Book Review- White Tiger

Everything in India, according to Aravind Adiga, the book’s author(or Balram Halwai, if you insist on technicalities) is absolutely nothing but a big, fucking joke. The story revolves around the aforementioned Balram Halwai, who moves from the village-The Darkness- into Delhi- The Light, to become a driver. Back in the village, he was taken out of school so he could work and pay off his sister’s dowry, which the groom’s parents “screwed the family” for.

 

Moving to the city, he learns a lot by listening to snippets of conversations of his masters, buys rich man clothes so he can enter a mall, “dips his beak” into a call girl and does many other things which only big, bad city boys do. Ultimately however, being the ‘first-gear’ man that he is, he gets sick of being a servant. The story takes a new turn, with Balram acquiring dreams of killing his master and being his own master. In the end, he does, and moves to Bangalore to become an entrepreneur. Don’t curse me for ruining it for you, because I didn’t, really. The storyline is more or less predictable and Balram Halwai is one of the most sluggish protagonists I’ve ever come across, at least for someone who’s supposed to be a White Tiger.

 

Now don’t get me wrong, I think the book is written wonderfully. In more than a few instances, one cannot help but chuckle at the sheer simplicity, yet somehow mixed with satire, of Balram’s words. His observations of daily life are presented in a macabre but very entertaining way. It really gets readers thinking about what a messed up country we live in.

 

If Gregory David Roberts’ Shantaram managed to ooze optimism out of every dark little Indian corner, Aravind Adiga does just the opposite. He criticizes pretty much everything, from how village women look, to how city women dress, to politicians to landlords to his own grandmother. No wonder Balram Halwai become a murderer, as his character seems to be exceptionally full of hate.

 

White Tiger is an enjoyable read, albeit extremely dark. Read it if you enjoy subtle humour, akin to that of Mark Haddon or the Adrian Mole series. Laugh at the atrocities of the Indian system(be it family, parliamentary democracy, marriage, schooling, ANYTHING!) but beware- this book has the uncanny ability to suck you in, although you might hate every bit of reading about India’s Rotten Heart.

All in all,read it only for the gruesome interpretation of India “shining” But to think this book won The Man Booker Prize- What A Fucking Joke.