3 Review(s)

A Fine Balance is a historical novel by Rohinton Mistry set in India during the tribulations of the Emergency between 1975 and 1984. Summary of the Book Set in during the Emergency when the Prime Minister of India seizes control over the country. The book explores the viewpoints of four characters from varied backgrounds – an independent widow, a young student who is forced to leave his idyllic hill station, and two tailors from a backward community who have decided to escape from the oppressive nature of their village. The Emergency forces these unlikely people to come together in a tale which intensely portrays the human spirit and the political situation of one of the darkest hours of India’s history. About Rohinton Mistry Rohinton Mistry is an Indian-born Canadian novelist. He has also written Such a Long Journey and Family Matters. The above title was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and was also selected for Oprah’s Book Club. The book was adapted for the stage by the Tamasha Theatre Company and was produced at the Hampstead Theatre in London.