My sister slept with the light on until she was 27. She rightfully blames me. I would leap out of closets with my hands made into claws. I would...
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lissi, September 7, 2011 (view all comments by lissi)
How Mistry found humor and humanity in such a sad tale is amazing. How these characters remained human under the harsh conditions that were imposed is remarkable. I just finished and I feel the sadness of these characters and of this story will remain with me for some time.
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nancy2ken, January 1, 2011 (view all comments by nancy2ken)
I will never view India the same way again. I couldn't put the book down, but didn't want it to end. Rohinton is a master of detail and character development.
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braun, January 31, 2010 (view all comments by braun)
Love this book! The characters are amazing. Even after years of reading this, the story is still with me. Sad but inspiring!
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Product details
624 pages
Vintage Books USA -
English9781400030651
Reviews:
"Staff Pick"
by John,
For a while it seemed that novels set in India were all the rage. My favorite is A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. His massive tome ranges across the vast chasms of that giant subcontinent, all from the cramped apartment of Dina Dalal. Through her eyes, along with those of her two impoverished tailors and her bright if unambitious nephew, we are provided a glimpse into every corner of Indian society. Mistry describes the absurdities and petty prejudices held by many Indians in a way that would make Flannery O'Connor or Carson McCullers proud.
by John
"Review"
by The New York Times,
"Those who continue to harp on the decline of the novel . . . ought to consider Rohinton Mistry. He needs no infusion of magic realism to vivify the real. The real world, through his eyes, is magical."
"Review"
by Wall Street Journal,
"Astonishing. . . . A rich and varied spectacle, full of wisdom and laughter and the touches of the unexpectedly familiar through which literature illuminates life."
"Review"
by New York Review of Books,
"A serious and important work . . . the product of high intelligence and passionate conviction."
"Review"
by Pico Iyer, Time,
"Monumental. . . . Few have caught the real sorrow and inexplicable strength of India, the unaccountable crookedness and sweetness, as well as Mistry."
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