‘A beguiling tale of love, mystery, race, identity and the importance of homeland. Sinha’s masterful storytelling and powers of sensual description transcend both history and time.’ Helena Gumley-Mason, The Lady

‘I finished Belonging a few weeks ago and I really loved it!… This is a wonderfully rich and well thought out piece of historical fiction, that explores themes of love, identify, race and colonialism. I loved the three different perspectives and how the story and family secrets gradually unravelled… A beautifully written, page turner. I would definitely recommend it, especially if you like historical fiction.’ – The Artful Elle 5/5-star review, Bookstagrammer

‘The way Sinha has blended her fictional characters into real events is brilliant. I loved the way Sinha builds the story up slowly and the three narratives start to weave together slightly as we see hints of the others in each story. This is Sinha’s debut novel and I’d definitely be open to reading more from her in the future.’ – Jane Heywood, Bookstagrammer 4/5-star review

‘Each of the three voices are compelling and each story is delicately told. I’m not sure I’ve read any other books set during the days of the British Raj but this book helped me as a white British person to develop my understanding about some of this era. I’m keen to read more books in this setting.’ – Amy and Books, Bookstagrammer

‘Umi Sinha tells an 'edge of seat' story. Her research is impeccable and the way that she overlays historical events with fiction is impressive. This is the story of life in India at a time when deeply entrenched British cultural prejudices – mostly brought out from the UK after the 1857 Indian Mutiny, dominated every facet of life as a colonial and ended up constantly ruining the lives of those who actually stood to gain the most from the acquisition of empire.’ – Lt Col (Retd) FMG de Planta de Wildenberg (of Cassino Battlefield Tours)

‘All of the strands [are] equally gripping... The historical details are meticulously researched, from the WW1 sections which delve into the role of Brighton’s Royal Pavilion as ‘Dr Blighty’ and the experiences of the Sikh soldiers who were hospitalised there, to the dark days of the Siege of Cawnpore, but it’s as seamlessly woven in as the threads on that mysterious tablecloth.’ – Hurst Life

‘Belonging is one of the rare books in which as a reader you are in love with all the three characters simultaneously. The narrative is like an exquisite tapestry... There are perfectly crafted glimpses of violence perpetrated by the natives against the British in 1857, loyalty of Indian soldiers, the insensitivity of the British army towards Indian soldiers in the First World War. The author remarkably paints the societal system where sahibs and their bibis, paedophilia, incest, cheating wives and friends are juxtaposed with loyalty, honour, valour, sensitivity and true love.’ – The Tribune

‘Sinha’s book is a delight because it deviates from the predictable anti-colonial narrative and instead portrays the intimate lives of the colonials and not the natives... the writing is both gripping and well-researched.’ – New Indian Express

‘[With] finely wrought prose and expert characterisation, its focus on the search for love and connection in a chaotic, divided society is hugely affecting.’ – Anthony Quinn, judging the 2016 Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award

‘A breathtakingly complex book... a fascinating read.’ – Other Terrain Journal

‘Reading [Belonging] is a deeply felt, mesmerising experience.’ – Historical Novel Society

‘One of the most gripping, engrossing, heart-in-mouth novels I’ve read in 2015... An outstanding first novel.’ – Shiny New Books

‘This is a big, serious, absorbing historical novel with a mystery at its heart.’ – Harriet Devine

‘Perceptive, insightful and evocative... one of my favourite reads of the year.’ – Pamreader

‘Ambitious and powerful... Belonging explores serious themes and delves deep into dark moments of history, yet remains beautifully readable and engaging to the last – a brilliant, polished debut.’ – Sussex Life

‘A gripping story of three generations caught up in the rights and wrongs of imperialism in India.’ – Paperblog

‘A dream of a book, beautifully written and movingly told. It deals with the big themes of life: memory, secrets, family, and homeland, with an intimate eye for detail.’ – Brighton and Hove Independent

‘Sinha balances emotional drama with hard-hitting narrative and this is an excellent read, one of my favourites of 2015.’ – We Love This Book

‘An insightful story set in the second half of the nineteenth century through and beyond the First World War.’ – TripFiction

‘Fascinating... a book which provides us with intimate insights into an era we would do well to know better.’ – Jen Harvey

‘A fascinating and fantastic study of Britain and India through the eyes of three generations of a troubled family.’ – The Committed Reader

‘An important novel, told beautifully with arresting delicacy and sensitivity.’ – Jacob Ross

‘Captivating... Sinha is simply one of the best storytellers I’ve come across in a very long time.’ – Kadija Sesay

‘A big-hearted book from an author who can write with luminous delicacy and unflinching, visceral immediacy.’ – Catherine Smith

‘A beautifully crafted epic of love and loss, ethnicity and homeland.’ – Bookanista

Umi Sinha was born in the military hospital in Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1952 to an English mother and Indian father. She grew up in India in the decade following Independence, when there was deeply held resentment against the British. She moved to Britain in 1968 during the backlash against the mass immigration of Asians who had been expelled from Uganda and Kenya. The experience of being an outsider looking for a place to belong, along with the impact of history – political and personal – on individual lives, is a major theme in her writing. Umi has an MA in Creative Writing and taught at the University of Sussex for ten years. She teaches creative writing classes and workshops, runs a performance storytelling club and offers a mentoring and manuscript appraisal service for writers called Writing Clinic. She is also a trained mediator and trustee at her local community centre. She has had short stories published, including in Cosmopolitan magazine and in a Serpent Tail’s anthology. Her debut novel, Belonging (Myriad, September 2015), has been listed for several prestigious awards, most notably the Author’s Club Best First Novel Award.