A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

In this magnificent novel reminiscent of Charles Dickens’ compassionate realism and captivating narrative style, the heart-rending tale unfolds in an unnamed coastal city in India during 1975, a time when the government has imposed a State of Emergency. Within this tumultuous backdrop, four strangers find themselves thrown together: a spirited widow, a young student displaced from his idyllic hill station, and two tailors seeking refuge from the caste violence of their native village. Sharing a cramped apartment and facing an uncertain future, they undergo a transformation from initial distrust to an unlikely friendship, and eventually, love blossoms among them. A Fine Balance beautifully captures the cruelty and corruption, as well as the dignity and heroism of India, offering an enduring portrayal of the resilience of the human spirit amidst an inhuman state.