[BBB#1] The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

This novel tells the tale of Balram Halwai, a boy born into the sweet-maker caste. As with members of the lower castes, Balram was destined for a life of perpetual servitude. Yet Balram vehemently refuses to believe this. Balram believes that he is unique - different from the rest of his tribe just like a White Tiger; and is willing to do whatever it takes to transcend class boundaries.

Balram eventually succeeds in becoming a successful entrepreneur in India, which in a society plagued by vast inequalities and rampant corruption, was no easy feat indeed. The White Tiger is a brilliant account of how he does so.

Throughout the book, Aravind Adiga shares many thought-provoking quotes. One of my favourites is: "The coop is guarded from the inside". Using the analogy of roosters trapped in a coop to describe members of the lower castes who are unable to move up in society, Aravind Adiga sheds light into an idea that is contrary to what many readers might be led to believe - it is not only the members of the upper castes that are responsible for perpetuating the status quo of the lower castes, it is the members of the lower castes themselves.

Overall, I found this book to be an incredibly enjoyable read. Written with a dark yet amusing take on the Indian society, I'd recommend The White Tiger to anyone who's interested in social inequalities or even political ideologies. It's also wonderful that Netflix is coming up with a movie adaptation of the book, and I can't wait to see it!

Want the book? Get it now on The Book Depository.