Taking the mask off the elite, entitled Indian male

Keshava Guha's second novel is an acutely observed portrait of India's upper crust and their deep malaise

- Somak Ghoshal

Keshava Guha's new novel, The Tiger's Share, is a refreshing departure from his debut, Accidental Magic (2019), which was centred around the intense but somewhat rarefied world of Harry Potter fandom. In contrast, the intensity of his second book comes from its gritty, social realist setting, among the upper crust of south Delhi, nurtured by ill-gotten generational wealth, patriarchal biases, and caste superiority.

Narrated by Tara, a self-made lawyer with a thriving practice in Delhi, The Tiger's Share tells the story of her family's gradual disintegration, or rather, "disequilibrium", as she puts it. Tara's father, Brahm Saxena, a retired chartered accountant who has made his wealth from scratch, is the instigator of the disharmony. A year into his retirement, he calls for a "family summit" to discuss his future. Somewhat like eccentric King Lear, he throws a googly at his children, telling them not to expect anything from him in the way of an inheritance.