When I began this book I think I was expecting something similar to 'The God of Small Things' by Arundhati Roy. However, A Fine Balance doesn't have the same sensuously descriptive evocations of India and its inhabitants that I'd enjoyed so much in that book. This is a weighty tome and I have to confess that I began to struggle with it about half way through. I'm not really sure why this is, because the writing isn't that dense or difficult and the cast of characters (some could possibly be classed as charicatures) are expertly crafted, so that I was certainly interested in and felt for them. By the end of the book though, my pace had picked up greatly and I was VERY pleased that I'd persevered!
The story concerns four main characters, their histories, and what happens to them when they are thrown together by circumstance in Bombay during the turbulent 1970s and 80s when India underwent an 'Internal Emergency' administered by Mahatma Ghandi's government.
Dina Dalal is trying to remain independent from her brother following the death of her husband in a cycle accident on their third wedding anniversary. To make ends meet she starts a tailoring business for an export company in her flat and employs two rural tailors, Omprakesh and his uncle who have come to the city to make their fortune. She also takes in Maneck as a paying guest, who is the son of an old school friend, studying for a diploma in air conditioning and refrigeration.
If you want a lighthearted read then this is not the book for you! I don't think I've ever read a bleaker tale and I'm not sure how much of 'a fine balance' between hope and despair these characters manage, the scales weighing far heavier on the side of despair if you ask me! Something about the fate of Maneck was perplexing to me. I'm not sure I really understood his actions or behaviour at the end? If you want a book that will make you think about human suffering and survival with many tears along the way then this is an excellent read!
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I’ve purchased A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry several times on amazon & ...
I’ve purchased A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry several times on amazon & various second hand book shops around the world. I have one copy on my bookcase at home but am yet to get round to it. The others have been sacrificed to friends looking for something to read or deemed too heavy on my travels & donated to a book exchange prior to reading. I repurchased it for the fifth time in New Zealand with a steely determination to actually read it this time.Now I know why I hadn’t read it yet. The forces beyond me were trying to save me from this heart breaking story. Next time I will let the gods lead the way & not let my steely determination get involved. I felt of average mental stability prior to this book & not I am definitely below norm.My god do I feel depressed after finishing it. A Fine Balance is the story of 4 main characters living in 1970s India & how their lives become intertwined. These people have incredibly harrowing lives & we are not spared the heartache. Lives I couldn’t even imagine unfold in the pages & my heart sags in pain for the people I grow attached to. It seems India is not an easy place to be born to, grow & prosper. I even feel an irrational grudge towards India for letting this happen to her people.The strength of the characters to trudge along in the face of what I would consider cruel defeat is admirable & arouses a certain awe & compassion.The book spiralled me into a complete energy dip as I processed what happened to these poor people. It is a phenomenal read, a big book at over 700 pages, I really recommend it. I found it to be very emotional – though I do prefer books that affect & help shape me in some way. Since finishing it I have been messaging friends to see if they’ve read it – I believe I am seeking a support group response. It has certainly increased my urge to cuddle my wee dog (my happy safe place).You can read more book reviews & my travel blog here: [...]Thanks :)
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Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 September 2012
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Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 August 2016
Now I know why I hadn’t read it yet. The forces beyond me were trying to save me from this heart breaking story. Next time I will let the gods lead the way & not let my steely determination get involved. I felt of average mental stability prior to this book & not I am definitely below norm.
My god do I feel depressed after finishing it. A Fine Balance is the story of 4 main characters living in 1970s India & how their lives become intertwined. These people have incredibly harrowing lives & we are not spared the heartache. Lives I couldn’t even imagine unfold in the pages & my heart sags in pain for the people I grow attached to. It seems India is not an easy place to be born to, grow & prosper. I even feel an irrational grudge towards India for letting this happen to her people.
The strength of the characters to trudge along in the face of what I would consider cruel defeat is admirable & arouses a certain awe & compassion.
The book spiralled me into a complete energy dip as I processed what happened to these poor people. It is a phenomenal read, a big book at over 700 pages, I really recommend it. I found it to be very emotional – though I do prefer books that affect & help shape me in some way. Since finishing it I have been messaging friends to see if they’ve read it – I believe I am seeking a support group response. It has certainly increased my urge to cuddle my wee dog (my happy safe place).
You can read more book reviews & my travel blog here: [...]
Thanks :)
I’ve purchased A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry several times on amazon & ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 August 2016
I’ve purchased A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry several times on amazon & various second hand book shops around the world. I have one copy on my bookcase at home but am yet to get round to it. The others have been sacrificed to friends looking for something to read or deemed too heavy on my travels & donated to a book exchange prior to reading. I repurchased it for the fifth time in New Zealand with a steely determination to actually read it this time.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 August 2016
Now I know why I hadn’t read it yet. The forces beyond me were trying to save me from this heart breaking story. Next time I will let the gods lead the way & not let my steely determination get involved. I felt of average mental stability prior to this book & not I am definitely below norm.
My god do I feel depressed after finishing it. A Fine Balance is the story of 4 main characters living in 1970s India & how their lives become intertwined. These people have incredibly harrowing lives & we are not spared the heartache. Lives I couldn’t even imagine unfold in the pages & my heart sags in pain for the people I grow attached to. It seems India is not an easy place to be born to, grow & prosper. I even feel an irrational grudge towards India for letting this happen to her people.
The strength of the characters to trudge along in the face of what I would consider cruel defeat is admirable & arouses a certain awe & compassion.
The book spiralled me into a complete energy dip as I processed what happened to these poor people. It is a phenomenal read, a big book at over 700 pages, I really recommend it. I found it to be very emotional – though I do prefer books that affect & help shape me in some way. Since finishing it I have been messaging friends to see if they’ve read it – I believe I am seeking a support group response. It has certainly increased my urge to cuddle my wee dog (my happy safe place).
You can read more book reviews & my travel blog here: [...]
Thanks :)
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