The White Tiger

By: Aravind Adiga

Narrated by: Bindya Solanki

Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

British Book Awards, Author of the Year, 2009.

Man Booker Prize, Fiction, 2008.

Balram Halwai is the White Tiger - the smartest boy in his village. Too poor to finish school, he has to work in a teashop until the day a rich man hires him as a chauffeur, and takes him to live in Delhi. The city is a revelation. Balram becomes aware of immense wealth all around him, and realizes the only way he can become part of it is by murdering his master.

The White Tiger presents a raw and unromanticized India, both thrilling and shocking.

©2008 Aravind Adiga (P)2008 Oakhill Publishing Ltd

Critic reviews

"Dazzling...an Indian novel that explodes the cliches...It's a thrilling ride through a global power...Brimming with idiosyncrasy, sarcastic, cunning and often hilarious." ( The Independent)

White Tiger

While this book was vastly different from my usual downloads, I thought it was fantastic and very funny in a wonderfully unique way.

Excellent take on the modern Indian commercial wor

What did you love best about The White Tiger?

Very well written, and from a fascinating angle of observation looking into the levels of affluence in today's Indian Cities. All parts of society are given a sceptical view , from a young man's position and future aspirations. Very funny mixing serious social issues with a great touch.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mrs Pinky

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Missed Out

There have been so many stellar reviews, a Booker and nearly everyone I know who's read this book highly recommend it. I guess I just missed out. It didn't grab me at all. I kept thinking that it was pretending to be Rushdie and missing the mark. The last Chapter was the high point (as it should be), but it just wasn't very high. I found the plot pedestrian and, appreciating that it's about the seedy side of the lines, there was no magic in the words.

It's always hard to write in the first person. One runs the risk of not developing the other characters. I think the risk was realised this time. I can't now recall any character that appealled to me.

As for the performance, I regret to say it just doesn't work. First, there is the problem that the narrator sounds like a young female, whereas the content is meant to be from a middling aged man. Secondly, the English accent is just disconcerting. Even allowing that Ms Solanki has the cultural background and does an ok job with the Indian accents, the majority of the book is first person narrative, and she just couldn't bridge the credibility gap. I spent a lot of time wandering off (because the text wasn't holding me) thinking about how Lyndam Gregory might have brought this to life, as he did Midnight's Children. A better narrator for THIS book may have made a world of difference. Thirdly, I found the narration annoying because it paused in unusual spots. This must have been the reader's interpretation, because the text (which was available to me) didn't read to me the way it was read to me.

Maybe I just expected too much, but this just didn't deliver on all levels.

Well over rated

This is a Booker Prize winner. It must have been a very slow year! Books out of India seem to be all the rage amongst the English intelligensia that choose competition winners. This book doesn't make the cut. For something really good in this genre try " A Fine Balance " by Rohinton Mistry. It didn't win the Booker, but should have!!!