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Last Man in Tower
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Jedes Gebäude hat eine Geschichte zu erzählen. Doch mitten im Dschungel von Mumbai stehen ein Gebäude und ein Mann auf der Grenze zwischen Indiens Vergangenheit und Zukunft.
Über den Autor
Aravind Adiga, geb. 1974 in Madras, wuchs zeitweise in Sydney, Australien, auf, studierte Englische Literatur an der Columbia University und am Magdalen College in Oxford. Er arbeitete als Korrespondent für die Zeitschrift Time und für die Financial Times. Er lebt in Mumbai, Indien.
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29 von 32 Kunden fanden die folgende Rezension hilfreich
When One Man Stands Alone
21. September 2011
Format:Gebundene Ausgabe
When does the heartfelt convictions of one solitary man negate the jointly held consensus of the rest of any civic society?
That is the question posed at the center of Aravind Adiga's audacious new novel, an impressive and propulsive examination of the struggle for a slice of prime Mumbai real estate. It is a worthy follow-up to Adiga's Booker Prize novel, White Tiger, as he goes back to the well to explore the changing face of a rapidly growing India.
Adiga pits two flawed men against each other: The first is Dharmen Shah, a burly and self-made real estate mogul who is the "master of things seen and things unseen." Through his left-hand man, the shady Shananmugham, he offers each resident of the Vishram Co-operative Housing Society the highest price ever paid for a redevelopment project in the suburb of Vakola.
Just about every resident jumps at the chance to sell - the anxious Ibrahim Kudwa, an Internet-store owner and the only observant Muslim in the neighborly society; social worker Georgina Rego who loathes amoral redevelopers but wants to trump her wealthy sister; Sengeeta Puri, who cares for her son afflicted with Down's Syndrome;Ramesh Ajwani, an ambitious real-estate broker and more.
Only one resident holds out: Masterji, a retired school teacher who lives alone after the recent death of his wife and the death of his daughter. Only here, at Vishram, can he cling to his memories and so he refuses to sell, even when the pot is sweetened...even when he is threatened emotionally and physically. Masterji is the one immutable roadblock between Shah and his legacy.
Whether the reader sympathizes with Masterji - who stands in the way of his neighbors' most audacious dreams, and whose integrity and incorruptibility borders on narcissism - may be equivalent to, say, how each of us felt with the Ralph Nader spoiler in the Bush-Gore election. Was he an honorable man to have taken a stand? Or was he simply an egotist? There is a grudging admiration for Masterji's stand, mixed with an impatience and frustration at how this high-principled man stubbornly torpedoes the will of the majority.
Shah is ruthless but also fair-minded: his price is more than fair. Masterji is principled but tin-eared to his neighbors' pleas as the deadline to accept the offer looms. And as the developer - and his one-time friends - become more and more desperate, the novel cranks up to almost unbearable suspense, with a hint of a Lord of the Flies scenario.
The background to this tension-filled plot is Mumbia itself, where countless workers commute on nightmarishly overstuffed trains, where they all emerge: "fish, birds, the leopards of Borivali, even the starlets and super-models of Bandra, out of the prismatic dreams of Mother Garbage." Here, fetid slums, the most luxurious high-rises of the future, and the temples of old co-exist within a fragile and all-too-often corrupt democracy.
A Dickensian quality pervades this ambitious novel, which fearlessly tackles electrifying themes: what price growth? Will good people risk their humanity when faced with a chance to score a big payday? When does the will of a man who foregos monetary gain resemble selfishness as opposed to virtue? And who can we trust to stand by us when we take a lone stance? This book of contrasts - between a man of finance and a man of virtue (although, of course, it is not as simple as that)...between wealth and squalor... between the old and the new is a tour de force. And it is certain to add to Aravind Adiga's already sterling reputation.
That is the question posed at the center of Aravind Adiga's audacious new novel, an impressive and propulsive examination of the struggle for a slice of prime Mumbai real estate. It is a worthy follow-up to Adiga's Booker Prize novel, White Tiger, as he goes back to the well to explore the changing face of a rapidly growing India.
Adiga pits two flawed men against each other: The first is Dharmen Shah, a burly and self-made real estate mogul who is the "master of things seen and things unseen." Through his left-hand man, the shady Shananmugham, he offers each resident of the Vishram Co-operative Housing Society the highest price ever paid for a redevelopment project in the suburb of Vakola.
Just about every resident jumps at the chance to sell - the anxious Ibrahim Kudwa, an Internet-store owner and the only observant Muslim in the neighborly society; social worker Georgina Rego who loathes amoral redevelopers but wants to trump her wealthy sister; Sengeeta Puri, who cares for her son afflicted with Down's Syndrome;Ramesh Ajwani, an ambitious real-estate broker and more.
Only one resident holds out: Masterji, a retired school teacher who lives alone after the recent death of his wife and the death of his daughter. Only here, at Vishram, can he cling to his memories and so he refuses to sell, even when the pot is sweetened...even when he is threatened emotionally and physically. Masterji is the one immutable roadblock between Shah and his legacy.
Whether the reader sympathizes with Masterji - who stands in the way of his neighbors' most audacious dreams, and whose integrity and incorruptibility borders on narcissism - may be equivalent to, say, how each of us felt with the Ralph Nader spoiler in the Bush-Gore election. Was he an honorable man to have taken a stand? Or was he simply an egotist? There is a grudging admiration for Masterji's stand, mixed with an impatience and frustration at how this high-principled man stubbornly torpedoes the will of the majority.
Shah is ruthless but also fair-minded: his price is more than fair. Masterji is principled but tin-eared to his neighbors' pleas as the deadline to accept the offer looms. And as the developer - and his one-time friends - become more and more desperate, the novel cranks up to almost unbearable suspense, with a hint of a Lord of the Flies scenario.
The background to this tension-filled plot is Mumbia itself, where countless workers commute on nightmarishly overstuffed trains, where they all emerge: "fish, birds, the leopards of Borivali, even the starlets and super-models of Bandra, out of the prismatic dreams of Mother Garbage." Here, fetid slums, the most luxurious high-rises of the future, and the temples of old co-exist within a fragile and all-too-often corrupt democracy.
A Dickensian quality pervades this ambitious novel, which fearlessly tackles electrifying themes: what price growth? Will good people risk their humanity when faced with a chance to score a big payday? When does the will of a man who foregos monetary gain resemble selfishness as opposed to virtue? And who can we trust to stand by us when we take a lone stance? This book of contrasts - between a man of finance and a man of virtue (although, of course, it is not as simple as that)...between wealth and squalor... between the old and the new is a tour de force. And it is certain to add to Aravind Adiga's already sterling reputation.
14 von 14 Kunden fanden die folgende Rezension hilfreich
Tale of dignity and human spirit
13. Juni 2011
Format:Gebundene Ausgabe
The "Tower" is Tower A in the housing complex known as the Vishram Society. It has two Towers, "A" and "B". Tower "B" was seven-storey high and was in good condition, populated by young executives. "A" had six, run down and occupied by poor families with a few units rented out. This was a story about a powerful developer called Shah who wanted to purchase the two towers for re-development. There was no trouble from Tower "B". The value of Tower "A" was between 8,000 to 12,000 rupees per square foot. Shah made an offer of 19,000 rupees om 13 May and gave the occupants until 3 October to accept, making clear that he would not extend the deadline even for a minute. The owners were delirious with joy, but four resisted. One by one succumbed, Mr Pinto, a good friend of Yogesh Murty (known as "Masterji") gave up after he was threatened with physical harm by a lone hired hand. In the end, only Masterji stood in the way of Shah. This is not a spoiler as it would become clear a quarter way into the novel that Masterji would be the lone opposition. Once the reader picks up this book it would be near impossible to put it down to find out how it ended, but this is not a thriller. The strength and beauty of this novel is far greater and deeper than a thriller.
Aravind writes in a simple, clear prose, reflective of the lives he describes in his story and yet he creates beauty through his insight into human nature. Shah describes his own vile self as a climber, "a lizard who climbs up walls that do not belong to him." Guarav, son of Masterji only calls his father when "he smells money on me." Ibrahim Kudwa, who initially opposed the sale only because Masterji did, and he didn't want to be seen rushing to accept Shah's offer because Masterji was described by one of the occupants as "an English Gentleman". Kudwa wanted to be seen in good light. He realized that he became such because of his upbringing - "Instead of a man's soul, he had developed a cockroach's antennae inside him. What did this man think of the way he dressed? What did that man think of his politics? The way he pronounced his English?"
"Last man in Tower" is a novel about dignity and the human spirit. Masterji was 61 years old; his wife and daughter died not long before the event of the Shah. Criss-crossing between the rich and the poor, the powerful and the helpless, the scum of the earth and the salt of the earth Aravind portrayed the divide between them, pointing accusingly but subtly at greed as driving that divide. Masterji, as the man "who wanted nothing" exemplifies the courage to resist the temptation of wealth. His obstinacy rose from neither pride nor the memory of his dead wife and daughter. He probed deep for the reason he fought Shah to the end he was doing it for the poor and the broken people of Vackla; for those worse off then himself; those who have less than nothing. Aravind constructed every one of the principal characters to represent the spectrum of humankind, and by the end of the novel the reader is likely to recognise who he might be - and despair. The hope the author leaves with us in the end is that redemption lies in our own hands.
Aravind writes in a simple, clear prose, reflective of the lives he describes in his story and yet he creates beauty through his insight into human nature. Shah describes his own vile self as a climber, "a lizard who climbs up walls that do not belong to him." Guarav, son of Masterji only calls his father when "he smells money on me." Ibrahim Kudwa, who initially opposed the sale only because Masterji did, and he didn't want to be seen rushing to accept Shah's offer because Masterji was described by one of the occupants as "an English Gentleman". Kudwa wanted to be seen in good light. He realized that he became such because of his upbringing - "Instead of a man's soul, he had developed a cockroach's antennae inside him. What did this man think of the way he dressed? What did that man think of his politics? The way he pronounced his English?"
"Last man in Tower" is a novel about dignity and the human spirit. Masterji was 61 years old; his wife and daughter died not long before the event of the Shah. Criss-crossing between the rich and the poor, the powerful and the helpless, the scum of the earth and the salt of the earth Aravind portrayed the divide between them, pointing accusingly but subtly at greed as driving that divide. Masterji, as the man "who wanted nothing" exemplifies the courage to resist the temptation of wealth. His obstinacy rose from neither pride nor the memory of his dead wife and daughter. He probed deep for the reason he fought Shah to the end he was doing it for the poor and the broken people of Vackla; for those worse off then himself; those who have less than nothing. Aravind constructed every one of the principal characters to represent the spectrum of humankind, and by the end of the novel the reader is likely to recognise who he might be - and despair. The hope the author leaves with us in the end is that redemption lies in our own hands.
15 von 16 Kunden fanden die folgende Rezension hilfreich
Endearing and disappointing
22. Oktober 2011
Format:Gebundene Ausgabe
I was actually waiting for the Last Man in Tower. After all, The White Tiger was a fantastically written book with a fast paced narration, highlighting the pitfalls of the current system in a simplistic way. When I picked up the hardbound version from the local library, I had no clue as to what the book was based on. I had carefully avoided any reviews of the book to experience the joy of reading the book first hand.
The last man in tower is a simple tale of the travails and journey of a middle class community. Though all the families living in Vishram Society have their own share of happiness and pitfalls, they are drawn together by that one factor, the one factor that can bring together people from different classes of society - money. Mr. Shah, a local builder, makes a fair minded offer to each and every resident of the housing society to buy out their land, and to establish in its place a luxurious residential complex of epic proportions. Mr. Shah is generous enough to offer a price that is well above the current market price of the property. But, his ambition is hampered by a solitary old man, Masterji, who refuses to budge to the financial clout of the builder. It is not the way the builder deals with Masterji that makes the book an interesting read, but it is the way Masterji deals with his neighbors with whom he had spent a significant portion of his life, that makes the book a very compelling read. New found money opens a lot of new opportunities, and when a middle class person is offered never-before-seen kind of sum, it brings to the fore, the inner demon that has been masked in him. The book goes to show that such a person can go to any lengths to achieve his dream. Whether Vishram society members can look forward to a new lease of life by clearing the hurdle posed by Masterji is the essence of this book. At every point, the reader is wondering, "What's going to happen to the Masterji?"
One of the great things about his first book was that, there was no unnecessary elongation of the plot. That cannot be said about his latest venture. The ending was cliched and felt too filmy. I can understand that Mr. Adiga tries to say that human beings can go to any extent in their lust for money, but it could have been handled a touch better. But, overall, one has to say that it was definitely a gripping read, and just like the previous book, there was the right sense of humor thrown in the narration.
Pros:
Gripping read
Characters are well etched out
Fantastic narration
Right mix of humor and suspense
Cons:
The ending felt a bit cliched and stretched out
The last man in tower is a simple tale of the travails and journey of a middle class community. Though all the families living in Vishram Society have their own share of happiness and pitfalls, they are drawn together by that one factor, the one factor that can bring together people from different classes of society - money. Mr. Shah, a local builder, makes a fair minded offer to each and every resident of the housing society to buy out their land, and to establish in its place a luxurious residential complex of epic proportions. Mr. Shah is generous enough to offer a price that is well above the current market price of the property. But, his ambition is hampered by a solitary old man, Masterji, who refuses to budge to the financial clout of the builder. It is not the way the builder deals with Masterji that makes the book an interesting read, but it is the way Masterji deals with his neighbors with whom he had spent a significant portion of his life, that makes the book a very compelling read. New found money opens a lot of new opportunities, and when a middle class person is offered never-before-seen kind of sum, it brings to the fore, the inner demon that has been masked in him. The book goes to show that such a person can go to any lengths to achieve his dream. Whether Vishram society members can look forward to a new lease of life by clearing the hurdle posed by Masterji is the essence of this book. At every point, the reader is wondering, "What's going to happen to the Masterji?"
One of the great things about his first book was that, there was no unnecessary elongation of the plot. That cannot be said about his latest venture. The ending was cliched and felt too filmy. I can understand that Mr. Adiga tries to say that human beings can go to any extent in their lust for money, but it could have been handled a touch better. But, overall, one has to say that it was definitely a gripping read, and just like the previous book, there was the right sense of humor thrown in the narration.
Pros:
Gripping read
Characters are well etched out
Fantastic narration
Right mix of humor and suspense
Cons:
The ending felt a bit cliched and stretched out
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