Selection Day

Starred review from November 7, 2016
With his brilliant, raw energy ricocheting off of every line, Booker winner Adiga (White Tiger) turns his wry wit and his scrutiny to the youth leagues of cricket in Mumbai, following the successes and failures of teenage brothers Radha Krishna and Manjunath Kumar, who have been both formed and broken by their visionary but abusive father, Mohan. Brought to Mumbai as children after their mother left, the boys have grown up in a “one-room brick shed, divided by a green curtain.” Ever since, they’ve spent every hour hoping and preparing for a different future, which they know depends on their ability to outshine all the other boys on the cricket field. To either help or hinder this process comes a cast of scouts, recruiters, and hangers-on, each of whom is etched with Adiga’s trademark clarity—they are as defined by their fate as they are resentful of it. “Revenge is the capitalism of the poor,” he writes, describing Mohan’s resolve to prove the potential of his sons, as well as their eventual attempts to escape him. But the claim also fuels the energy of the novel as a whole, unraveling the tremendous grit and fierce inner conflicts that come with the pursuit of revenge. Though Radha is known throughout Mumbai as the “best batsman” and Manju the “second best batsman,” this is shockingly upturned, a move from which no one ever quite recovers. Meanwhile, as Manju in particular comes of age, he wrestles with what the sport demands and what he’s willing to sacrifice in turn.

Narrator Sartaj Garewal lends great charm to Adiga's engaging and intimate novel. With great sensitivity, Garewal portrays two young brothers who are moving up the ranks of India's hyper-competitive cricket world. The brothers' opposing characters form the crux of the novel, and Garewal's subtle characterizations of them are outshone only by his nuanced depiction of their controlling father. That said, as expert as Garewal is as a character actor, his neglect of Adiga's powerful descriptive passages is notable. While the intense narratives on the cricket pitch are deftly delivered, the more contemplative moments--Adiga's true strength as a writer--fall short and are often monotonous. One has the sense that the talented Garewal has more to give to this stunning novel. Z.S. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

May 15, 2017

Narrator Sartaj Garewal's energy couldn't be more rousingly infectious as he voices the unforgettable characters in Adiga's (The White Tiger) latest. Raised in a Mumbai slum by a fiercely demanding father, the two Kumar brothers are destined to become cricket champions by the sheer will of their training-obsessed parent. Radha, the elder, is already a local celebrity, but Manju, now 14, is quickly gaining the attention of top talent scout Tommy Sir and local businessman Anand Mehta, who is convinced Manju just might be his next best investment. Caught in the whirlwind of other people's expectations and demands, Manju has little time to consider what he wants and who he wishes to be as the brothers must come to terms with unpredictable, uncertain futures. Garewal's impressive range makes each character memorably distinct, from confident Radha and questioning Manju to their ambitious father and an enthralling cast of friends, followers, and detractors. His spirited presentation is an unflagging delight, enhancing an already stupendous narrative with even more gusto and charm.VERDICT No literary fiction collection would be complete without this Selection. ["Committed readers will find a solid story between the wickets": LJ 1/17 review of the Scribner hc.]--Terry Hong, Smithsonian BookDragon, Washington, DC

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