globally at the time. She is currently collaborating with leading directors and studios on a slate of films and web series. Nayanika has also adapted a published memoir into a screenplay for a limited series, and is developing a film adaptation of her YA novel Across the Line, rooted in the Partition of the subcontinent.

Nayanika’s presence extends beyond the page and screen—she is a regular speaker at literary festivals around the world, including the Jaipur Literature Festival (in Jaipur and London), as well as events across the UK, USA, UAE, India, Pakistan, and Bhutan.

Reviews

[Raju Mahtani · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story line that must have struck a chord; but sadly, in a decreasing number of hearts with the passage of time since the botched India Pakistan partition. I fear the memory of the suffering will fade a lot quicker than the memory of The Holocaust for example where the victims were able to arouse the sympathy of the world and punish the perpetrators as war criminals. In my view, the death and trauma of partition was no less serious but provided no recourse to the millions displaced by the arrogance of the British who couldn't wait to be rid of the mess at the earliest. The nonchalant freehand stroke off a pen which randomly drew borders down the map cutting communities, villages and towns and indeed hearts down the middle, and rendered many families homeless on both sides of the divide.

The author poignantly describes the trauma caused to societies, literally overnight, who for years lived peacefully side by side as neighbours and friends, enriching each others cultures, respecting each other's faith.

The bottom line saw both peoples suffer terrible trauma and destitution, and the only winners were the self serving cabals of polity on both sides who could incite the innocent minded people along frenzied religious lines and fear.

I happened to be one of the child refugees who came out on one of the trains with just the clothes on my back and got dislodged in Mount Abu, Rajasthan in a refugee accommodation, barely 2 years old, feeling a strange sense of change and melancholy which I was too young to understand.

Across The Line is a book I would recommend the younger generations to read, especially those whose grandparents were victims of the Partition and how they rebuilt lives from scratch to provide better education and opportunity for the generation that have followed since.

[Enakshi J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another book (after What Mina Did, Who Killed Liberal Islam, Yakshini and A Little Book of Magical Plants) that touched my heart and the characters left an indelible impact on my mind. If you know me, by now you would be able to understand that I seldom use this sentence as the opening sentence of my review. ‘Across the Line’ is a poignant story mixed with moments of nostalgia, longing, suppressed emotions and clipped desires. This is not a love story but a story about love!

Read the full review here: https://aliveshadow.com/category-book...

[Nikita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book touched my heart. And if you know me and what I like about books, you’d know that I don’t say this about books very easily. ‘Across the Line’ is a beautiful and sad tale that spans two countries and two centuries. A simple line drawn by a man across the map of our then undivided country without fully knowing what he was doing, unleashed a kind of horror that we can only imagine. People lost their homes, livelihoods, families, and even their lives.

This book begins with a conversation between Lord Mountbatten and Cyril Radcliffe who decided how India should be divided, and takes us through the lives of two families and how their lives changed on August 17, 1947 when the official borders of India and Pakistan were announced AFTER we attained independence.

The Sahnis find out that their home, Rawalpindi, is now a part of Pakistan, and locals from the neighbouring village are out to decimate every single Kafir they can lay their hands on and somehow manage to escape to India; some of them at least. In New Delhi, the Habibs find out that they have to gather whatever they can and leave the grand Musafir Khana because Hindus are out to kill as well. The story fast forwards to 2008 and through a beautifully woven tale, Nayanika binds the Habib and Sahni family together.

Apart from writing that brought me to tears on more than one occasion, this book also gives us a glimpse into the suffering and plight of so many Indians who were forced to choose sides, many of whom did not make it across the line. Those who did, lost more than their home.

A little bit of comedy, a little bit of cricket, a whole lot of emotions and sadness, and a peek into the history of our country, is what you can expect when you read this. What I did not expect were the tears. Your heart will ache when you read certain parts of it, and not just when you’re reading about the bloodshed. With lovable characters and fluid writing, it is an extremely well-written book, and I’m glad that I got to review this.

It’s a quick read so if you’re looking something to end the year with, this book should definitely be on your to-read list.

[Rohini Rathour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last night I finished reading Nayanika Mahtani's new book Across The Line in just three sittings at bedtime.

The book's main protagonists are two young teenagers and their respective grandparents. The book's target audience is also young adults, but I think this book is a must for anyone who loves a great story and wants to understand the impact partition had on lives of people on both sides of the divide.

Turmoil, trauma and torture happened on a micro level to both Hindus and Muslims. The hurt ran so deep that most spent a lifetime trying to forget, not daring to speak of their experiences for fear of becoming engulfed in the pain they had fought so hard to bury deep within their hearts.

The younger generations only saw the upheaval experienced by their parents and grandparents. They perhaps never truly understood the loss and the love they had once experienced living in harmony with their neighbours, most of whom were hard working, kind and generous people of all faiths. Partition broke up families in today's India and Pakistan, costing them everything they once owned. Our younger generation have a chance to rebuild these broken threads and find common ground in whatever way they see fit.

The book is about two families, one in New Delhi and the other in Rawalpindi. It's a story of bonds between generations. It's a tale of two young people who are quite different at first sight, but become friends in a most life affirming away. The book filled me with joy and gave me hope that there is another way to heal the divide of partition that has left us fighting long after we have any reason to.

I particularly loved the epilogue in which we understand why this story needed to be told and the author's own deep personal connection with partition. What better way to teach history to our young people than through stories like this one.

Well done on your book and thank you Nayankia for helping me understand more deeply the history of partition of undivided India. 🙏🙏

[Pragnya Mishra · Rating 4 out of 5]

History baffles us. While we read how heroes saved the nations and their sacrifices. Many of us are unaware of how there were also a few people who were pawns to power and played on. A blue-eyed royal dreaming to be a gallant hero gave a nonchalant shrug dividing a nation. A lawyer who had no idea of socio-political conditions or waterways or populations had to divide a nation as India and Pakistan (East and West) in a mere 5 weeks. This entire ordeal is covered sensibly by the author in the first chapter.

The plot moves to the date 17th August 1947 where the lives of two families, Shanis and Haiders are uprooted and tossed with partition. Until 2008 where worlds of two unlikely teenagers, Jai and Inaya, collide changing few facts of everyone’s lives.

The author’s lucid writing keeps moving readers across multiple timeframes and geographic locations. One aspect that makes characters real are they have few flaws, loss that changed them. Dented yet made them. Family scenes are quirky and fun. Cricket love that bounds both the nations also have an unmissable role.

Another feather in the author’s cap, there are chapters where eyes might not remain dry. All this, without any gory horrors. Yet the fear, loss, and haunt are felt. The twist in the plot where loose ends bind would leave goosebumps. The book would touch readers.

The story would stay for long in my heart. I hope this book finds many readers, especially in today’s turbulent times.

If you like historical fiction or want to understand the cost of freedom and partition, pick a copy. You won't be disappointed.

[Arti · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is set in Delhi, Rawalpindi and London and moves from 1947 to 2008 to 2012. The author has used the story to portray many themes, the partition and its effects, cricket and food. She has used the characters to portray the emotions. The story shows how people in the subcontinent are similar to each other in looks, in their dressing up and also eating habits.
The characters are realistic and relatable and I got attached to them as the story moved on. I felt for them, laughed with them and cried with them.
The language is simple and the descriptions of scenes is detailed. I could visualize them vividly. The two instances when the cricket match was described was so detailed that I could see the match before my eyes. She has narrated the story beautifully adding humour here and there.
Though the story moves between the past and the present, I never got lost. Though I felt that the end could have been better.
This book is a must read for teenagers and adults alike, for the younger ones to realise the suffering our forefathers went through and for the adults to realise that how things changed because of a line drawn by someone who did not know what he was drawing.
Highly recommended.

[Syed Taher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read the book when I read this name. It starts with the planning of partition between India and Pakistan back in 1947 by the British. I thought the whole book must be about Partition and had lost interest after some pages.

But slowly, it covered stories of individual families both in the new India and new Pakistan and what all people in those times had to face coz of the big decision made by the British. Many people lost their dear ones while battling to run to safe places.

The book covered minor sweet and beautiful true stories of a few people from India & Pakistan right from their childhood to adolescence. Right from 1947 to 2012.

The author managed to grab some books from her grandfather's closet that had these little writings about those times. And she has presented them with utmost clarity, neat and simple language and with great continuity until the end.

[Ankita Dhupar · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you understand by the name? Does the name gives you some vibes?
A story of outskirts and convictions molded by the games individuals play
Rawalpindi. Cricket-insane Inaya is escaping despite her dad's good faith for net practice when she finds that she isn't the just one in her family staying quiet about.
New Delhi. Jai inadvertently discovers an old, shrouded away journal in his kitchen. The date of its last passage.
This was the story in 2008.
What happened in 1947 how it was? The secrets. To know about more it read this book. This book has up and downs.has very simple language to understand . I lost interest in mid, but after few chapter author picked up.!

[Sindhu Vinod · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that talks about the division of India Pakistan. A book that came out at the right time. With loads of protest now happening around us. The book narrates how it was when the partition was planned and when it was implemented.

A partition that brings out the fears and feelings of two families that struggled on each side. What one would experience is how a single line of political difference on separation of territories caused so much of hardship.

A right mix of comedy, cricket and sentiments make this a great read and love the way how the author took this forward.

[Akshata · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shows how one small action - but of great consequence - can change millions of lives, for the better, or the worse. Dividing families, dividing faiths, dividing trust in others: this all came from drawing a line. A line between two countries. A line that caused friends to turn away from each other; that caused people to live in disguise and caution; that caused people to not recognise even family members. That was one idea which shattered two countries, but another idea opposed it. An idea to make everything better again. An idea to fix bonds; to gain trust; to make right what was wrong. But some things are just meant to be the way they are - especially after 59 years.

[Yashasvi Vachhani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Across the Line is a lot of things packed into a book. It is a look at partition and how it changed lives, a look at how intolerant we can be and most importantly how we have a lot more in common with people than we think. It is a wonderful story for kids to have this view of the partition, an important part of our history. No one is the villain in this story, there are blood on both sides and that is well portrayed. The narrative is taut and the pages turn themselves. Fully recommended!!

[Darpana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read Across the Line, I feel deeply moved by the story irrespective of having no personal story to share or make connect with.
Its a series of mixed emotions I am left with as a Reader.
While I was amused by the humorous side of each of the character regardless of their age, I also felt utterly moved by the vaccum they held in their heart, be it Toshi and Loki whose eyes have seen it all or modern day Jai and Inaya who are growing up in completely different times but still have emotions they fail to express.
You have beautifully crafted the sibling bonding which is not limited to any border.

Reading this book was a journey for me, which I wouldn't have made otherwise.

Its writers like you who keep the faith of a Reader alive!

Recommended read to readers Age 11 and beyond...

[Gousia Kashif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rawalpindi: Cricket-crazy Inaya is sneaking out behind her father's back for net practice when she discovers that she is not the only one in her family keeping a secret.
New Delhi. Jai accidentally stumbles upon an old, hidden away diary in his kitchen. The date of its last entry: 17 August 1947.
.
And then coming to the 20s
As Jai and Inaya's unlikely worlds collide, another story unfolds. A story that started with the drawing of a line. A story that shifts the truth in their lives. 'Compelling and uplifting.

I loved reading this book ,that takes you back to the 1947 and then the 20s story.its a story of jay and inaya ,a story that shifts the truth in their lives.

[Aditi Capoor · Rating 5 out of 5]

My life had been made richer by literally living the tale woven into such a beautiful tapestry. I'm trying to think of and also articulate which threads of this intricate tapestry captured my heart the most and there are so many -

of the sorrow of love lost and the joy of love found,
of identities born into, ripped to shreds and then forged anew out of the tumultuous fire of change
of the power of the human will to survive, endure and create new journeys and new stories
of the capacity inside all of us to allow our better selves to prevail
of how no matter how much trauma the human soul carries, there can be healing if one opens oneself up to it
of how sports can break down all divisions and help us recognise that which binds us more than that which divides us
of the innocence of childhood and the possibility for all hurt to dissolve and all barriers to be breached if we can preserve the child inside each one us

There are certain catastrophic events that can literally weave themselves into the DNA of nations and the individuals who lived to see these events - and thereby the effects can keep getting passed down from one generation to the next. Partition was certainly such an event for the Indian subcontinent. The only way to stem the tide of such metaphorical DNA transmission of trauma is for people to come together and heal together through various forums. 'Across the Line' is such a powerfully told story and the very reading of it and the discussion around it serves as an impactful way to heal. The story line is compelling, the plot is craftily held together, the characters are sharply defined and yet at key junctures blurred just enough for readers to position them they way they want to depending on the perspective with which they identify with the story. Nayanika Mahtani is a gifted master story teller indeed. This book allows all of us to go on that journey of partition vicariously and see through the eyes of those whose bodies travelled across the line but whose hearts and souls were left behind.

[Nritu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Across the Line picks up exactly where my history textbook left of, the drawing of the Radcliffe Line.
Our textbooks never seem to delve into the struggle of immigrants during Partition, maybe because it releases the insecure guilt within us that contemplates you this day if the trouble was worth it ?
My family and I visited Wagah Border in 2015 and it was raining; on both sides of the border.
Realising that, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of epiphany and unity.
It is these two core emotions that Nayanika Mahtani beautifully twines with her easily and beautifully glowing writhing into this masterpiece of a book.
This book is perfect for pre-teens and teens, especially with what is going on India right now.
It raises the sentiment of ‘why do we hate?’, ‘are we truly that different?’, and most recurring for me - ‘would I be Inaya if my grandparents hadn’t migrated during Partition and would my life be as different as everyone say it would across the line?’

[Rachna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading this amazing gripping story set during the India Pakistan partition. Heart-wrenching tale of loss and inhumanity offers a glimpse of the violence, which was a result of the forced migration that left millions displaced.Nayanika’s unique style of writing , apt interesting dialogues between the characters ,subtle twist in the story ,paints a vivid picture in ones head you can’t help but get attached to each of them. Leaves one thinking about why do we have these lines separating us and a hope that next generation will be more open and sensitive.Aimed for young adults and adults .A must read for all.

[Sujatha Venkatramanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading this book in a single day. Not surprising, given how tightly woven the take is, across continents and decades. This book encapsulates the horror of divisions amongst a people who were once one, but now see each other as adversaries in everything - from cricket to politics. For all of us who have read Saadat Hasan Manto, as one of the most definitive authors on India's partition, this is a fresh, 21st century look at how life can change in a minute and the world we know unravel, wreaking havoc on children, tearing families apart and subsuming an entire sub-continent in an overwhelming sense of loss. A very personal and intimate introduction to young adults on how and why India's partition happened and how it changed lives forever. Could not be more relevant than now, when India's democracy and secular credentials are under ever-greater threat. As hate and 'otherness' build up and as we discuss these issues with our teenagers, are we to have yet another partition ? This book tells my teenage son, better than I could what how Partition happened and what it did to us, as a people. I would include this on the reading list for all teenagers, in the subcontinent and further afield.

[Piali Syam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished the book in 2 days and wished it hadn’t finished so fast. What a fabulous narrative and well knitted story! I wish the story went on. The characters were extremely well etched and every minute detail helped breathing life to the story. Look forward to reading a sequel and even better if we can see a movie sometime soon based on the book. Wishing Nayanika loads of luck!

[Simrit Bedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have heard a lot of partition stories from my grandmother. When I read this book' s description, I was really interested in reading the book.

The book starts in 1947,when Cyril Radcliffe drew the line between India and Pakistan ! The line which would forever divide India into two countries. Riots broke out in India and Pakistan . And it was this line that cut through the heart of ten year old Toshi's life .Little Toshi lived in Rawalpindi and was sent to India with her grandparents and it was the last time she ever saw her brother, mother and father. In Delhi, Arjumand Haider 's family had to leave India and move to Pakistan.  Fast forward to 2008. Inaya Haider wants to go to London to represent her country in cricket. While in India Toshi's daughter in law gets a job in London. Toshi goes to London with her family. There she meets Haider family accidentally. What connection did the two families have with each other ? A story that started with the drawing of a line. A story that shifts the truth in their lives . To know more, read the book!

I was very emotional while reading this book because I had heard horror stories of the roots that took place. This story is a beautiful tale of how partition of any country can destroy thousands of families. I loved reading this book. It made me smile and cry. I loved the writing style of the author. I didn't feel like putting down the book even once while reading. The writing style of the author is simple and crisp. It's a beautiful heartwarming story and I am sure everyone will enjoy reading it. 

[Mayuri Sharrma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Plot:
India. Pakistan. Partition. Cricket. Teenagers. Food. Perfect ingredients for a page turner, aren't they?
Foodie Jai and cricket crazy Inaya live in different countries. Little do they know how a chance meeting in London would lead to more and open a Pandora's box for both families.
.
My Thoughts:
The Partition of India and Pakistan is a topic people from either country will never tire of thinking about or discussing. No matter what their outward thoughts may be, the question of where and how their loved ones, who were separated from them when the line dividing both countries was drawn, are lingers. Nayanika takes this thought and paints a picture for us. Jai and Inaya add the innocence and freshness while Toshi and Haider add the sepia of memories. While the teenagers make us think of the future, the seniors take us back to the past.
The present is our connection to both and the goings-on there keep us hooked.
Nayanika Mahtani'a writing is crisp and pacy. Her plot makes you wonder what will happen next and manages to spring a surprise just when you think you knew what was coming.
I would not be surprised to see this in a web series adaptation soon.
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[Gunjan Upadhyay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book begins in British era, where Lord Mountbatten talked about Britain's strategic interest in creation of Pakistan and how Cyril Radcliffe draw the dark line, a line that marks the division of India and Pakistan. Later it fluctuates between different timelines between both the countries narrating the implementation.
The book very aptly narrates the life of two families on each side of the territories, their sufferings and struggles during the most difficult time in the history of both the countries. The time where people had to leave everything behind and were forced to choose sides. Their feelings and sufferings are beyond words and far beyond one from our generation can imagine.
It is one book which will touch your heart with a right amount of comedy, cricket and emotions, a book worth a read!

[Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story really spoke to me. It acts as a reminder that there should be no enmity between people based on our beliefs or backgrounds and recounts the trauma of the partition, yet still with so much hope and humour woven into the works. The mentioning of cricket, mangoes and food - the most important components of Desi culture - was very well done too.

[Sudha]

What an amazing book. A story that really touched my heart and resonates powerfully with my family’s experience. It was so sad that I wanted to cry but also was funny in parts that I was laughing out aloud. Couldn’t put the book down.

Thank you Nayanika for making me want to ask more questions from my family who had to leave during partition.

[Jai Shivpuri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the greatest book ever! It was so good that I read it in one sitting!! I really liked that my name was in the story. The story is breathtaking and I hope there will be a series!

[The Bookistry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Across the Line is one of those books that stays quiet on the surface but moves something deep within you. It begins with a simple premise, yet the emotional weight builds slowly and beautifully, reminding you how history shapes lives long after the moment has passed.

What I loved most is the way the story bridges generations without ever feeling heavy. Inaya from Pakistan and Jai from India are not defined by the borders they inherit. Their lives unfold with curiosity and empathy, and the revelations they uncover turn the past into something personal rather than distant. There is an honesty in the way the book handles memory, loss, and the lingering echoes of Partition.

Alongside them are Toshi and Habib, whose love story is filled with tenderness and ache. Their journey brings a quiet emotional depth to the book, showing how hope and longing can survive even when the world around them is breaking. Their presence adds another layer to the narrative, highlighting the resilience of human relationships through upheaval and separation.

What makes this book powerful is its gentleness. It does not avoid trauma or conflict, but it chooses to focus on connection, empathy, and the possibility of healing. The writing is warm and earnest, and every character adds meaning to the broader conversation about shared histories and the ties that outlive borders.

If you are drawn to Partition stories that balance heartbreak with hope, this is a memorable and deeply felt read. It is the kind of book that nudges you to reflect on the past while still believing in the goodness people are capable of.

[Anjali Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently read Nayanika Mahtani's Across the Line, a novel that explores the lives of two individuals, Jai and Inaya, who are separated by borders, beliefs, and time. The story beautifully unfolds through the prism of two significant events in history, the partition of India in 1947 and the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The book vividly captures the trauma, violence, and loss that accompanied the partition, which divided communities, families, and even individuals like Toshi and Tarlok. It's heart-wrenching to read how the violence forever altered their lives and how their descendants still grapple with the aftermath.

But the book is not just about tragedy; it's also about hope and resilience. Through Inaya's and Jai's lives, the author shows how people find ways to cope, to survive, and even to heal from the scars of history. The bond that develops between the two, despite their differences and prejudices, is heartwarming and speaks to the power of empathy and connection.

The book also highlights how sports, in this case, cricket, can unite people across borders and bring them together. The author uses the game as a metaphor for the larger issues of identity, nationalism, and belonging that the characters grapple with.

Across the Line is a beautifully written and compelling novel that explores the complexities of borders and beliefs and how they shape our lives. The writing is evocative, and characters are well-rounded and relatable. It's a story that will stay with me for a long time. Highly recommended!

[Aakriti D · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Partition of India in 1947 was the change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in the Indian subcontinent and the creation of two independent dominions- India and Pakistan. While many people travelled from both sides and took refuge in the respective countries, each one of the family had a story to narrate. Either they lost someone or they found someone known or a shelter. This story speaks not one but multiple related stories. It’s not just a story, there are some hidden painful facts of life too. I wonder so many of them must have thought they would come back home one day, leaving their precious belongings behind in hope of owning it back.

While I read this book, I engrossed myself in a flurry of emotions, it was hard to put it down, each word, line or page made me impossible to hold back my tears from flowing down. At times it was heart wrenching and at the same time there was a moment of joy and gradually I could see two families uniting to one.

After reading this book, I would like to urge kids to learn more about Partition from their great grand parents if you are lucky to have them. I have heard many stories from my grand father too but it’s a joy to see when they are penned down by a super talented author “Nayanika Mahtani”.

It’s just wonder and a brilliant narration.👏👏👏

[Sudeshna Panigrahi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Partition- this word brings tears, trauma, grief, separation, pain and darkness with it. This word makes our guts knotted and hearts wrenched. Whenever I read something about partition or on the backdrop of it, my heart cries, for those who lost their loved ones, for those who never knew their family is alive or dead, for those who have to leave everything and sail past a sea of blood and lifeless bodies just to live, merely alive.
The borders were decided, line drawn. One fine day the lives of millions fell into pieces of which some pieces were never found again, pieces that stayed and wounded the heart every second. This book takes you through the lives of two families, one the Puris, in India and another across the line, the Haiders in Pakistan. The story builds beautifully in the different worlds past the borders and they eventually get beautifully entwined as the book progresses.
Little Inaya Haider is a tape ball cricket enthusiast and gets selected for an international cricket match in London. On the other hand, Jai Puri is an epicure and loves his grandmother and food the most. As their paths intersect multiple times in London, they unearthed truths that nobody expected, nobody knew. Reading this book takes you on an emotional roller-coaster where your heart smiles at the beautiful small moments and sobs at the unfortunate turn of events.
The book also brings before you a beautiful relationship of Toshi and Habib, and the heart-warming series of events that follow. The narrative is just beautiful. And every character is beautifully crafted. Books like these makes my heart happy. The language, the words, everything strikes the perfect chord, brings out the perfect emotion. This is undoubtedly one of my best reads of this year.
I really really want all of you to go read this book, please. This book will certainly bring a smile to your face and will still linger in your heart forever. Recommending highly.

[Mahesh Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book encompasses the emotions of partition, how many families got affected and how their life changed. After that how they got adjusted with their own life and suddenly in some other countries how they eventually meet, what is the connecting point of meeting is the childhood game called pithoo and the painting related to it. The stones of hope is the one which stays in the end after the generations end. The life brings the families back on track but once again the terror attack creates chaos and the world changes again. Between all these serious events their are light moments of women's cricket, the game of tapeball and the food and the life of chef. Across the line is the fantastic read, at few chapters it brings out tear and at other few it brings out smile. Go Pick a book and read it.

[Sridevi · Rating 3 out of 5]

History is not just facts and series of events. It connects to various emotions which the text books fail to pass on.
"Across the line" by Nayanika Mahtani covers both history and emotions connectes with it.
The story starts with the incidents and political play during India-Pakistan partition and the result that played in many peoples lives. It revolves around the emotions of long lost brother and sister in partition.
The plot shows the difference of thoughts through generations and how they all the bits and pieces of stories comes together. The writting is so impactful for any Indian to relate to Rawalpindi and any Pakistani to relate to New Delhi. Personally I wish it to have ended in a happy note.