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A Fine Balance

The epic modern classic
By Rohinton Mistry
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4.38 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 157,725 ratings, 12,157 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry is a compelling narrative set in India during the Emergency of the mid-1970s. The story intricately weaves together the lives of four main characters, each from different backgrounds, creating an unexpected community while grappling with social and political turmoil. Through their intertwined destinies, the novel explores themes of hope, compassion, and the resilience of the human spirit in challenging times.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this novel if you're drawn to deeply interwoven tales about survival and friendship set against the backdrop of India's political turbulence during the 1970s. The narrative intricately explores the lives of diverse characters, depicting both the harsh realities and the enduring spirit of humanity. This book may appeal to you if you appreciate richly detailed storytelling that captures the complexity of socio-political landscapes and the resilience of the human spirit.

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A perennial bestseller, A Fine Balance is consistently acclaimed as a masterpiece from one of the most gifted writers of our time.

India, 1975. As a State of Emergency is declared, the lives of four unlikely strangers collide forever. This Booker-shortlisted modern classic is a 'towering masterpiece by a writer of genius' (Independent).

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

In mid-1970s urban India—a chaos of wretchedness on the streets and slogans in the offices—a chain of circumstances tosses four varied individuals together in one small flat.

Stubbornly independent Dina, widowed early, takes in Maneck, the college-aged son of a more prosperous childhood friend and, more reluctantly, Ishvar and Om, uncle and nephew tailors fleeing low-caste origins and astonishing hardships.

The reader first learns the characters' separate, compelling histories of brief joys and abiding sorrows, then watches as barriers of class, suspicion, and politeness are gradually dissolved.

Even more affecting than Mistry's depictions of squalor and grotesque injustice is his study of friendships emerging unexpectedly, naturally.

The novel's coda is cruel and heart-wrenching but deeply honest.

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Readers’ Top 100 Novels of All Time - from The Guardian

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry is widely praised by critics for its detailed portrayal of life in India during a turbulent political period. Observers regard Mistry as one of the finest novelists from India, lauding his ability to craft deeply moving and intricate narratives that reflect complex societal issues. His writing is noted for its rich character development and evocative depiction of human struggles.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571230587

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 19 October 2006

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 37.0mm

Width: 126.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 497g

Pages: 624

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Rohinton Mistry

About the Author

Rohinton Mistry was born in 1952 and grew up in Bombay, India, where he also attended university. He later emigrated to Canada, where he began a course in English and Philosophy at the University of Toronto. He is the author of three novels and one collection of short stories. His debut novel, Such a Long Journey (1991), won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book and the Governor General's Award, and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It was made into an acclaimed feature film in 1998. His second novel, A Fine Balance (1995), won many prestigious awards, as well as being shortlisted for the Booker Prize, the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Irish Times International Fiction Prize. His collection of short stories,Tales from Firozsha Baag, was published in 1987.

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