read it in 2 days. obviously couldn't put it down. relatively short novel, wish it was twice as long. ( )

Too many reviews already so I will be brief, a story of the underbelly of Indian life, Balram is an entertaining rogue.

Good read ( )

This novel masquerades as a series of letters written by an Indian man, Balram Halwai, to the Premier of China explaining what it is to be an “entrepreneur.” For Balram, the term “entrepreneur” is a euphemism for someone who has managed to rise above his caste, or social class, using whatever means required. In his persistent climb to the top, Balram takes advantage of the fluidity of identity offered by an unstable society in a state of transition. He assumes whatever position and character is most useful as he transforms himself from an uneducated village boy into a successful businessman in Bangalore.

Despite his upbeat entrepreneurial message, Balram’s narrative is filled with evidence of deep fissures in Indian society: between the high castes and the low castes, between those living in the Darkness (the rural, poor areas) and those living in the Light (the big cities), and between the rich masters and their poor servants. For Balram, these divisions reside within the body and are a kind of physical (and thus inescapable) marker:

"A rich man's body is like a premium cotton pillow, white and soft and blank. Ours are different. My father's spine was a knotted rope, the kind that women use in villages to pull water from wells; the clavicle curved around his neck in high relief, like a dog's collar …. The story of a poor man's life is written on his body, in a sharp pen."

Balram’s letters are darkly humorous and written with a savage directness in consonance with the violence and immorality underlying his success. The epistolary format feels like a clumsy literary device rather than a natural platform for Balram’s story, but his story is engaging enough to overcome its inelegant construction. Overall, The White Tiger is an interesting glimpse into a complicated society in transition.

This review also appears on my literary blog Literary License. ( )

Although I have read similar books, The White Tiger grew on me, especially at the end. The narrator is a sympathetic figure for the most part, as he is trodden upon and misused by his family, the society he is raised in and his employers. Often, as he points out himself, he is so used to being abused that he cannot tell that is what's going on. However, slowly he becomes aware of his low position and becomes more and more angry until he lashes out against the system and maneuvers to stake out a place for himself amongst India's new "entrepreneurs." However, at the end the novel clearly shows that in so doing he has become exactly as corrupt as those who kept him down all these years. This is the point at which the book began to distinguish itself from others I have read and gain some real emotional impact for me. I did think it would make a good movie. I wonder if anyone will try? ( )

This book is a tale of poverty, corruption and, ultimately, murder. The book follows Balram Halwai, a.k.a The White Tiger, through the story of his life from his beginnings of gifted child pulled out of school to earn money for his family, to successful entrepreneur with a business built on bribe money he stole from his employer. One review described this book as 'brilliantly savage' and that is exactly right: this book pulls no punches. You are not expected to like, or feel sorry for Balram as he tells you the story of his life; in his words 'what a fucking joke'. The book is tightly paced and there are moments of high tension when you just cannot put the book down (e.g. when Balram gets framed for a hit and run by his employer). It is so cleverly written that you don't know what to think. Part of me was shocked at the cold-blooded murder at the end of the book, and part of me thought 'thank goodness he's free'. Left me very thoughtful and the book has stayed with me. Read it, because you need to know. ( )