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 | 5 |
Section 3 | 21 |
Section 4 | 25 |
Section 5 | 33 |
Section 6 | 37 |
Section 7 | 45 |
Section 8 | 57 |
Section 11 | 135 |
Section 12 | 139 |
Section 13 | 188 |
Section 14 | 197 |
Section 15 | 203 |
Section 16 | 208 |
Section 17 | 221 |
Section 18 | 263 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
arms asked Saleem Assalamu Alaikum ball Bapuji began Bhai Bilal breath brother can’t Chapter Chota couldn’t crowd dark didn’t Doctorji door face feel feet felt fight finally find fine fingers finished fire first floor front Ghan Gianwaral grabbed hand happened he’d he’s hear heard held I/Vhat India knew laughed leaned maidan Manjeet market town Masterji matter medicine monsoon moved Mukherjee Mukherjee’s never nodded old man Pondicherry pocket watch pomegranate prince pulled quietly Rampur replied rooftop Sat Sri Akaal shook his head shoulder shouted sighed Sikhs silence Singh sitar slowly smell smiled sound stalls standing stared step stick stomach stood stopped story streets suddenly sure tabla talk tell there’s things thought told took tree tried truth trying turban turned village voice waiting walked wall of books watched waved we’re What’s whispered you’re
Bibliographic information
| Title | A Beautiful Lie MSU Children's & YA Literature Collection |
| Author | Irfan Master |
| Edition | reprint |
| Publisher | Albert Whitman and Company, 2012 |
| ISBN | 0807505978, 9780807505977 |
| Length | 301 pages |
| Subjects | › › Juvenile Fiction / Historical / Asia Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Death & Dying |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |