Thursday, February 3, 2011

A Fine Balance

Author: Rohinton Mistry
recommended for: not for those with heart ailments
Read in May, 2006

the book was given to me by madhav, my indian friend. no introductions about the book, just that it's one book that i should read if i wanted to know more about india and the caste system and other things that matter. the story is set during indira gandhi's regime. it is teeming with layers of decades-old oppresion and discrimination, aggravated by a repressing political climate.

i never really thought a book could break one's heart. this one did. if there's anything that would describe what a poignant story is, this one should. caste, class, religion, politics... made me think how unfair and cruel the world could be for some people.... okay, okay, given the population of india, millions of people.

i hate predictable happy endings... but reading this one i had wished so hard mistry would end it the way fairy tales do. read it and weep. never mind the typo errors.

2 comments:

  1. Len, So glad you read this book, I loved it see my post I'm going to read more of his work whilst I am here. What's next on your reading list?

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