Home Fire: Plot Summary (Edexcel A-Level English Literature): Revision Notes

Home Fire: Plot Summary

1. Isma Pasha, a 28-year-old British citizen, is detained at Heathrow Airport for two hours due to her hijab and Muslim background before being allowed to board a plane to Boston for her PhD in sociology.

2. In Boston, Isma befriends 24-year-old Eamonn Lone, who is also from London and the son of Karamat Lone, a British politician who has alienated British Muslims to gain wider public support.

3. Isma and Eamonn become friends, and Isma develops romantic feelings for him, though she realises he knows little about his Muslim or Pakistani heritage.

4. When Karamat becomes Home Secretary, Isma reveals her criticism of his treatment of Muslims, causing Eamonn to grow cold towards her.

5. Isma receives a call from her 19-year-old sister, Aneeka, who is upset that Isma reported their brother, Parvaiz, to the police, making him unable to return home.

6. Isma explains her father's history as a jihadi and his death, and Eamonn apologises but defends his father's actions. He offers to deliver M&Ms to Aneeka via Aunty Naseem.

7. Back in London, Eamonn delivers the M&Ms and meets Aneeka, who is initially suspicious but then pursues a secret relationship with him.

8. Their relationship deepens, despite disagreements about Karamat's views on Muslims. Eamonn eventually learns about Aneeka's twin brother Parvaiz joining ISIS.

9. Eamonn approaches his father for help, but Karamat forbids him from seeing Aneeka again.
10. Parvaiz's perspective reveals how he was manipulated into joining ISIS by a man named Farooq, who glorified their father's jihadi past.
11. Parvaiz realises his mistake and tries to escape, but is killed by Farooq outside the British consulate in Istanbul.
12. Aneeka is devastated by Parvaiz's death and blames Isma for reporting him. She tries to bring his body back to Britain, but Karamat revokes his citizenship and blocks the return.

13. Eamonn criticises his father's actions in a video, supporting Aneeka and declaring her his fiancée.
14. Karamat faces backlash for his decisions and considers allowing Parvaiz's body to return to Britain.
15. In Pakistan, Eamonn arrives at the park where Aneeka is holding a vigil for Parvaiz. He is attacked by two men who lock an explosive belt around him.
16. Aneeka embraces Eamonn, and they share a moment of peace before the explosion.