176 reviews for:

Family Matters

Rohinton Mistry

3.98 AVERAGE

rhonaea's review against another edition

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I tried. Life is too short.

cherryghost15's review against another edition

4.0

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Another well-written novel by the author of A Fine Balance. Less extreme in its horrors but still a fascinating look into another part of India and contemporary Bombay, circa 1999. Didn't think the story examined the characters' motivations well enough.

Purchase paperback Vintage published 2002, 434 pages.

I'd like to read it again. n. 12/2014

giedrep's review against another edition

3.0

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I have just finished the book and although I really liked how it analyzes some topics (old age, religious fanatism, etc) and I found it touching, I also felt that the story itself and the characters are a bit weak. Maybe it was the idea of Rohinton Mistry, but it seemed to me throughout the book that all the characters tend to be artificially too good. I haven't read other books of Mistry, thus I am not familiar with his style, but I did not really like this aspect of turning the story into a kind of a fairy tale. A lot of times it felt too soft and good to be true. The plot itself with all its turns felt a bit artificial too. However, I really loved the way the author handles complicated topics in a very subtle way, detailed descriptions of everyday reality which are usually avoided in literature, but allow you to clearly visualize the lives of the characters.

stellathereader's review against another edition

3.0

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A very slow novel that contain heart-felt moments and funny little devious schemes.

Thia book, as I found out through my English teacher, has deeper meaning than just family. WHY CAN'T SOMETHING JUST BE SIMPLE. WHY MUST I OVER-ANALYSE THIS?

tumbly_weed's review against another edition

5.0

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Amazing. This is realism at its finest. It is moving, not radical, subtly beautiful and tragic. I wondered if there was a relationship between "King Lear" and "Family Matters," as Nariman does mention the play at some point, and I can see Husain as being like the wise fool in Lear. No need to write a paper on it, but many beautiful and tragic similar sentiments came out for me in "Family Matters" as in the amazing "King Lear." So that should suffice to say how highly I think of this author and this book.

jaclynm's review against another edition

5.0

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

stellathereader's review against another edition

3.0

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A very slow novel that contain heart-felt moments and funny little devious schemes.

Thia book, as I found out through my English teacher, has deeper meaning than just family. WHY CAN'T SOMETHING JUST BE SIMPLE. WHY MUST I OVER-ANALYSE THIS?

elsie07's review against another edition

4.75

dark emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

bookofcinz's review against another edition

4.0

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Mistry can do no wrong, he knows how to tell an interesting, spell-binding story. He could be writing on how paint dries on a wall and it would still be interesting.
It was a little daunting a book so long but I always find a book isn't long if the author is this good at their job. What stood out to me while reading this book as Mistry's idea of the ordinary. We a shown how things we find normal in our everyday life is extraordinary to other persons- the train story is a great example.
I also got a better appreciation of old age and dying and how a strong family can help with the process.
Great read!

kayjay34's review against another edition

3.0

dark emotional slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character