A fine balance might just be the most intricate storytelling ever. Rohinton Mistry’s Novel set in the 1970s is a piece of art. The turn of events is unpredictable and yet so realistic. Set during the emergency period in India, A fine balance takes you through the lives of four people, who are different from each other in all respects, they come with their own baggage and take time to open up with each other, and yet they are beautiful together. Rohinton brings out the complexities of the lives of these four people, and other people around them in the most passionate and empathetic manner. Throughout this book, you live the lives of everyone and you feel the pain of each of these people individually.

The way in which the lives have been described has a rawness to it, Rohinton does not hold back when writing about them. They are no heroes, no villains but humans, who get upset, take a break and sometimes give up.

An opinion you might or might not share - A fine balance is a fine balance of thoughts throughout the book. Your love and hate towards the characters, your thoughts on the brutality of the government, your thoughts on the will power of people everything hangs in a fine balance throughout the read. Also, there had been so many places where Rohinton’s own ideology could have crept up through any one of his characters, but it doesn’t and that is what I feel is the beauty of the book. Even in its hardest time, people deal with what is going on as humans and do not think about the bigger picture or comment on it. I think this is something that applies even now, common people deal with hardships and not in the way politicians or intellectuals argue about. It’s just about survival at the end of the day.

The novel does have its high points scattered around the book but it is a melancholy read. However, if you appreciate good writing and awesome storytelling, this might just be the book for you.