Download A Fine Balance Audiobook

" Tough, tough life in India. Too tough. A book with real character, even humour. Even though the financial and physical hardship describes is beyond what most of us can empathise with, there is something universal and timeless in the characters and their spirits. "

" Amazing book, funny in many many places but so tragic and unbelievable what happened in their lives and the lives of so many. Beautiful writing, intelligent and heart-rendering. I will not forget this book and the lives of the main characters interwoven through the difficult years they try to survive and I was hoping for a wonderful end but true to the whole book that would have been to simplistic. I was not so prepared for the ending though and that is the style of the writer. I am looking for this book on audio and would love to listen to the whole again. Such insight into the goings on in one country, and the class system that bought so much hatred and senseless killings. "

" Such a bleak book, but so compelling. "

" depressing and devastating. it's worth reading and gripping and all that, but it made me feel very sad and grimy. "

" Brilliant at every level. Deeply political, but also so very human, with life in full force bursting at every turn despite incredible hard blows and against every possible (and many impossible) odd. Disturbing, sad and not for the faint hearted. "

" An excellent book, by one of my favorite authors. Not for the feint of heart. "

" One of my favorite contemporary novels, in the epic social realism vein of Balzac or Zola. "

" I was totally mesmerised by this book... One of the best books I've read so far. "

" This book is heart-breaking. I loved it so much and grew so attached the the characters. It made me laugh, rage and cry, and touched me deeply. It's a disturbing reminder that you should enjoy the good moments you are presented with, for you can never know what life has in store for you. "

" Wonderful novel about India around the time of Indira Ghandi, very upsetting in parts, nearly put me off going to India, but glad it didn't ! "

" to the deep realms of the caste system; the degradations, the suffering, the courage ... "

" Heart-wrenching story of four characters whom I got to know so deeply... "

" I read this ages ago and loved it. it was amazing. "

" loved it....until the ending....tough to end a good book like this "

" One of the best books I have read in a very long time. The characters were so real and full of life, I loved this book so much that towards the end I started to read it really slowly because I wanted the experience of reading it to last as long as possible, I have not done this since I was a child. "

" I gave it an 8 at Book Club, but I was the only one who really liked it. Very complicated story and pretty darn depressing; but rang true for my ears. "

" The most depressing read ever. "

" What a wonderful descriptive writer. Captured me immediately in this book. "

" One of the best books I have ever read! "

" If you are feeling low then this is not a book to curl up with. It is beautifully written, the prose is a very high standard like all Mistrys novels and is recommended reading but my God it is bleak. "

" I still think about this book ten years later. "

" Made it thru a 150 or so pages. Really surprised this got the reviews it did. The writing style was just very bland. I couldn't connect with the story or characters. There's just too much out there to waste any more time on something I was just flat out not enjoying. "

" One of the most powerful books I've read. "

" An engaging but depressing look at recent Indian society. I've been in the third world in a number of different countries and for all the fascination with the different-ness of it I'm ultimately grateful
to live in the USA. Despite all our own problems. "

" This is the most depressing book I have ever read in my life. It's 2 AM here and I don't think I am going to get sound sleep for many coming days. Fuck, I don't even want to talk about this. Later... "

" This book is well written and engrossing but also relentlessly depressing. Life in India is really awful for poor people and they never, ever catch a break. That pretty much sums up this book up. Things are bad and they just get worse and I guess I just don't want to read about it. "

" I loved this book, very well written and drew me in completely. "

" This was such a good book. Very hard to read some of the depressing circumstances but I couldn't put it down. Extreme poverty in India. "

" One of my top 10 all time favorites. An amazing tale of the resilience of the human spirit. "

" One of my very favorite books. "

" In a minority of people who didn't like this. "

" This is a well-told story about various people in India from different castes who help each other. The characters are described so well that the reader feels she knows them. "

" I love historical fiction. This book gives a terrifying look into India and what people must do to survive. "

" what a devastaiting story!... I have never cried so much after reading a book. beautifuly constructed background and characters. magnificent epic book. "

" Beautifully descriptive images of modern India, with touching characterizations. An amazing story. "

" Third on my list of books that take place in India or are about India, and I'm just devouring them. This book is incredible. Mistry makes you fall in love with the characters! "