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        A Fine Balance


        setting

        Bombay, India

        time

        1975-1984

        language

        English

        region

        Asia-pacific

        year published

        1995

        page count

        603

        difficulty

        Difficult

        main characters

        Dina Dalal, Ishvar Darji, Omprakash Darji, Maneck Kohlah

        Rip's impressions

        first line

        The morning express bloated with passengers slowed to a crawl, then lurched forward suddenly, as though to resume full speed. The train’s brief deception jolted its riders. The bulge of humans hanging out of the doorway distended perilously, like a soap bubble at its limit.

        last lines

        (spoiler alert)