Better World Book Club: The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

Posted by Dana on 03.14.2009 at 6:19 pm

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You can also catch the selections AND discuss the book here on the blog.

Our Latest Pick

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

This is one of those books that I have been curious about for awhile.  It was somewhere on my list of books to read, but just had not risen to the top.  I think it finally jumped to the top of the pile after I saw Slumdog Millionaire, which is based on the book Q & A by Vikas Swarup.  Of course the main thing these two books have in common is that they take place in India, but after seeing the movie, I was interested in reading more about the country and the culture.

I actually really loved this book.  Though I have to say I am a bit surprised that I do.  In fact, the last book that I reviewed in which the main character was a murderer (we learn that very early on, so I’m not ruining anything for you) was Almost Moon by Alice Sebold which I struggled with a bit.  Aravind Adiga does an amazing job of creating the character of Balram who is morally questionable and yet loveable all at the same time.  In fact, most of the characters in the book are morally ambiguous, and yet you really only hate the ones that our hero hates.

It is also interesting to view the culture through the eyes of someone who starts out as the servant and ends up the master and who really has no regret about the murder he had to commit to get him there.

Ashok, the master who had spent time in America was quite an interesting character as well.  It’s like he knows the way things are is wrong, but he is powerless to change it, and in reality is too soft to really try.  He constantly refers to Balram as a member of the family, but then talks about how stupid he is right in front of him.

This one is worth reading and if you’re like me, you’ll want to talk about it.

Have your say » | Tagged Better World Book Club, Aravind Adiga, book club, fiction, Q & A, Slumdog Millionaire, The White Tiger, Vikas Swarup