46 pages 1 hour read

Aravind Adiga

The White Tiger

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2008

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga is a coming-of-age story that examines the conflict between tradition and innovation in India through the rise of Munna Balram Halwai to a successful entrepreneur in former Bangalore. The novel, narrated through letters to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, highlights Balram's journey from his village to the city, which includes corrupt dealings and a murder to achieve success. Includes racially charged language and sentiments, a death by tuberculosis, and murder, including the accidental death of a child.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger is an engaging and darkly humorous critique of India's class struggles. Reviewers praise its sharp social commentary and vivid, candid prose. However, some find the protagonist's moral ambiguities unsettling and the depiction of poverty overly bleak. Overall, it offers a provocative, thought-provoking narrative.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The White Tiger?

Readers who appreciate incisive social commentary and complex character studies will enjoy The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. Fans of Slumdog Millionaire and The God of Small Things will find its exploration of poverty and ambition in modern India captivating and thought-provoking.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Genre

Indian Literature

Coming of Age / Bildungsroman

Topics

Poverty

Class

Themes

Society: Globalization

Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal