Family Matters
"A Fine Balance" turned me into a huge Rohinton Mistry fan (having read his descriptions of life in Bombay I can certainly see why he lives in Brampton). Nariman is an elderly man, suffering from Parkinson's disease who has an accident and is forced to rely on his family for care. His well-to-do stepchildren, whom he lives with, cannot cope with the responsibility and send him to live with his daughter and her family who live in crowded and impoverished circumstances. It sounds like a depressing novel but it's not at all. He has such a way with dialogue! It's funny and there is enough of a plot to keep it moving along. His insight into family relations is deep and keen and hits its mark. I also like an epilogue and this has a good one, providing closure and hope for the future.