Jan 09, 2024Honestwoman3 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Mr Mistry has captured the ethos of the lives of poor people in India and this book is heartbreaking in many places. this novel touched me deeply as I am from the same ethnic background as the writer. Even after so much difficulty in…
May 09, 2023RKimmer rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I agree with other readers who said that this story stayed with them a long time. It sure did with me. It is a beautifully written, heartbreaking story. Well worth reading more than once.
Jul 11, 2022denisecharbonneau rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Beautifully described settings, complex characters and an eloquent writing style make this one of the best books of the 1990s - and onward! I thought of these people for years after reading the book.
May 11, 2022jhundt rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
I’m not going to lie. This book left me depressed in a way that I really contemplated the meaning of life and “ what is it all for”. It was bleak and never offered any hope, just resignation that bad things do happen to people without…
Nov 20, 2021HelenParnell rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
picked this book up for free at some campsite and wow what a great surprise. Wonderful book showing the horrors of that period. will definitly read it again.
i thought this book was depressing of course but it was a great story. even when it was disturbing it was well written. i would recommend but not to those who expect a happy story.
Jan 08, 2020wyenotgo rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Some readers have drawn comparisons between “A Fine Balance” and some of Dickens’ works. Others have invoked Shakespeare, notably King Lear — and lines from Macbeth certainly come to mind: “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that…
Jun 26, 2019lobster50 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
There is a flow in the way this man tells a story. It’s fluid and it carries my along with it until I’m swept up and can’t stop thinking about the characters and their lives.
Oct 10, 2018lukasevansherman rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
"In the end, it's all a question of balance."
Magnificent, sweeping novel set in tumultuous 1970s India. At 600 pages, it's both panoramic and intimate. While the background is political and social unrest (corruption, police raids,…
Prior to going to India for the first time, I read several books set in contemporary India. Now, after returning from that absolutely incredible country, "A Fine Balance" has given me a new perspective on what I saw and experienced. This…
Oct 01, 2017Spokoj rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Definitely a five star novel! It covers the period in India from independence in 1946 to 1984 with well-developed characters. Makes the novels about neurotic couples and so-called seekers of enlightenment rather pitiful when you complete…
I have read many books set in India and books by Indian writers since my trip to that strange country. There are many fabulous books about life in India and this one seemed pretty good. However, after reading 24%, I decided it just wasn't…
A Fine Balance is much, much more than fine. Truly an incredible story that will rank
with the best reads you will ever encounter. It breezes to the 5 star category.
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A Fine Balance