“Man Tiger” by Eka Kurniawan (Indonesia)

Review

Even though it took them a while to get used to the writing style, which weaves back and forward through moments in time, readers agreed that the book, with its visceral descriptions and an evocative setting, was easy to read. They found some characters sympathetic, but didn’t warm to most of them as they felt that they lacked depth. They thought that the protagonist was an interesting character and they would have liked to know more about his connection with the white tiger, which they felt was too lightly touched upon. Readers agreed that the story would have benefited greatly had there been a better balance between the magical elements and the heavy themes of domestic violence and infidelity. As the story opens with a murder where the reader knows who the victim and perpetrator are, they liked that the suspense was maintained until the last page to find out the reason for the crime. Overall, it averaged a 7 out of 10.

Synopsis

A wry, affecting tale set in a small town on the Indonesian coast, Man Tiger tells the story of two interlinked and tormented families and of Margio, a young man ordinary in all particulars except that he conceals within himself a supernatural female white tiger… Read more

Nicola’s Book Club reading list

Season 23 – “Myth and the Magical” (Dec 2022 – May 2023)

“Ceremony” by Leslie Marmon Silko (USA) *
“Man Tiger” by Eka Kurniawan (Indonesia)
“The Island” by Ana María Matute (Spain)
“The Society of Reluctant Dreamers” by José Eduardo Agualusa (Angola)

* The book club favourite
In italics, Nicola’s Coup de Cœur