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A Fine Balance

by Rohinton Mistry
A Fine Balance
A Fine Balance

Uniting disparate lives in India's political turmoil.

"A Fine Balance" immerses you in the personal stories amidst the backdrop of India's historical challenges. Mistry's nuanced portrayal of characters from different walks of life coming together during a period of upheaval is both heartbreaking and illuminating. It's a poignant exploration of human resilience and the threads that bind people together against the odds. If you're someone who appreciates deep, character-driven narratives set against real-world events, this book might just leave a lasting impression on you.

  • Booker Prize Nominee (1996)
  • Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize (1996)
  • Scotiabank Giller Prize (1995)
  • Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction (1996)
  • Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book Overall (1996)
  • CBC Canada Reads Nominee (2002)
  • Dublin Literary Award Nominee for Shortlist (1997)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

A Fine Balance

by Rohinton Mistry
Condition guide

Book Condition Guide

Books in Like New Condition

This book may contain very minor cosmetic defects, but it is in pristine condition. There should be no yellowing, no foxing, no water damage, and no annotations of any kind on the cover and the pages. For paperbacks, there should not be any crease marks on the spine. This book is good as new — lucky you!

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Very Good Condition

This book has been used, but it is still in a clean condition. There should be no foxing or annotations of any kind on the inner pages, but a sparse amount may be present on the cover, title pages, or outside edges of the book. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be light crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Good Condition

We do our best to ensure the quality of our books, but there is no escaping the wear and tear that comes with time. Slight foxing and some annotations may be present on the pages and the cover. There should be no water damage of any kind. For paperbacks, there may be several crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

Books in Well Read Condition

This is a well-read book, which means that the previous owner probably really enjoyed it! The cover and pages may include moderate foxing and annotations, but the text is not obscured and still readable. Moderate cosmetic defects and minor water damage may be present on the edges of the book. For paperbacks, there may be multiple crease marks on the spine.

*Books may be missing bundle media (e.g. CD, e-book code), if included.

 

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ISBN: 9780571203628
Authors: Rohinton Mistry
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Date of Publication: 2000-03-20
Format: Paperback
Related Collections: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction
Related Topics: Literature, Asian Literature
Goodreads rating: 4.38
(rated by 154544 readers)

Description

At 600 pages, Mistry's stunning second novel looks intimidating, yet this moving tale of four people caught up in India's 1975 state of emergency -- when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi suspended the constitution in order to hold on to power following a scandal -- is an incredibly detailed, compelling read that sweeps you along from the opening pages and is over far too soon. Though it takes place in a time of political upheaval and chaos, A Fine Balance is not a political diatribe. Instead, it is a beautiful and compassionate portrait of the resiliency of the human spirit when faced with death, despair, and unconscionable suffering. Set in an unnamed city by the sea, it is the story of four disenfranchised strangers -- a widow, a young student, and two tailors -- who are forced by their impoverished circumstances to share a cramped apartment. Initially distrustful of one another, Dina, Maneck, Ishvar, and Om gradually build loving, familial bonds and learn together "to maintain a fine balance between hope and despair" in a society suddenly turned inhumanly cruel and corrupt.
 

Uniting disparate lives in India's political turmoil.

"A Fine Balance" immerses you in the personal stories amidst the backdrop of India's historical challenges. Mistry's nuanced portrayal of characters from different walks of life coming together during a period of upheaval is both heartbreaking and illuminating. It's a poignant exploration of human resilience and the threads that bind people together against the odds. If you're someone who appreciates deep, character-driven narratives set against real-world events, this book might just leave a lasting impression on you.

  • Booker Prize Nominee (1996)
  • Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize (1996)
  • Scotiabank Giller Prize (1995)
  • Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction (1996)
  • Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Book Overall (1996)
  • CBC Canada Reads Nominee (2002)
  • Dublin Literary Award Nominee for Shortlist (1997)
Note: While we do our best to ensure the accuracy of cover images, ISBNs may at times be reused for different editions of the same title which may hence appear as a different cover.

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