A Fine Balance in Read a book from each country

Apr 01, 2014 Rachel rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, india, international-authors, booker-nominee, asia-eurasia, human-suffering, set-in-1970s, takes-me-somewhere-else, read-in-2016, has-stayed-with-me

Set in India during the time of the Emergency under Indira Ghandi, this story follows the lives and misfortunes of four characters who end up sharing a home together. Firstly the widowed Dina Dalal and her fight for independence as a woman without a male protector in a society not embracing of femininism. She fights against the misogyny of her brother, the tyranny of the landlords and plain gruelling poverty. Next there are the two tailors, Ishvar and Omprakesh, from the untouchable caste, their Set in India during the time of the Emergency under Indira Ghandi, this story follows the lives and misfortunes of four characters who end up sharing a home together. Firstly the widowed Dina Dalal and her fight for independence as a woman without a male protector in a society not embracing of femininism. She fights against the misogyny of her brother, the tyranny of the landlords and plain gruelling poverty. Next there are the two tailors, Ishvar and Omprakesh, from the untouchable caste, their battles are against classism, oppression and just pure evil, as their family and homes are destroyed, then even the slum dwelling they end up in is bulldozed by the government as part of a beautification scheme. Lastly there is Manesh, a student from a slightly more affluent home, who watches his father unravel as the countryside he loves is destroyed for the sake of progress. These four manage to form a happy alliance, overcoming their own prejudices and obstacles to do so. So the book seems to take a turn for good after all the tragedies that have occurred. (view spoiler) ...more

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