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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
What an incredible tour de force. With rich complex characters this book is a beautiful, gritty, and raw portrait of Indian life during the years of the Emergency. I really appreciated the well rounded characters that made me fall in love with this book. The voice of the narrator on the audiobook made it come alive all the more. Would recommend to anyone and everyone.
See my review here: http://novelmeanderings.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/a-fine-balance-book-4-of-in-book-hoarding-purge/
"Set in India in the mid-1970s, A Fine Balance is a richly textured novel which sweeps the reader up into its special world. Large in scope, the narrative focuses on four unlikely people who come together in a flat in the city soon after the government declares a "State of Internal Emergency." Through days of bleakness and hope, their lives become entwined in circumstances no one could have foreseen.
There is Dina Dalal, a widow who makes a difficult living as a seamstress, determined not to remarry or rely on her brother's charity; Maneck Kohlah, a student from a hill-station near the Himalayas, uprooted from home by his parents' wish to send him to college in the city; and Ishvar and his nephew Omprakesh, tailors by trade, who, fleeing caste violence, leave their village in the interior to find employment. The narrative reaches back in time to follow the stories of these four people - the lives they began with, the places they left behind."
This is easily the most depressing book I have ever read. It was good; extremely well-told, but unbelievably depressing. The extreme poverty, and the extreme corruption that makes it essentially impossible for anyone to change their station in life are just... unreal. Except that they're not, and that's the worst thing about it. Despite being fiction, the book is definitely rooted in historical fact, and we're not talking about several hundred years ago. It all takes place within the last century, and much of it still happens today. And that's nothing short of horrifying. I just don't even know what else to say about this book. It had some truly beautiful moments, but because the book itself is so long, it starts to become very difficult to continue, because you eventually realize that even when everything finally seems to be going OK, it's only a matter of time before some new tragedy strikes. No one should have this much misfortune in one life, and yet... It's awful. It's really awful. Even though, in the end, three of the four characters have, in effect, found their resting place, depressing as it is, and maintain their friendship and even good spirits, to some extent, you're still left with this intense depression, and a real understanding of why the fourth, having seen all this, takes his own life, despite having endured basically no hardships, when compared to the others. I simply don't know what else to say about this book. Nothing I say will convey the depth of it properly.
There is Dina Dalal, a widow who makes a difficult living as a seamstress, determined not to remarry or rely on her brother's charity; Maneck Kohlah, a student from a hill-station near the Himalayas, uprooted from home by his parents' wish to send him to college in the city; and Ishvar and his nephew Omprakesh, tailors by trade, who, fleeing caste violence, leave their village in the interior to find employment. The narrative reaches back in time to follow the stories of these four people - the lives they began with, the places they left behind."
This is easily the most depressing book I have ever read. It was good; extremely well-told, but unbelievably depressing. The extreme poverty, and the extreme corruption that makes it essentially impossible for anyone to change their station in life are just... unreal. Except that they're not, and that's the worst thing about it. Despite being fiction, the book is definitely rooted in historical fact, and we're not talking about several hundred years ago. It all takes place within the last century, and much of it still happens today. And that's nothing short of horrifying. I just don't even know what else to say about this book. It had some truly beautiful moments, but because the book itself is so long, it starts to become very difficult to continue, because you eventually realize that even when everything finally seems to be going OK, it's only a matter of time before some new tragedy strikes. No one should have this much misfortune in one life, and yet... It's awful. It's really awful. Even though, in the end, three of the four characters have, in effect, found their resting place, depressing as it is, and maintain their friendship and even good spirits, to some extent, you're still left with this intense depression, and a real understanding of why the fourth, having seen all this, takes his own life, despite having endured basically no hardships, when compared to the others. I simply don't know what else to say about this book. Nothing I say will convey the depth of it properly.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
(9.5/10)
I am emotionally destroyed. But what a story.
I am emotionally destroyed. But what a story.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
At first I thought to myself that this book is not it for me, because it's all just accidents upon accidents upon accidents upon another accidents. The life of the characters seem so grim and ghastly. But then I started to notice all the events, the people, accidents, incidents, heartbreak intertwining all their lives together. And just.... wow. This book is one fine product of astonishing writing skills and mastery of language. This book deserves a spot in My Best Book of 2016 list.
You know those books that you are forced to read at school and when you get them you'd rather be reading something you want than reading something from school, but then the book turns out to be absolutly amazing and you can't put it down not even when you go on vacation. Well, those were one of those books.
These four unlikly characters take up residence in a poor, old flat. Dina, a newly-widow, tries to get through the poor economy by hiring two tailors and taking up a paying guest in her deceased husband's flat. The two tailors, Om and Ishvar, were looking for such jobs after a tragedy befell their family. Maneck was searching for a new home after his experience at a "rebellious" hostel. Each came to live at the flat. Trying to live through the ridiculous Emergency the government has set up, each finds comfort in the other characters living with them. This is certainly a story that will leave you breathless: an inspirational read.
The characters are unforgettable. With such a depressing and inspiring storyline, the characters are what kept me going. The character development was fantastic. I feel, after reading the book, that I know more about those characters than I will ever know about even myself. Rohinton Mistry created a world where he wanted government to act almost like a circus and without the characters he created, the world would seem a little dull.
A bit of a warning, though: the book is very grim. When I said depressing, I meant depressing. There is some humor in it, but the overall storyline will leave you in tears. I finished the book and I was crying so badly my friends thought there was something wrong with me. The reader will get to know the characters so well that they will begin to feel their pain and grief. There is no putting down this book. This book will change your opinion of the world. If you haven't read this novel, you are truly missing out on a lovely read.
These four unlikly characters take up residence in a poor, old flat. Dina, a newly-widow, tries to get through the poor economy by hiring two tailors and taking up a paying guest in her deceased husband's flat. The two tailors, Om and Ishvar, were looking for such jobs after a tragedy befell their family. Maneck was searching for a new home after his experience at a "rebellious" hostel. Each came to live at the flat. Trying to live through the ridiculous Emergency the government has set up, each finds comfort in the other characters living with them. This is certainly a story that will leave you breathless: an inspirational read.
The characters are unforgettable. With such a depressing and inspiring storyline, the characters are what kept me going. The character development was fantastic. I feel, after reading the book, that I know more about those characters than I will ever know about even myself. Rohinton Mistry created a world where he wanted government to act almost like a circus and without the characters he created, the world would seem a little dull.
A bit of a warning, though: the book is very grim. When I said depressing, I meant depressing. There is some humor in it, but the overall storyline will leave you in tears. I finished the book and I was crying so badly my friends thought there was something wrong with me. The reader will get to know the characters so well that they will begin to feel their pain and grief. There is no putting down this book. This book will change your opinion of the world. If you haven't read this novel, you are truly missing out on a lovely read.