Our Score:★★★✩✩✩✩✩✩✩
GENRE: Cultural Fiction
Selected by Nic- May 2009
SYNOPSIS:
Balram Halwai is the White Tiger - the smartest boy in his village. His family is too poor for him to afford for him to finish school and he has to work in a teashop, breaking coals and wiping tables. But Balram gets his break when a rich man hires him as a chauffeur, and takes him to live in Delhi. The city is a revelation. As he drives his master to shopping malls and call centres, Balram becomes increasingly aware of immense wealth and opportunity all around him, while knowing that he will never be able to gain access to that world. As Balram broods over his situation, he realizes that there is only one way he can become part of this glamorous new India - by murdering his master.
(Synopsis taken from Amazon)
REVIEW: (Contains spoilers)
Nic's Thoughts:
My final verdict of this book is that I enjoyed it and found it to be thought provoking. I actually felt quite sick while reading some of the vivid descriptions and at times thought to myself I do not like this book. However, on reflection by being so descriptive it was able to portray the reality of India for the majority of citizens living there.
One of the analogues I particularly liked was the Rooster Coop syndrome. Balram describes the poor of India like hens and roosters stuffed into wire cages spending their days pecking and fighting with each other just to breathe. They are so busy fighting among each other for the chance to breathe that they will never be able to escape their cages.
Gemma's Thoughts:
A very peculiar book told in the form of letters and within the time frame of a sequence of nights. There is lots of irony in the novel which is humorous at times. The book is written in first person told as a confession, which adds a touch of uniqueness to the novel. Although I didn't love the book and found it a bit of a chore at times, it definitely had an ending I didn't see coming and picked up pace towards the end.
Emma's Thoughts:
I do love a book where we get to read about different countries and cultures and I quite like a book in the form of letters. The author doesn't sugar coat the view of India, but as for the story I can't say it's something I'll remember as 'stand out interesting' and wouldn't recommend this read. A BookCosy fail!
THE SCORES:
Emma: 3
Gemma: 3
Maria: 3
Nic: 5
Pamela: 4
Sandra: 3
Average 3
Let us know what you thought about this book. We would love to read your reviews and hear what you would score it.
If you enjoyed reading this book why not try:
Two Caravans by Marina Lewycka
The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini
The Maid's Room by Fiona Mitchell
Happy reading!