My first child, a son, was almost eight months old at the time. My wife, equally at a loss had no idea where they came from. Date … It casts a very descriptive view of life in India at that time. Even re-reading it, knowing what was going to happen, did not mitigate my sadness. Hometown: Toronto, Canada. With civil unrest and demonstrations against a corrupt government on the rise, our protagonists needlessly endure despicable injustices to both body and so. After I finished it, I sat thinking about it for awhile. This is a compelling novel. He describes the discriminatory and violent, but sometimes loving, interactions and relationships between Indians of different religions. Based on Rohinton Mistry’s celebrated Man Booker shortlisted novel, A Fine Balance is a story about hope and the extraordinary endurance of the human spirit. A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry's stunning internationally acclaimed bestseller, is set in mid-1970s India.It tells the story of four unlikely people whose lives come together during a time of political turmoil soon after the government declares a "State of Internal Emergency." Haunting. Mistry’s characters live through the terrifying campaigns of forced sterilization and “beautification” (slum destruction). A Fine Balance. Residing in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, Mistry belongs to the Parsi Zoroastrian religious minority. India, 1975. Mistry is also the author of Swimming Lessons, a collection of short stories. Rohinton Mistry’s novel, A Fine Balance, is a heartwrenching read, a story of horrors and the unlikely friendships that survive them. I wanted to discuss it with someone. I recall where I was standing when I first heard about the attack on the Twin Towers. This book gives the story of four improbable persons whose way of living is brought together in the course of political chaos in the Indian Government. Aug. 23, 2013; The Dimore Studio designers Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci have pioneered a uniquely modern aesthetic through a … A Fine Balance. A Fine Balance takes the coronavirus pandemic very seriously and has put in place measures to help reduce the spread of COVID-19; however, A Fine Balance cannot guarantee that you, your family, or your guests will not become infected with COVID-19. Not only are its characters subjected to like, the bleakest set of circumstances ever, but then those circumstances are presented to the reader with such an alarming degree of authorial detachment that you almost have to wonder whether Mistry himself—fed up with the unending series of hardships his characters are required to endure—didn’t just raise his arms in the air and say, “Oh, fuck it.” And yet I could not tear myself away from this train wreck. The Great emergency. A Beautification Program chasing people with bulldozers like unwanted sewerage down the isles of perfection. Plot Summary | Add Synopsis. Mistry is unsparing in details of how difficult, even cruel, life is for these characters. Liking this book makes no sense. The bulk of the novel, however, explores the world of India’s urban poor. Well, admittedly and quite thankfully, we remain in a state of relative bliss, but a greater awareness has grown. Their opportunities are constrained by caste, gender, government corruption locally and across the country, and greed. Family Planning Program going as insane as the population explosion. A Fine Balance By Rohinton Mistry. Mitch and Peter end up taking care of a cranky Lyndy together. No matter how busy I am, I will always be a reader if the book that I have is similar to this. This is an on point review to follow this magnificent read. Hire a subject expert to help you with A Fine Balance: Characters. One of my favourite books. Not only is its chronicling of four lives bleak and without the slightest hint of hope or redemption, but it does this with a comprehensive scope and an unforgiving manner. Beautiful. I know that at any time, I could find myself standing in the shoes of another much less fortunate. It certainly had what I refer to as The Linger Factor. With a compassionate realism and narrative sweep that recall the work of Charles Dickens, this magnificent novel captures all the cruelty and corruption, dignity and heroism, of … A Fine Balance The masculine and feminine are head-to-head in a meeting of minds and hearts as we transition from the sleepiness of societal conditioning into a great time of awakening. Oct 3rd 2009. Start by marking “A Fine Balance” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Instead, it was heartbreaking, because you understood and could feel the humanity of these characters. No matter how busy I am, I will always be a reader if the book that I have is similar to this. Take away my Facebook account. WOW. The delicate work-life balance I’d carefully constructed was knocked off kilter at the start of the Coronavirus lockdown, when I took leave from my job in order to home-school and care for my three children and support my NHS key-worker husband. Interesting. Their opportunities are constrained by caste, gender, government corruption locally and across the country, and greed. So, Auntie/Uncle says that you respect the person as a member of an elder generation and that you love them almost as much as a member of your family. This book covers the stories of four characters living in India during the mid-70s during a time in which Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declares a State of Emergency and in its name, countless human rights violations were committed. When I woke up at 5 am and couldn't get back to sleep, I thought about it some more. You knew them and your heart sank and soared with each various plot point. Educational. My first child, a son, was almost eight months old at the time. This is about as close to an epic Victorian novel as modern fiction gets. 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