Not comfortable, but compelling
- Book: A Fine Balance
- Location: Mumbai (Bombay)
- Author: Rohinton Mistry
I decided to read this book as it was mentioned as one of the great stories of unlikely friendship, but had I looked a little more carefully before starting, I might have changed my mind. I am so, so glad I didn’t. This sweeping tale took me way out of my comfort zone to India in the 1970s (and the decades beforehand), carrying all the dirt, disease and poverty of the place and time with me.
For me it was an uncomfortable read, but the compelling characters made this novel impossible to put down. Dina, who is central to the story, was especially well drawn and I just had to know how her story unfurled. The web spins out from her, into the lives of those who touch hers, and the further to the lives of the fabulous cast of minor characters.
It’s a long book, and a cruel book, and I really didn’t like the way it ended. But it was certainly an experience and I am really pleased I picked it up.
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