Reviews

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

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shasha's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny informative sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

apobec's review against another edition

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adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

An interesting story of a boy from an Indian village who becomes a servant/driver, then eventually kills his master, runs off and runs his own taxi business. It’s told through the intriguing lens of retrospective letters the protagonist is writing to the Chinese primer minister ahead of an upcoming visit, purporting to use his story to teach the prime minister about Indian entrepreneurship. Through the story we’re treated to a class commentary about how-the-other-half-lives: the mindset of the master and servant classes, the casual cruelty of the privileged few forcing the narrator to a cruelty of his own. At the edges, the moral is reflected at the global scale: the West cruelly takes Indians (and Chinese) for granted, and the protagonist foresees the downtrodden savvy Asians soon overtaking their white “masters”.

The story was interesting, but didn’t pull me in quite as much as some of the other recent prize-winners I’ve read. It drags a bit at times, and I’m not sure I would’ve made it through without a well-timed plane flight. But it’s still an interesting read, a window into another place and people, and a bold storytelling mechanic/frame that stands out. Would certainly recommend to a friend.

saltairinanenvelope's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

megatron_zz's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

pinksreads's review against another edition

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3.0

Genre: contemporary, picaresque
Rating: 3.5/5

This was a weird one. I enjoyed it, and 3.5 starts is definitely a positive rating. But it was disturbing.

This book seems like a very far-fetched, one case scenario, but that's probably me coming from my middle class bubble. The reason why it is disturbing is because it can be true very easily. Also, the fact that it was written in first perspective was a stellar move. It can really get to you, when it is enforced by the first perspective.

The writing was a little off-putting at times, because it jumped timelines a lot without making it very clear. But it got back on track quickly. It was also pretty straightforward with nothing left to the imagination of the reader. It did not do descriptions very well, though. The book could've done a much better job at describing the different cities in India, since it focused on two of the largest, most-populated ones: Delhi and Bangalore. Each city also has its own people, and that wasn't done very well either. In essence, some cultural nuances could've been improved.

The plot was great. We knew where the plot would eventually go, since it is a recap story. But it took unprecedented turns throughout.

I have nothing much to say except this book hits the nail in the head with respect to many aspects of Indian society.

kateburstein31's review against another edition

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4.0

This was a fast-paced book that focuses on the effects of the caste system on different characters’ lives. I found this to be an overall interesting read that kept me engaged and wanting to know more as the plot continued.