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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
The. Most. Depressing. Book. Ever. Ok, I exaggerate, but only a little. Holy crap, the writing is brilliant and the story is sweeping and grand, but it reminded me a lot of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. In both books, the main characters start out in situations that are not great but which, by the end of the book, look like the closest they would ever get to heaven. Things get worse, rebound for a moment, just long enough to make you think that maybe something will work out, for ANYONE, only to slide even deeper into tragedy. Oy.
I've read this book years ago and I still remember it. It's awful and sad and it puts so much into perspective.
Definitely one of the most engaging characters I've seen in a while.
I read this book over the holidays, and when I say read, I mean: I listened to it during the day and read it at night, switching back and forth between the wonderful narration by John Lee and the masterful writing of Rohinton Mistry. Perhaps because I listened to this book over a short period of time, while also doing stuff around the house, the characters became like friends. Listening to Dina's look on life, her issues with Om, Ishvar's maturity and patience- such realistic characters who made themselves at home in my house while I folded laundry or did the dishes. I am spoilt. I haven't been able to settle on my next book since finishing this.
So far, I unfairly dropped Midnight's Children, There There, Notes From A Crocodile. I know I would enjoy these books and will do so at a later time.
I just cannot seem to hold onto a character or to a book since Dina and Ishvar.
Did A Fine Balance break me?
I read this book over the holidays, and when I say read, I mean: I listened to it during the day and read it at night, switching back and forth between the wonderful narration by John Lee and the masterful writing of Rohinton Mistry. Perhaps because I listened to this book over a short period of time, while also doing stuff around the house, the characters became like friends. Listening to Dina's look on life, her issues with Om, Ishvar's maturity and patience- such realistic characters who made themselves at home in my house while I folded laundry or did the dishes. I am spoilt. I haven't been able to settle on my next book since finishing this.
So far, I unfairly dropped Midnight's Children, There There, Notes From A Crocodile. I know I would enjoy these books and will do so at a later time.
I just cannot seem to hold onto a character or to a book since Dina and Ishvar.
Did A Fine Balance break me?
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If you loved Pachinko, please do yourself a favor and get your hands on a copy of this epic family saga.
Set in India during the turmoil of the 1970’s “emergency”, this story follows four characters and how their very different lives become entwined through their dire circumstances.
To call this a sweeping tale seems cliché, but it’s also the truth. Mistry takes us from family to family, province to province, 1940’s to 1970’s, on a journey to discover the truth of each of our protagonists. We laugh with them and mourn with them. We grow angry with them, and then forgive them just as easily. There’s not much Mistry doesn’t cover in the 600 pages, and it never felt like the story was dragging.
At its core, this book is about the human spirit and how much we can endure with friendship and loved ones at our side. It’s a story about “maintain[ing] a fine balance between hope and despair.” This book wrecked me, and it will sit in my heart for a long time. If you’re looking to learn some modern Indian history, love a good multigenerational saga, and appreciate gorgeous, poetic prose, this one is for you.
A little bonus quote I can’t stop thinking about…
“A foreigner drew a magic line on a map and called it the new border; it became a river of blood upon the earth. And the orchards, fields, factories, businesses, all on the wrong side of that line, vanished with a wave of the pale conjuror’s wand.”
I mean… 💔💔💔
Set in India during the turmoil of the 1970’s “emergency”, this story follows four characters and how their very different lives become entwined through their dire circumstances.
To call this a sweeping tale seems cliché, but it’s also the truth. Mistry takes us from family to family, province to province, 1940’s to 1970’s, on a journey to discover the truth of each of our protagonists. We laugh with them and mourn with them. We grow angry with them, and then forgive them just as easily. There’s not much Mistry doesn’t cover in the 600 pages, and it never felt like the story was dragging.
At its core, this book is about the human spirit and how much we can endure with friendship and loved ones at our side. It’s a story about “maintain[ing] a fine balance between hope and despair.” This book wrecked me, and it will sit in my heart for a long time. If you’re looking to learn some modern Indian history, love a good multigenerational saga, and appreciate gorgeous, poetic prose, this one is for you.
A little bonus quote I can’t stop thinking about…
“A foreigner drew a magic line on a map and called it the new border; it became a river of blood upon the earth. And the orchards, fields, factories, businesses, all on the wrong side of that line, vanished with a wave of the pale conjuror’s wand.”
I mean… 💔💔💔
If I could give it 10 stars I would. I was lucky to listen to this on audio, so I never missed a word or a beat. I find the title of the book so apt, as each character juggles to balance so many things in life. And life is that unequal and strange balance or rich vs poor, success and failures, good and bad. The line you draw is so fine, and moves according to the situation one is in.
The tragedy that is life, my favourite kind of saga.
The tragedy that is life, my favourite kind of saga.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
phenomenal, heartbreaking
what broke me the most is the realistic context of this book, it felt so tragic to be true and I cared so much about every character but so many unexpected things kept happening and I could not put this book down. it really felt like the author was testing how much pain the reader could take, but also it was so real with the scenery of India during that time... which just made it sadder, heart-wrenching and alarming
what broke me the most is the realistic context of this book, it felt so tragic to be true and I cared so much about every character but so many unexpected things kept happening and I could not put this book down. it really felt like the author was testing how much pain the reader could take, but also it was so real with the scenery of India during that time... which just made it sadder, heart-wrenching and alarming
Fantastic, immersive, thoughtful, a story I totally fell into, unexpectedly. I wish this book was longer, and it's not a short read!
Even though I considered this book to be a heavy read, I found it very interesting. I learned so much more about a culture of which I had little knowledge. The characters are interesting, but sometimes overwhelming. Overall, I would suggest this book only if you have some time to dedicate to reading.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gonna need some time to recover and pull myself together before being able to leave a proper review...