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Attracted by the flaming artsy cover and the surname Guha , I picked up the novel The Tiger’s Share by Keshava Guha and I here are my impressions of this author , his writing style and of course the book itself.But before that , a little bit about the author.
Keshava Guha, a writer and journalist, is best known for his ability to combine sharp social observation with literary sophistication. Son of the acclaimed historian Ramachandra Guha, Keshava brings his own distinct voice to contemporary Indian fiction. His debut novel Accidental Magic (2019) explored fandom, friendship, and fantasy, while The Tiger’s Share establishes him further as a writer unafraid to dissect India’s elite world with wit and precision. His prose is layered, demanding, and brimming with cultural references—at times reminiscent of Shashi Tharoor’s love for baroque language and intellectual playfulness.
The Tiger’s Share unfolds in Delhi, a city that has inspired countless writers but is rarely dissected with such biting irony. The narrative centers around a group of well-heeled Delhiites whose lives intersect in unexpected ways. The story moves through the glass-paneled offices of investment bankers, the hushed halls of art galleries, and the air-conditioned drawing rooms of South Delhi bungalows, where power and privilege are as omnipresent as the air itself.
The protagonist Brahm Saxena is entangled in a world of ambition, deceit, and personal compromise.The book initially appears to be a satire on Delhi’s elite class—a witty exposé of their hypocrisies, pretensions, and obsession with appearances seen through the eyes of Tara Saxena who is also Brahm Saxena’s elder daughter and a lawyer. The first chapter starts with Brahm Saxena calling for a “Summit” – an urgent family meeting apparently to discuss his will. But as the chapters progress, a deeper, more layered story emerges. Beneath the polish of privilege lies an intricate web of betrayal, loyalty, and moral dilemmas.
And then comes the twist. The last act of the novel delivers a revelation so startling that it left me literally gasping. It reconfigured everything I thought I understood about the characters and their motivations. The ending stayed with me long after I closed the book.Perhaps this was the intent of the author all along, forcing the reader to reconsider questions of morality, ambition, and the price of claiming the Tiger’s share.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of Guha’s writing is his razor-sharp wit. Few contemporary Indian authors manage to blend satire and storytelling so seamlessly. His descriptions of Delhi’s neighborhoods are particularly memorable. Whether he is contrasting the pomp of Lutyens’ Delhi with the nouveau riche flashiness of Gurgaon, or mocking the discreet pretentiousness of South Delhi socialites, Guha paints a picture that is both hilarious and uncomfortably accurate.
There are passages where you can almost hear the author chuckling as he sketches characters who flaunt their cosmopolitanism but betray narrow provincial prejudices in casual remarks. The novel abounds with subtle digs—at cocktail-party intellectuals, at self-proclaimed philanthropists, at the endless networking that defines Delhi’s upper crust.
In many ways, The Tiger’s Share is as much a novel about a city as it is about its people. Delhi, with its contradictions, excesses, and unyielding hierarchies, comes alive in Guha’s prose.
But here lies the double-edged sword of Guha’s craft: his language. The prose is not easygoing. His sentences are elaborate, his vocabulary intimidating, and his references wide-ranging. Readers will often stumble upon words and allusions that demand a pause and a quick lookup. At times, you may feel as though you are attending a cocktail party with Shashi Tharoor—polished, erudite, and delightfully obscure.
For example, Guha tosses in references to history, politics, philosophy, and literature with an ease that can leave the average reader scrambling. A conversation might casually invoke a French philosopher, a cricketing anecdote, and a policy debate in the span of a single paragraph. If you are reading a paperback, this might be frustrating, but on a Kindle, the built-in dictionary and Wikipedia integration make it far more manageable.
So here’s my advice: if your English is average, pick up the Kindle edition. You’ll thank me later when you can look up words and references without breaking the flow of the story. What may seem like a stumbling block at first quickly turns into a rewarding journey—by the end of the book, you realize you’ve not only read a novel but also enriched your vocabulary and cultural knowledge.
Beyond the sharp satire and the linguistic fireworks, The Tiger’s Share raises some important questions. It interrogates the moral compromises people make in their pursuit of success and status. It also highlights how privilege shields certain individuals while exposing others to the harshest consequences of the ambition of few.
The title itself—The Tiger’s Share—is a clever twist on the phrase “lion’s share” hinting at both dominance and danger. It suggests that in the jungle of Delhi’s elite, survival often depends on how ruthlessly one can claw their way up.
What struck me most was the subtle commentary on the loneliness that lies behind privilege. Guha’s characters, for all their money and influence, often seem adrift, insecure, or searching for meaning. The novel nudges us to question whether success without integrity can ever bring satisfaction.
My personal reading experience with this book was a mix of delight and effort. There were passages that made me laugh out loud—Guha’s ability to capture the absurdities of Delhi life is unmatched. At the same time, there were stretches where I had to slow down, reread, or look up a reference. It is not a breezy novel; it demands your attention and patience.
But the payoff is worth it. The final twist makes the journey unforgettable, and the prose stays with you long after you finish. If you enjoy novels that challenge you intellectually while also entertaining you, this one’s for you.
Would I recommend The Tiger’s Share? Absolutely—but with caveats.
Keshava Guha is not here to handhold the reader. He respects the intelligence of his audience and expects them to meet him halfway. For readers willing to make that effort, The Tiger’s Share offers wit, insight, and a literary punch that few contemporary Indian novels deliver.
In The Tiger’s Share, Keshava Guha proves himself not just as a promising novelist but as a sharp chronicler of our times. With its biting satire, demanding prose, and gasp-inducing twist, this novel is a treat for readers who enjoy being both entertained and intellectually provoked.
It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those who stay the course, it delivers the tiger’s share of rewards.
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Ratna Prabha.
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