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The Book Whisperer (aka Boof)'s Reviews > The White Tiger
The White Tiger
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The Book Whisperer (aka Boof)'s review
bookshelves: read-in-2009, india, my-most-amazing-books
Jan 10, 2009
bookshelves: read-in-2009, india, my-most-amazing-books
I have just this minute finished this book and I can already tell that it will be one of those books that I will think about often. It's not a book whose plot I can easily explain, or a book that I can easily fit into a particular genre on my shelves, but my God did it pack a powerful punch. I have hardly been able to put it down between sittings.
The books is narrated via a letter from Balram Halwai, a slum-dweller-turned-driver-turned-murderer-turned-entrepreneur, to the Chinese President before the latters' trip to India and it is here that we follow Balram on an amazing journey through his life (I say "amazing" but undoubtedly typical of many in India). Although the slums of India and the government / police etc curruption is nothing I haven't come across before in books or films I still found myself shocked on almost a page-by-page basis. I liked the fact that there was no real hero in this book. There are no winners in a society like this.
This book is engrossing, shocking, humbling and eye-opening but it is narrated in such a way that there were laugh-out-load moments too. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I feel a little sad now it has come to an end. I will be watching for more of Adiga's work in the future.
The books is narrated via a letter from Balram Halwai, a slum-dweller-turned-driver-turned-murderer-turned-entrepreneur, to the Chinese President before the latters' trip to India and it is here that we follow Balram on an amazing journey through his life (I say "amazing" but undoubtedly typical of many in India). Although the slums of India and the government / police etc curruption is nothing I haven't come across before in books or films I still found myself shocked on almost a page-by-page basis. I liked the fact that there was no real hero in this book. There are no winners in a society like this.
This book is engrossing, shocking, humbling and eye-opening but it is narrated in such a way that there were laugh-out-load moments too. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I feel a little sad now it has come to an end. I will be watching for more of Adiga's work in the future.
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The White Tiger.
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Reading Progress
January 10, 2009
– Shelved
February 13, 2009
– Shelved as:
read-in-2009
Started Reading
February 15, 2009
– Shelved as:
india
February 15, 2009
– Shelved as:
my-most-amazing-books
February 15, 2009
–
Finished Reading
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message 1:
by
Chloe
(new)
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rated it 3 stars
Feb 13, 2009 08:18AM
I'd love to hear how you enjoy this one. I'm a sucker for the Booker winners.
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Ooh, Boof, I got this one for my birthday this morning, can't wait to hear how you like it!
Your review has definitely made me want to read this! I knew there was a reason I kept picking it up in bookstores (even if I did put it back down again)!
you describe it as i experienced it, too. i grew up in india, so it wasn't as shocking, could easily imagine someone in the main character's circumstance. so glad that a book focuses on what i consider more of the truth of how india is like rather the fantasized western perspective (or at least i seem to hear) of it as the next big super power. life in india for most people is SHIT, for the majority anyways.
The explanation of "rooster coop" is very well done.And yeah I liked reading the story.
