A Fine Balance

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Summary: Life's Hope and Despair in Mistry's modern India
Review: Put aside those dark media images of Calcutta and live the lives of struggling weavers who confront the traditional caste system, technological change and political corruption of late 20th century India. Author Rohintin Mistry takes his readers on a on-stop spell binding voyage to reveal shining hope in the deepest depair. Yet, there is nothing 'preachy' here. It is a philosophical `Fine Balance' that teases the intellectual mind with its conceptual complexity. That teetering human equation is beautifully wrapped in a human interest story that appeals to wide audience. Subjectively, the work is a product of our troubling times: there are few answers to the great problems that confront humanity. Don't you just hate to read about those authors who have all the right questions?

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Summary: Just READ it!
Review: There really isn't much that I can say which has not been said already by previous reviewers. But, I just wanted to add my voice to the many others in exclaiming over the brilliance and sensitivity of the author, Rohinton Mistry. Reading the book is like listening to an old and humble friend speak...without airs or any sort of pretentiousness. The characters were not just memorable but they struck me as actually being real. The ending did indeed break my heart but I think it was needed because Maneck was never able to maintain a fine balance. I would definately read it again and I urge anyone who has not read the book to do so. It was an unforgettable experience, which, for me has also been a beautiful one.

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Summary: Disturbingly Intense
Review: I started to read this book due to a book club I joined. It was suggested to be a fantastic book. The reviews were all good. So I went into it with I must admit high expectations. It really wasn't until I completed the book that I can look back at it and appreciate it. There were times I really wanted the story to go somewhere. Unfortunately for me, that is not the kind of story A Fine Balance is. I found the author did a very good job of character development and their interaction. Some felt that they could feel for the characters, but the impression I got was actually quite detatched in a way. Disscussion from my book club came out with the idea that the culture itself is so that there is really no emotional connection between people. You found this in the story, the characters were not totally uncaring, but found were able to take it or leave it and go on. So to round up my confusing review, the book itself is very quite fantastic. My rating not being a 9 or 10 like everyone else is really due to personal tastes and impressions, not the quality of the book. Lets just say I would insist anyone read this book, if asked I would warn about the emotional pitfalls the book can bring into your day. So if you are into somehow experiencing hardships in order to appreciate what you do have this is the book for you.

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Summary: An amazing book (and I'm no "fakeologist"!)
Review: This book is truly a masterpiece. Mistry weaves a very beautiful tale, sewn together with wonderful characters, and intricately woven stories. About the struggles of the poor in a country corrupted by the rich and the powerful, it centers on four characters who find love and a sense of family amid the chaos of the "Emergency". Mistry has the power to transport the reader into a very vivid and real world. I felt so drawn to Ishvar, Om, and Dina, that even a week after completing the novel, I still think of them each day. I cried for the characters but applauded them at the same time for their unbelievable strength. Wow...what a book

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Summary: A Fine Balance provides the perfect balance
Review: Mistry's scales tip more toward despair than hope, but because of the exquisite craft of his writing, he has indeed produced A Fine Balance. I cannot remember ever caring so much for--or identifying with--characters so different from modern Americans. I don't know how much more I can say than this is the first book in years that made me cry

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Summary: Go on, pick up this book. You won't be disappointed.
Review: I stumbled upon this book in a second-hand bookshop. Despite rave reviews from the shopowner, I decided to play it safe- renting it instead of buying it. Books on India were not exactly on my priority reading list. I began this book with much scepticism and I was converted after reading barely 50 pages. Readers will be treated to a portrayal of life in India during the mid-1970s when the assassinated Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi reigned. The book depicts the story of how 4 Indians- 2 tailors, a diploma student and a widow- coped with life, how their fates entwined, how their initial distrust for each other blossomed into true friendship. Through their encounters, one gets to see the political arena back then- how bribery and graft prevailed throughout the economy, how political propaganda was staged and, how commoners suffered under the "City Beautification Program". One also gets to read about the social issues that plagued India and some which are still evident today, such as the misery that caste system brings, the begging "profession" which was a means of livelihood for many, the pavement dwellers, the enlarged gulf between the rich and the poor, how population control programs went out of control and brought much suffering to the villagers and how shantytown people lived under the mercy of local rulers. One particular trade that strikes me as quite unique is hair-collecting as a profesion. Mistry writes with much wit and uses simple yet sharp words to bring the story across. The book is filled with profound statements about life that would be good food for thought. Mistry also punctuated the book regularly with witty words such as the reason that the Beggarmaster provided for selling corpses of beggars who died to medical schools for dissection by medical interns- "What to do? My beggars have to participate in the pursuit of knowledge." This is one of the few books that has left a permanent impression on me. I am keeping this well-thumbed book and I will be embarking on another Mistry book "Such a Long Journey". This time round, with less scepticism and more confidence

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Summary: The Great Indian Novel
Review: As an Indian fiction fanantic, I think A FIne Balance is the greatest Indian novel in the English language, dare I say it, even better than my all time favourite, Midnight's Children. Glad so many other people think so. It certainly shows Mistry's brilliance, which was obviuos too in Such a Long Journey. The Booker judges were WRONG! David Berg, Sydney, Australi

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Summary: An epic told through the lives of simple people
Review: Rohinton Mistry is one of the great writers of our time. India is a place of fast change and extreme contradictions, and this novel captures the confusion and longings of a people trapped in a whirlwind. The story is quietly and nakedly told. There is no melodrama, although the events are certainly dramatic enough. There are two tanners, an uncle and a nephew, seeking to better their station in life. They work as tailors for a woman who is no longer young; a woman who is struggling to remain independent in a society that frowns on independent women. A young man comes to board with her, and gets caught up in the stories of all three. They all hate each other at times, but like a true family, love each other under it all. Tragedy occurs; you are left with both sadness and hope. Mistry writes about the lives of four people that intertwine. The threads are woven into a fabric that becomes a tapestry; a tapestry that is India, her problems and her past and her uncertain future. The only thing that is certain is that Rohinton Mistry has created a true masterpiece. By the way, you must also read Swimming Lessons, a book of short stories that is just stunning, and Such a Long Journey, a novel

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Summary: Forget Rushdie and Arundhati Roy
Review: This is arguably the finest novel by an expatriate Indian in the English language. Simply superb

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Summary: Definitely read this book!
Review: This book, unlike any other, has shwon that Indian authors have finally come of age. I am a native of India who is studying here in the U.S., and I totally identified with the character of Maneck Khola portrayed in the book. This is not a book that you can derive a few laughs from, or forget about after reading. This is one of those few books that makes you think and reflect--Is studying here in the U.S. far away from home in India worth the price of not ever being the same again and losing all previous relationships? Read this book if you want to think. Especially recommended for all Indian expats in the U.S.