The spirits in the book felt as much an integral part of the natural balance of the world as any animal would. Ive never encountered pages that took me so far, and removed me from my own way of life and way of thinking the way a fine balance did. The narrative structure for the first half is awkward and unsatisfying. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. The nightingale is a novel, written by kristin hannah and published in 2015. What effect is achieved by the novels mildly comic ending, with om and ishvar clowning around at dinas door.
The nightingale is a historical fiction novel which tells the story of two sisters who come of age in france, and their struggle to survive the german occupation during world war ii. A fine balance v a fine balance displays a compassionate realism and narrative sweep that recall the work of charles dickens. A fine balance is, in many ways, a total mess of a novel. A widening split in the nightingale family came about because of. The novel gives us a vivid picture of life for members of the untouchable caste in remote villages. If i have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this. The nightingale by kristin hannah book club discussion. A boy grows up in the northern mountains of india, well cared for.
Contrast uses of the nightingale as a symbol in the work of coleridge and. For those who have not yet read this months novel, heres my personal hopefully nonspoiler assessment. A fine balance is a book that will stay in my memory forever. Four years old at the time of her mothers death, isabelle was dismissed as an inconvenience by both her father and her sister, vianne. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Alix came up with some great ideas and discussion questions. Discussion questions start your own book club and get the discussion going. Popularly known as the lady with the lamps by one and all, florence nightingale is the mother of modern nursing. Isabelle, for example, is told that women do not go to war.
This magnificent novel captures all the cruelty and corruption, dignity and heroism, of india. 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. But these are not the reasons i love the book so much. She uses the small town of carriveau as a main setting that dramatically contrasts with the evil that is about to come to a country that has surrendered to the nazis, and is now being occupied. It was refreshing to see a different story come to life of women who fought and struggled for years during an occupied france and who somehow still came out. Meanwhile, vianns journey from passive to active resistance is less dramatic but no less wrenching.
Events cause him to be sent to the city to become schooled. Considering isabelle and vianne, would you rather be loved, admired, or known. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the nightingale by kristin hannah. Reading guide for the nightingale by kristin hannah. The nightingale opens with an intriguing statement that lays out one of the major themes of the book. Rohinton mistry has been compared to charles dickens in his finest years when he was able so profoundly to look at the human spirit juxtaposed against the inhumane conditions. In that way i think it also maybe inadvertently emphasised the differences between monotheist religions and heathen spirituality. The nightingale discussion questions all good books blog. Times book award for fiction, the commonwealth writers prize, canadas prestigious giller prize and was a 1996 booker prize finalist. Why has mistry chosen not to name the prime minister or the city by the sea. For additional prompts, here are some questions to enliven your discussion. I reread this book for my book club, and i have to say, it remains my favorite.
After being sent to and expelled from a series of girls. That is totally unheard of, and that is proof that it will not disappoint you if you pick it for a book. Florence nightingale books list of books by author florence. A fine balance rohinton mistry, 1995 random house 624 pp. Book discussion guide for the nightingale by kristin hannah. This book guide has moved to my new blog, relevant reads. The bear and the nightingale book club final discussion. May 20, 2016 the nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in germanoccupied, wartorn france a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. The questions, discussion topics, and suggested reading list that follow are intended to enhance your groups experience of reading rohinton mistrys a fine balance. The questions, discussion topics, and suggested reading list. Kristin hannah goodreads author topics about this book topics that mention this book. It tells the story of two sisters in france during world war ii, and their struggle to survive and resist the german occupation of france. Rohinton mistry booklist rohinton mistry message board.
A detailed discussion of the writing styles used running throughout the nightingale including including point of view, structure, language, and meaninggreat supplemental information for school essays and projects. With the introduction of the novels two heroines, vianne and isabelle, in the following chapters, the elderly womans identity as one of the two becomes clear. The writing is excellent and the storytelling is perfect. Mistrys prose is alive with enduring images and a cast of unforgettable characters. Set more than fifty years after most of the novels action takes place, chapter 1 gives an ambiguous glimpse into how the story will ultimately conclude. Feb 03, 2015 codenamed the nightingale, isabelle will rescue many before shes captured. This 77page guide for the nightingale by kristin hannah includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 39 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. In these precarious circumstances, four characters form an unlikely alliance.
It tells the story of four unlikely people whose lives come together during a time of political turmoil soon after the government declares a state of internal emergency. Nov 14, 2008 w hen florence nightingale died, aged 90, in 1910, a female doctor signed the certificate that allowed the event to be recorded and registered. Use these questions to get started on a fine balance. Kristin hannah, the nightingale one thing we loved about this wwii book is that it told the story of two remarkable women who were heroes in the war and we so rarely hear those stories. Coming off the nightingale, her wildly successful world war ii novel, kristin. This is an immediately absorbing story set in france during the german occupation during world war ii.
The nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in germanoccupied, wartorn france. I loaned out my first copy and never got it back so i have gotten a second copy and am reading the book again. We hope they will provide many interesting angles from which to approach this sweeping and magnificent novel by one of the most powerful of contemporary writers. Through days of bleakness and hope, their circumstances and their fates become inextricably linked in. Why has mistry chosen not to name the prime minister or the city by the sea, when they are easily identifiable.
The nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in germanoccupied, wartorn francea heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of. The people of france are living a peaceful life as word begins to spread of the german advancement nearing their borders. A fine balance, rohinton mistrys stunning internationally acclaimed bestseller, is set in mid1970s india. A fine balance by rohinton mistry oprahs book club. This study guide consists of approximately 86 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of a fine balance. I always find that the most enjoyable winter reads are the books that invoke a cold wind howling outside and a story being told next to a glowing. Every week well have new discussion questions for the nightingale. A fine balance like pax said, the suicide hit me hard, but didnt disappoint me. His new novel, family matters, will be released by knopf in 2002. The nightingale has easily found its way to one of my favorite books to recommend.
Times prize in fiction, commonwealth writers best book of the year, and giller prize. But a fine balance reminded me of the value of family and friendship. The government has just declared a state of emergency, in. Please note that both the audio guide above and the printed one below contain spoilers to the book. This study guide consists of approximately 102 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the nightingale. Learn more about a fine balance, an oprahs book club selection. The corrupt and brutal government has just declared a state of emergency, and the country is on the edge of chaos. Although some may feel daunted by the over 300 page book, it is worth every page. Isabelle is definitely one of my all time favorite heroes. Florence nightingale had been born in florence, italy, on may 12, 1820. Ive provided links below to other good lists from which to find book club selections. The nightingale essays are academic essays for citation. A fine balance culture vultures lonely planet forum. Instead, it is a beautiful and compassionate portrait of the resiliency of the human spirit when faced with death, despair, and unconscionable suffering.
Nov 30, 2001 a fine balance by rohinton mistry announced november 30, 2001 discussion questions 1. The nightinale by kristin hannah book club discussion. The nightingale book by kristin hannah thriftbooks. A fine balance chapter 2, for dreams to grow summary. Listen to kristin hannah read the discussion guide for her new novel the nightingale. The nightingale will prompt great conversation at your book club. 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. Vianne is confused by her new wartime role as provider. I doubt the book can be understood as a whole if you cant understand the ending. The phrase a fine balance reminds me of a fine line where there is barely a thread between one extreme and the other. This is the first book in our history ten years that every single person gave it a 5 star rating. A fine balance is the second novel by rohinton mistry. Jul 23, 2016 the nightingale will prompt great conversation at your book club. Oct 09, 2015 the heart of a great book club is great discussion books, but a great book isnt necessarily the same thing as a great book club book more on this later.
Though it takes place in a time of political upheaval and chaos, a fine balance is not a political diatribe. With courage, grace and powerful insight, bestselling author kristin hannah captures the epic panorama of world war ii and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen. Set in an unidentified city in india, initially in 1975 and later in 1984 during the turmoil of the emergency, the book concerns four characters from varied backgrounds dina dalal, ishvar darji, his nephew omprakash darji and the young student maneck kohlah who come together and develop a bond. Ive spent a long time trying to figure it out since i finished reading, because i think that it has to be central to mistrys goals in the book. Kristin hannah photo courtesy of the authors website. The nightingale covers five primary periods in the lives of vianne rossignol mauriac and isabelle rossignol 1. In those days, florence was a most unusual name for a girl. The selection of a fine balance for oprahs book club in 2001 changed the nature of mistrys career, as it has for many authors. Is nusswan presented entirely as a villain, or does he have redeeming features. A fine balance by rohinton mistry book club discussion.
A fine balance book jackson county library services. Check out all these discussion worthy book club books perfect for your next. The nightingale cliffsnotes study guides book summaries. It was well received by critics and literature readers and like such a long journey it also earned a shortlisting for the 1996 booker prize ultimately won by graham swifts last orders. Learn about nightingale s biography, her career, her works that shaped nursing. Hannah vividly demonstrates how the nazis, through starvation, intimidation and barbarity both casual and calculated, demoralized the french, engineering a community. Although it is bleak, i found it hopeful, too, and it sent me home considerably lighter than when i arrived. While already respected, he had now earned a recognition with a new readership in the hundreds of thousandsa readership that was by and large unlikely to pick up a sprawling book set in 1970s india. When viannes husband, antoine, is conscripted to fight for france against the attacking germans, vianne and their daughter, sophie, try to continue normal life in carriveau without him, imagining that he will return soon. Does a fine balance show peoples vulnerability, or their fortitude. The nightingale, by kristin hannah, is about two sisters struggling to survive during world war ii in france. Ya buddy readers the nightingale, by kristin hannah restarting april 28th 2020.
If youre looking for a fiction title for your book club that will provide plenty of material for discussion, here are 72 possibilities. The book captures many of the eras attitudes about men and women. Hannah is also the author of the new york times bestsellers firefly lane, winter garden, night road, fly away, and home front, which has been optioned for film by 1492 films producers of the oscar. The all good books discussion group will meet thursday, march 9, 2017 at 7 pm at the community of christ 7842 mission road, prairie village, ks to discuss the nightingale by kristin hannah. A fine balance amnesty international book club canada. The nightingale by kristin hannah, signed abebooks. The image of the children on the pole immediately comes to mind.
Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. In 1820, the year of nightingale s birth, there had. A fine balance creates an enduring panorama of the human spirit in an. Her latest novel is the great alone, set in alaska. Written with compassion, humor, and insight, a fine balance is a vivid, richly textured, and powerful novel written by one of the most gifted writers of our time.
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