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veronicachp's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
This book wasn't what I expected, but in a good way for once. Rather than a sensationalized, gory slasher-film style recitation of the attacks, it actually presents a thoughtful and nuanced look at the factors that created the Champawat Tiger, and has empathy for both the victims and the tigress herself. In my opinion it does get a bit bogged down in human history at some points, but the historical passages are still interestingly written and you can understand why the author felt like it was relevant information to include. My main qualm while reading was "okay this is all very interesting, but where's the terror?" but the author really brought it home in the last few chapters, showing that he is not only capable of writing interesting history, but truly gripping action as well.
birdkeeperklink's review
adventurous
dark
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Animal death
mnstarr's review
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Death, and Colonisation
England's colonization of India plays a big role in the amount of people the Champawat tiger kills, and so the author takes the time to outline this.jmatkinson1's review
4.0
The Champawat man-eater was supposed to have killed over 430 men, women and children in border land between India and Nepal in the early years of the 20th Century. In this book Huckelbridge looks at the tiger as an example of an apex predator and examines why tigers turn from killing their normal prey into attacking humans. The book then describes the hunt for the Champawat tiger and the aftermath of her death, a killing in which the hunter becomes a passionate environmentalist. Covering ideas about colonialism, biology, ecology and society in India, this is a fascinating read.
maitrey_d's review
3.0
Extremely overwrought prose, filled with cliches and at times repetitive statements. I really wonder if the book was ever seriously edited. And a travesty when you compare it to Corbett's own taut style of narration.
Although Huckelbridge makes some attempt at addressing Corbett's paternalism in his writings, I was struck by the fact that Huckelbridge cannot shake off his own bumbling white guy act. Particularly egregious was the not-naming of Indian/Nepali names throughout the book (although Huckelbridge thanks his native guides by name), especially the tahsildar of Champawat who played such a crucial role in Corbett's hunt of the maneater. Corbett didn't name him in his original account, and neither does Huckelbridge in this one, despite the fact that he tracks down the name in colonial records to verify Corbett's story. It left a particularly sour taste in the mouth, despite the fact that Huckelbridge is otherwise sympathetic to local environmental and conservation causes.
I only liked the bits that had a very brief and readable account of environmental changes in both Nepal and Kumaon at the turn of the 20th Century.
Although Huckelbridge makes some attempt at addressing Corbett's paternalism in his writings, I was struck by the fact that Huckelbridge cannot shake off his own bumbling white guy act. Particularly egregious was the not-naming of Indian/Nepali names throughout the book (although Huckelbridge thanks his native guides by name), especially the tahsildar of Champawat who played such a crucial role in Corbett's hunt of the maneater. Corbett didn't name him in his original account, and neither does Huckelbridge in this one, despite the fact that he tracks down the name in colonial records to verify Corbett's story. It left a particularly sour taste in the mouth, despite the fact that Huckelbridge is otherwise sympathetic to local environmental and conservation causes.
I only liked the bits that had a very brief and readable account of environmental changes in both Nepal and Kumaon at the turn of the 20th Century.