A Fine Balance Group Read: July 2013

Forum75 Books Challenge for 2013

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A Fine Balance Group Read: July 2013

Dieses Thema ruht momentan. Die letzte Nachricht liegt mehr als 90 Tage zurück. Du kannst es wieder aufgreifen, indem du eine neue Antwort schreibst.

1msf59
Bearbeitet: Jul. 7, 2013, 7:38 pm



"With a compassionate realism and narrative sweep that recall the work of Charles Dickens, this magnificent novel captures all the cruelty and corruption, dignity and heroism, of India. The time is 1975. The place is an unnamed city by the sea. The government has just declared a State of Emergency, in whose upheavals four strangers--a spirited widow, a young student uprooted from his idyllic hill station, and two tailors who have fled the caste violence of their native village--will be thrust together, forced to share one cramped apartment and an uncertain future.
As the characters move from distrust to friendship and from friendship to love, A Fine Balance creates an enduring panorama of the human spirit in an inhuman state.

2msf59
Bearbeitet: Jul. 7, 2013, 7:37 pm

I have wanted to read this one for at least four or five years. Now, is the time. I hope there are a few more readers looking for just the right excuse to start this beloved modern classic.
We'll officially kick this off on the 15th of July. It's a big book. My copy runs 600 pages, with smallish print, so if you want to start earlier, knock yourself out. Depending when I finish my next book, I'll probably begin a day or 2 early.

3drneutron
Jul. 7, 2013, 8:08 pm

Posted on the group wiki.

4msf59
Jul. 7, 2013, 8:38 pm

Thanks Jim! Have you read this one?

5kidzdoc
Jul. 7, 2013, 9:04 pm

I'm in. I'll pick up my copy soon after I arrive in London on the 14th, and start reading it soon afterward.

6msf59
Jul. 7, 2013, 9:06 pm

OMG! I thought you would have read this one for sure. Now, I feel a lot less guilty.

7kidzdoc
Bearbeitet: Jul. 7, 2013, 9:12 pm

Actually I haven't read anything by Rohinton Mistry yet, although I've owned Such a Long Journey and Family Matters since 2010. I look forward to finally getting around to him!

8msf59
Jul. 7, 2013, 10:03 pm

Then, this will be very special for you, my friend.

9drneutron
Jul. 8, 2013, 8:38 am

Mark -

I haven't read it, but am looking forward to the discussion. I'd join in, but I'm already committed to a few books.

10benitastrnad
Bearbeitet: Jul. 8, 2013, 10:26 am

I checked this one out of the library on Saturday. It is much longer than I thought it would be. I am reading Long Ships right now for another group read and it is 600 pages as well. I may have over committed but I will read a little and join in the discussion when I can. Like Mark I have wanted to read this one for a long time. Now may be the time.

11wookiebender
Bearbeitet: Jul. 12, 2013, 9:07 am

I've had a copy on my shelves, I started it once but didn't get into it at the time. Maybe this is the time to try again...?

12Heduanna
Jul. 13, 2013, 11:15 am

Have been meaning to read Mistry for years, and this seems like a great time, but with so many other books on the go, and there being so much book to love here... What will the schedule/estimated finishing time be? Thanks!

13msf59
Jul. 14, 2013, 10:22 am

Benita & Tania- I hope you can join us. It looks like this will be a quiet G.R.

Heduanna- I hope you can squeeze it in. Like the rest of my Group Reads, the reading schedule is completely wide-open. Read it, as you can. I am going to try reading 50-60 pages a day, my normal reading pace.

I hope to crack this today, even if it is just a sample.

14Morphidae
Jul. 14, 2013, 3:59 pm

MrMorphy will be picking it up from the library for me tomorrow.

15kidzdoc
Jul. 15, 2013, 8:00 am

I'll start reading it tomorrow or Wednesday, after I finish Americanah and The Wasp Factory.

16msf59
Jul. 16, 2013, 7:19 am

I know there is a hesitation, (for a lot of us, anyway) on starting a book like this, with it's size and stature, a worry of it being dry and heavy-going. Well, fear not, my friends. It's anything but! I am 90 pages in and it is wonderful. Mistry has created indelible characters and keeps the narrative moving. There is even glimpses of humor, which, I admit, surprised me a little.

Anyone else, dive in?

17Morphidae
Jul. 16, 2013, 9:27 am

I got it from the library last night. I don't know if I'll be able to start it today, but definitely will by tomorrow.

18benitastrnad
Jul. 16, 2013, 10:24 am

I am still working on The Long Ships and so won't get to this one until I go on vacation. I will be tagging along however.

19phebj
Jul. 16, 2013, 1:02 pm

I'm another one that needs to finish The Long Ships before I can start but I'm looking forward to finally reading A Fine Balance.

20richardderus
Jul. 22, 2013, 2:04 am

It's just so long!

21kidzdoc
Jul. 22, 2013, 6:29 am

I'm roughly a quarter of the way through A Fine Balance, and it's superb so far.

22msf59
Bearbeitet: Jul. 22, 2013, 7:19 am

It's alive! It's alive! This place was beginning to look like a Last Man on Earth novel. Great to see some activity.
Actually, I'll be wrapping it up today and it looks like this might be my top read of the year. I will hate to let go of these wonderful characters, even though tears were spilled.

Pat & Benita- Try not to let this one get by you. I learned the hard way and put this off far far to long. You will thank me later.

RD- This is the fastest-reading LONG book, I have read, since Matterhorn. Do not fear it's length.

Darryl- It only gets better and better, but brace yourself, there will be BUMPS!

23Morphidae
Jul. 22, 2013, 8:48 am

I've read a few chapters and the writing is splendid. But I've read the plot recap and, dear lord, it's going to be a depressing read. So I'm going to take this slow and intersperse it with more pleasant reading.

24Cariola
Jul. 24, 2013, 10:55 am

Glad to be joining you all for this one; the book has been sitting on my shelf for about 15 years, and I'm not sure exactly why I haven't gotten around to it, since I loved Family Matters. I just started it yesterday afternoon, and it's a real grabber. I'm only about 75 pages in, so most of what I've read is background and set-up, but I love the characters already.

With my A/C having gone out on Monday morning, I'm likely to make another reading trek to Starbuck's this afternoon and make some more progress.

25msf59
Jul. 24, 2013, 10:58 am

We have a guest! We have a guest!

There is life in this old girl after all! Yah!

Deborah- It just keeps getting better and better, until you finish and then will have to curl up somewhere and think long and hard.

26Cariola
Jul. 25, 2013, 12:19 pm

Still working on it--just posting to keep this thread going. I'm at about page 175 and will get some more reading done today. So far, each section is providing background for the main characters. I just read what happened that caused Om to join his uncle in the city

27kidzdoc
Bearbeitet: Jul. 26, 2013, 8:36 pm

I'm nearly halfway through A Fine Balance, on page 312 of 614, and it continues to be fabulous. I have a 9-1/2 flight from London today, so I might be able to finish it by the time I arrive in Atlanta.

28msf59
Jul. 26, 2013, 7:27 am

Darryl- Glad you are enjoying it. He is an amazing storyteller and the pages fly. Just be careful, you don't want to be caught boo-hooing on the plane!

29kidzdoc
Bearbeitet: Jul. 26, 2013, 8:39 pm

I finished A Fine Balance just before my flight from London Heathrow to Atlanta landed; no crying though! I started reading it on the Underground this morning, and read nearly continuously from that point on. It was outstanding, and definitely one of my best reads of the year. It's closer to a 5 star than a 4-1/2 star read, so I'll give it my highest rating.

Thanks for encouraging me and the rest of us to read it this month, Mark!

30msf59
Jul. 26, 2013, 9:15 pm

I am glad you loved it Darryl! If there were 6 stars, I would give it that. I did not cry either but sank into a stunned silence, instead. Not a sunny look at modern India!

31SassyLassy
Aug. 7, 2013, 1:20 pm

Dropping in from Club Read to say that this is a wonderful book. Great idea for a group read. I too had it on my TBR for years and then picked it up one summer day two years ago and away I went, wondering what had taken me so long. Cariola, maybe reading it without the AC would give more of a local flavour!