‘Belonging’ by Umi Sinha

'Belonging' by Umi Sinha is set in India and Britain in the 19th and 20th centuries. The book follows the stories of Lila, her father Henry and his mother Cecily. Their family history is interwoven with the historical background: British colonialism in India and World War I.

The book begins with Lila's story, told in chapters, and alternates between her story, her father's story, told in diary entries, and her grandmother's story, told in letters to Cecily's twin sister, Mina. While Cecily moved to India to marry Henry's father, Arthur, Henry and Lila were born in India and feel at home there.

CW: racism, mental illness, child loss

Plus: a queer character!