A Tiger for Malgudi is one of R.K. Narayan’s best novels. This is primarily due to the first-person narrative being handled by a tiger.
The Tiger is the main character in this book, and he narrates about the onset of living as a free animal, to then being captured by a circus owner, and the travails that followed.
The finest feature is the story of beast and man being chronicled through the perspective of the former. And individuals such as the Circus Owner, the Film Director and the Monk are specifically fun to read about. Additionally, the other animal characters like the Ape and Monkey make for excellent comic relief.
Yet, one negative factor that is undeniable is the uniformity of the events. Furthermore, the reader can sometimes exactly guess what the next paragraph will be about. Still, it concludes with a more than gratifying finish.
All in all, A Tiger for Malgudi makes for a change in mode of storytelling for R.K. Narayan—yet his trademark humor is conspicuous throughout this venture.
