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

One of the best novels ever written

At first, I had trouble "getting into" this book - a lot of foreign names to sort through. However, I kept listening and got completely engrossed in it. For sure, this is one of the greatest work of literature of our times, and I don't declare it lightly. What an amazing portrait of humanity with all its flaws, a slice of life painted with masterful strokes. The destinies of main characters - a widow, two taylors, and a college student intersect for a year.They become an unusual family of sorts, enjoying companionship, friendship and mutual support.
The book has a very sad ending. It is probably more true and realistic then the "good" endings I like to enjoy at the end of stories. Do not miss this novel, it is a true gem.

Wish the narration was better.

What made the experience of listening to A Fine Balance the most enjoyable?

A Fine Balance is one of my favorite books, so having it to listen to in the car is a nice treat.

What did you like best about this story?

This book is an epic, sweeping novel about a really troubled time in India's history. It is written such that you feel every emotion, you see the landscape... few writers have Mistry's gift. His writing is amazing. I would read (and have!) anything he writes.

Any additional comments?

I was not happy with the narration- mostly because I'm Indian, and almost every Hindi word was mispronounced. These were not difficult words- any Indian could have told the narrator how to pronounce, but as I listened it was just really off-putting.
For example, "loata" is pronounced "low-ta", not "low-AH-ta", and loata is a super common indian word so hearing it wrong over and over was painful. Same with so many others, and even the names. "Naaa-waaaz" (Nawaz) should have been "Na-waaaz." I could go on and on. So while I think the book is literally a masterpiece, I was disappointed at the narration. However if you are not a Hindi/Urdu speaker, you'll probably be none the wiser and enjoy it.

Should be Required Reading, Fantastic

I loved this book. The main characters face hardships and struggles while showing true friendship and resounding resilience. This book reminded me of Frankl's book, Man's Search For Meaning; except that these guys always had sweet humor. While filled with suffering, there was never a dwelling on the suffering and always a persevering spirit of hope showing how even in the darkest times, people pull together and create friendships. Throughout the book, there were funny adventures and surprising insights. I learned about the Indian people and found myself loving them for their ability to find lightness and humor amidst the suffering. Suggested reading.

Long but good

This was a well-written, but even though it was quite long. I highly recommend it.

Disturbing, enlighting and profound

Would you consider the audio edition of A Fine Balance to be better than the print version?

I did not read the print version.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Deena Dalal, the women who brought together the tailors and the student. She is a strong character, going against the cultural grain. Her world was small in terms of those she trusted and loved. Her choices shaped a life for her that in the end resulted in being where she fought hard not to be.

Have you listened to any of John Lee’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes I have. I've heard him read Ken Follete's novels. His German accent was very effective in those narratives. To hear him speak in the Indian tongue was very impressive. His delivery of the story was very dramatic and believable. Each time I listened to the story, I was totally transported into the scene.

If you could rename A Fine Balance, what would you call it?

Quilt of Life

Any additional comments?

What made this book so profound was the fact that both tailors and Deena Bi learned to accept their lives in the end and settled into a way of being with little complaint. Manac, on the other hand, had a bright future. He had money that he earned in Dubai. He had his father's business to run. He, however, could not see past his own feelings of guilt, unwantedness and despair. He allowed the conditions that he saw drag him down into depression and ultimately suicide. What a pity!!

Bummer Dude

If you could sum up A Fine Balance in three words, what would they be?

Life Sucks

What other book might you compare A Fine Balance to and why?

The Woman of Brewster's Place Why? I guess the tone.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not possible, 24 hrs long. After the first 7hrs I needed to break it into 3-4 hr. sections.

Any additional comments?

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal" is not a true statement from the charters in this book. I was shocked by some of the brutality but I also felt joy when some of the people had a victory. Like all great books this one took me on an emotional ride, meaning I got to touch base will all my emotions. The end did feel a little contrived, but still a great book.

grim but outstanding

the story is a very grim one. overcoming major obstacles and then getting crushed again. outstanding novel thst conveys the richness of life

Unforgettable!!

Both the story and the narration were wonderful. Though it was lengthy and required lots of listening over quite a few hours, it was worth every second.

A Fine Imbalance

Mistry's novel is slow to start, and the characters at first seem kind of boring. But the genuine humanity of both Dina and Ishvar is hard to ignore and after a while sucks the reader into their lives. And one could say these two characters are the foundation of the book. Mistry has drawn such compelling figures, that it's hard not to be drawn into the story of their all too brief happiness and their all too great hardship. And this is where the "Balance" or imbalance comes in. The book is built around semi-alternating episodes of happiness and hardship, and the title refers to the balance they create in life. They each reinforce and justify the other. But the balance is hardly fine in this book. Even though it is a great story, which brings to mind the oft-referred to Dickens in its scope and subject, it is not a happy one. The abject poverty of the country comes alive. Indeed some of the most compelling characters of the novel are background characters who at times upstage the central ones in their vivid portrayals. But it seems for every vivid character we are shown an equally vivid harship. And these hardships, one might say, upset the balance and outweigh the happiness. But then maybe that's the point. The bright parts of the book, however small, must carry the characters(and the reader) through the dark parts because that's all they have and they must make do with it.

Incredible

I have just finished this book and the characters and story are still so real to me. I have just logged in to download another book by the author. "A Fine Balance" was close to perfect. Superb character development and an uncanny ability to draw the reader into the lives of the people and their surroundings. Highly, highly recommended!!