A Beautiful Lie“Everybody lies. We all do it. Many years ago I told one lie that has taken on a life of its own.” In India in 1947 the country is coming apart—and so is thirteen-year-old Bilal’s life. He is determined to protect his dying father from the news of Partition, news that he knows will break his father's heart. With spirit and determination, and with the help of his good friends, Bilal builds an elaborate deception, even printing false pages of the local newspaper to hide the signs of national unrest. All Bilal wants is for his father to die in peace. But that means Bilal has a very complicated relationship with the truth. This extraordinarily rich debut novel brings to life a key moment in history and touches on the importance of tolerance, love and family. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - Sullywriter - LibraryThingAn incredibly powerful, heartbreaking story set in India in 1947 in the days leading up to the partition of the country. Thirteen-year-old Bilal goes to elaborate lengths to keep his dying father from ... Read full review
A BEAUTIFUL LIE
User Review - KirkusIt's a done deal—partition will soon divide India into two countries mainly along religious lines, India for Hindus and Sikhs, Pakistan for Muslims—but Bilal's dying father remains serenely ... Read full review
Contents
Section 1 | 1 |
Section 2 | 21 |
Section 3 | 25 |
Section 4 | 37 |
Section 5 | 45 |
Section 6 | 57 |
Section 7 | 63 |
Section 8 | 123 |
Section 11 | 139 |
Section 12 | 179 |
Section 13 | 197 |
Section 14 | 203 |
Section 15 | 221 |
Section 16 | 263 |
Section 17 | 287 |
Section 18 | |
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Common terms and phrases
arms asked ball Bapuji began better Bilal breath brother changed Chapter Chota close coming continued crowd dark Doctorji don't door edge everything eyes face feel feet felt followed forward friends front give grabbed hand happened head hear heard held holding India It's keep knew later laughed leave live looked Manjeet matter mind moved Mukherjee never nodded once past picked Pondicherry prince pulled quickly remember replied rooftop round Saleem seen sense shook shoulder shouted side slowly smiled sound standing started step stick stomach stood stopped story streets suddenly sure talk tell things thought told took town tree tried truth trying turned understand village voice waiting walked wall watched waved What's whispered