Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame

January 1, 2021
Grades 5-8 On the eve of Meera's thirteenth birthday, when she is to move into the home of her husband's family, frustrated sepoys mutiny against their British commanders, and in the subsequent rioting, Meera's husband is killed. It's 1857 India, and her father is trying to force Meera to commit sati--to willingly throw herself on her husband's funeral pyre. Instead, Meera flees and meets another fiery girl and follows her, only to be subjected to serving a captain of the British East India Company. When Meera chances upon stockpiled ammunition symbolizing prolonged British rule, she must decide if she will protect her country or have her fate continue to be decided for her. Child marriages, sexist ideologies, and the terrors of colonialism are just a handful of subjects Kelkar (American As Paneer Pie, 2020), scrutinizes through the lens of a teenager in the thick of it. Meera's transformation from a complacent girl to embracing her spirited convictions is nothing short of inspiring. Back matter, including an author's note, historical note, time line, and glossary are an integral enrichment to this novel.

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The year is 1857, Indians are rising up against the colonial British East India Company, and Meera is about to leave her childhood home. As per tradition, Meera and Krishna were married when she was just 4. When she turns 13 in a few days, Meera will be considered ready to be a wife. But on the day she's supposed to move in with her husband's family, disaster strikes: Krishna is killed. According to their families' customs, Meera must commit sati, burning herself to death on Krishna's funeral pyre. Luckily, her aunt helps her escape, and Meera flees to the city of Indranagar, where she ends up working in the kitchen of a high-ranking British family. Meera's plan is to keep her head down and save enough to make a fresh start, but things change when her new friend Bhavani invites her to join a group of underground revolutionaries working toward India's freedom. Meera must decide whether to fight for her country, her future, or both. The final third of this historical novel is laced with twists, turns, and reveals that are both surprising and riveting. Meera's transformation from scared child to bold revolutionary is especially gratifying. Informed readers may notice clues to some characters' castes, but the subject of caste is not directly addressed even though the British at this time were using the caste system to turn Indians against each other. An absorbing story about a strong girl living during tumultuous times. (map, author's note, historical note, timeline, glossary) (Historical fiction. 10-14)

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