The White Tiger
My rating
5 / 5
Self-Purchased copy
Author
Aravind Adiga
Publisher
Atlantic Books
Genre
Contemporary Fiction (Suspense)
Number of Pages
324
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“My whole life, I have been treated like a donkey. All I want is that one son of mine – at least one – should live like a man.”
Summary
Set in 2008, The White Tiger is the story of Balram, who builds his life from the darkness of an Indian village to the light of entrepreneurial success amongst city life in India. But the path he follows is not one we should aspire to. Corruption, deception, abandonment, and finally murder, Balram has to resort to several morally evil ways to be a torchbearer. For he believes that surely any successful man must spill a little blood on his way to the top.
The story is spread over seven nights when Balram tells his life’s story in the form of letters written to a certain Mr. Jiabao, a government bureaucrat visiting India from Beijing, China. Through the letters, Balram is trying to convince this gentleman to look at the real India and not the pamphlets and brochures handed out to him on his visit. India, where an innocent, sweet, village driver was forced through false accusations and persistent insults to become a wicked, debauched, and ruthless city fellow.
My review
This is Aravind Adiga’s first novel, and it is brilliant. Poignant, intelligent, humorous, heart-touching, and yet sometimes disgusting, this novel is sure to evoke a few strong and mixed emotions in you. The first time a novel has put me in a fix as to whether I should love it or hate it.
I loved the White Tiger for the little details and observations the author has penned in his story. It is not wrong to say that the author has captured the nerve of India's villages perfectly. And yet this blatant picture of India that is as yet crippled by its politicians' corrupted minds saddens me immensely. What is even more disheartening is 12 years after the publication of this novel; unfortunately, I still cannot say that India is no more like the one described in the book. Things have definitely changed. But the poor in India still continue to be exploited by the majority to the point of frustration. They still have a limited livelihood due to limited access to education, which they still believe is unessential for them.
As is rightly pointed out by the author, the gap between city life and village life is still a big valley. Although a beautiful paved, long, dangerous, winding road to connect the two now exists. This novel is so brilliant because of its raw expression, and the reality depicted that hits home. The plight of the village folks, their upbringing, their social values might disgust you, and you might hate the author’s guts, but that’s because you agree with what he writes.
“Free people don’t know the value of freedom, that’s the problem.”
Final Verdict
The book is brilliantly written but saddening and dark in terms of the protagonist’s thoughts. It has an unambiguous message – there is a light at the end of the darkest tunnel. It appeals to readers to persist despite the hardships and break free of social molding and live life on your own terms. You are limited only by your thinking and actions.
Who Should Read This
I recommend this book to readers looking for a heartfelt story about India. Cotemporary-fiction readers will also enjoy this novel. The book has adult themes of sex and murder, so I only recommend it for adult readers.
Don’t miss this unforgettable piece of work!
Happy reading!
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Aravind Adiga
Aravind Adiga was born in 1974 in Madras (now called Chennai), and grew up in Mangalore in the south of India. He was educated at Columbia University in New York and Magdalen College, Oxford. His articles have appeared in publications such as The New Yorker, the Sunday Times, the Financial Times, and the Times of India. His debut novel, The White Tiger, won the Man Booker Prize for fiction in 2008.
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