Review | Zarina Divided

The Good

This story is a welcome addition to the scant line-up of stories about the Partition of India. Unlike most of the stories I’ve read, which focus on Hindu Indians fleeing the new country of Pakistan to India, Faruqi’s book tells the story of a Muslim Indian family fleeing Poona, India, to Karachi, Pakistan. Readers will see how some of Zarina’s close friends and neighbors change as hostility begins to brew in India and witness the gruesome sights her family experiences during their arduous journey from India to Pakistan.

Although the Partition makes up the major inciting event of the story, this book is about more than that historical event. Zarina’s family eventually settles in Pakistan, and she decides to go to a boarding school after making a hurtful mistake. There, a new chapter of her life begins with schoolmates from different walks of life, and while the story slows down to a slice-of-life pace, Zarina learns plenty about acceptance, tolerance, and fighting back against prejudice.

Finally, this book features some beautiful writing — not in the sense of quaint writing, but more in the way it is immersive. Faruqi’s words and poetry bring the setting to life and it was not at all difficult to see Zarina in my mind’s eye and be in awe of the beautiful landscapes, particularly when she goes off to boarding school. Very often, verse novels can feel like fragmented prose, but this one reads like poetry.

Content Notes

Here are some specifics to know about the content.

Content Warnings

• Death: One scene references the presence of many dead train passengers killed by protesting Hindu Indians.
• Alcohol/substance abuse: None
• Sexual content: None.
• Violence: Some depictions of violence, as Zarina experiences riots and the aftermath of a massacre at the train station.
• Religious content: References to the Quran as well as stories and verses from it.
• Language: None

Diversity

• Ethnic: Most characters are of South Asian descent.
• Sexual orientation: None.

Recommended for ages: 10+

Good for kids who like:

• Historical fiction (especially world history)
• Books about family
• Stories about India’s Partition, such as The Partition Project by Saadia Faruqi and The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
• Middle grade verse novels

Publisher Details

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