Book: Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry

[Krishna]

** Original Post on March 12, 2012 **

The author of A Fine Balance (reviewed earlier here) has finally produced another book. Just like all his earlier books, this one is also about a member of the Indian Parsi community and again, just like his earlier books, this one is set in Bombay, and has the Indian political and social events as the backdrop to the story. These features are Rohinton Mistry’s trademarks, and work well for him.

But there is a difference. Rohinton writes only a book every few years, and the story’s backdrop refers to a different political background, based on the time of writing. This being his most recent work, this book describes a much more
contemporary times, and is really a fine piece of work. Comparisons to A Fine Balance are inevitable. I personally think it does not measure quite up to that standard, but it is a gripping story and has all the elements of human life and its miseries well investigated, as we have come to expect from Rohinton.

This tells the story of the old man, Nariman Vakeel, and his past involving Lucy. The story is populated by his stepson Jal
Contractor, who is a mild mannered individual, Coomy Contractor, who shows how people can be callous and cruel without intending to be, his daughter Roxana and her family. Her husband Yezad’s transformation from a principled but fun-loving person to religious fundamentalism through some mistakes and weaknesses is well brought out.

Many colourful characters from the neighbourhood brighten up the story. As usual the family goes through a lot of tragedy, and there is a sense of futility in struggling against life in general that conspires to do one in. The story is filled with a lot of pathos and unexpected deaths fill the story too, in the style of A Fine Balance.

A definite good read. I give it a 7/10

— Krishna