Aravind Adiga, The White Tiger Review

Overall Rating

The White Tiger is a great dry witted first novel which examines Indian social groups and crime levels giving you a sinister and engaging story line all in one vessel. The opinionated narrator talks to you like you're his friend and Adiga's journalist background shines through in his writing style.

You're immediately put in your place about whose eyes you'll be seeing the story unfold through. This teasing plot reveals the confession of a morally challenged rags-to-riches man leaving you gripped and strangely sympathetic at times. Adiga makes his audience feel familiar with his great use of words, 'My belly churned. I thought I would crap right there, on my seat, on the gearbox.'

Our lead character, Balram Halwai is a man looking up the ladder and attempting to climb it. At first you might think the story will merely portray the struggle and divide between poverty and wealth, but The White Tiger has a bigger picture to paint, one of impatience and desperation leading to dark acts of malice. There's a message beneath the pages for everyone. More thought provoking than didactic, but not a book you'll find easy to put down.