White Tiger, Book Review

5 Dec '09,
10:45 PM,
Bhopal,
Despite all the apprehensions passed on to me by my friends against this book, whenever I mentioned about it, I never lost my interest in it. Not to forget Dadlani and Sarkar who have peculiarly bitter taste for this book, and were warning me about it as if I am setting off on a life threatening expedition. Possibly because my buddies have a different taste for books, so they couldn't enjoy the book as I did.People have different tastes. Just as Balram in the story who hated Pizza... What!!! No yaar... I am not comparing you with Balram ... (:-P)The real pulchritude of "White Tiger" is that it is not a novel, it's a letter. A letter written to the Premier of Republic of China, Wen Jiabao. An innovative and unconventional letter which speculates how a semi-literate person from village with a perennial greed for knowledge, would write a letter. A meticulously crafted letter which brings to life the vicinities in front of your eyes, of every scene that is narrated. The reader feels like he is sitting next to Balram while he writes the letter. The reason for choosing the addressee to be Jiabao and not some other personality is also what makes this book by Arvind Adiga, a subtle piece of art. He compares the assumed failed democracy of India to the delusive success of communism in China. The novel begins in the backdrop of Laxmangarh, a place near Gaya, and advances through Dhanbad, Delhi and finally to Bangalore where he fulfills his dream of becoming his own master. The protagonist is an extraordiray boy, with unimaginable ambitions but born in a family which can harldly earn enough food. The portions of the story which move your heart are when the writer fascinatingly conjures up the atrocities in front of our eyes, which we might not have even heard of. The boy finally makes his way through the dungeon to become an enterprenneur, and writes in the letter about his enchanting voyage from rags to riches. So if you want know how a tea stall boy, a driver, a house-help, a murderer and a fugitive think... This book will satiate you with the answers.