A Fine Balance

By: Rohinton Mistry

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 24 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

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 India.

The time is 1975. The place is an unnamed city by the sea. The government has just declared a State of Emergency, in whose upheavals four strangers—a spirited widow, a young student uprooted from his idyllic hill station, and two tailors who have fled the caste violence of their native village—will be thrust together, forced to share one cramped apartment and an uncertain future.

As the characters move from distrust to friendship and from friendship to love, A Fine Balance creates an enduring panorama of the human spirit in an inhuman state.

©1995 Rohinton Mistry (P)2001 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

1997, IMPAC Dublin Literary Award

2011, Neustadt International Prize for Literature

"Astonishing. . . . A rich and varied spectacle, full of wisdom and laughter and the touches of the unexpectedly familiar through which literature illuminates life." --Wall Street Journal

"Monumental. . . . Few have caught the real sorrow and inexplicable strength of India, the unaccountable crookedness and sweetness, as well as Mistry." --Pico Iyer, Time

"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." --The New York Times

Read this if you think your life is rough

This might be the most tragic, heart-wrenching, and yet one of the best books I've ever read. This book is grapes of wrath on steroids. For all the tragedy, this book will inspire you with its struggle and make you realize how important friendships and family are in your life. I disagree with those who were unhappy with the ending. It isn't the Count of Monte Cristo, and some of the more villainous characters never get what they've got coming to them, but I actually love how the author chose to leave things. If you know nothing of India and are interested, this is an interesting look into the politics and culture of that nation.

a beautiful life

I agree with the other reviewers. This is a beautiful and devistating book. I can't imagine the will required to persist in such a land. The characters are so well described and so well read. I was sorry to finish but I didn't think that I could stand to hear much more.

What an incredible and devastating book

I seldom bother to write reviews. This review is here to simply echo my endorsement of this book. It's worth the time spend reading. Everything the other 5 star reviewers write is spot on. Buy this book, you will not be sorry.

Simply amazing

I read at least 2-3 books per week. And it has been a very long since a book made me cry. I cried last night. I find it to be amazing that the author manages to connect us with his heroes who may as well be from a different universe from ours. Human vices much as human merits remain the same across cultures and statuses.
Any way: this is a wonderful book, a kind of book you don’t want to put down. Strongly
recommended!

Great modern history of India plus good characters

If you want to really understand how the class systems in India really work for the lower classes in the 20th century but you need a good story with your history, then this book is for you.

this book may change your life

The characters in this book are so artfully drawn that you come to feel that you know them as friends. The plot is compelling, uplifting at times and heart breaking throughout. For those put off by this, it is important to know that this is how life is indeed for many people in this world, we can't close our eyes to it. The narrator is superb. I can't recommend this book highly enough, but take the second sentence of this review to heart, make sure the timing is right for you to receive all that Mistry has to offer.

Finishing this book is like losing a friend

Loves this book. It is so fluid and eloquent and the characters uncannily familiar. I got absorbed into the life and loss of the characters and they became like friends. I actually cried when it was over.

excellent voice performer, excellent story.

the voice artist is doing an exceptional performance. the story is vivid, detailed and this brings the story for me into a very clear mind picture.

Tragedy heaped upon tragedy

Wonderful writing and the Tolstoy parallels are obvious however sometimes I felt like Mistry had a strange sadistic contempt for the reader. The awful tragedies in the book pile on top of each other until you are almost numb with horror and sadness. Similar to "A Little Life" the characters we meet throughout the book sometimes seem to be conjured only to be repeatedly destroyed. An early romance involving a shared love of music and an umbrella was beautiful and my favorite part of the book. The ending seemed unnecessarily cruel.

One of the best books of my life

I am speechless. Every character was incredible. I was never bored. Amazing writing and delivery.