Tiger

by Tash Aw

An exclusive short story from acclaimed author Tash Aw.

Genres: Fiction, Ebooks, Short Stories, India, Literary Fiction, Contemporary

28 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Born in Taiwan to Malaysian parents, Tash Aw grew up in Kuala Lumpur before moving to England in his teens. He studied law at the University of Cambridge and University of Warwick, then moved to London to write. After graduating he worked at a number of jobs, including as a lawyer for four years whilst writing his debut novel, which he completed during the creative writing course at the University of East Anglia. Based on royalties as well as prizes, Aw is the most successful Malaysian writer of recent years. Following the announcement of the Booker longlist, the Whitbread Award and his Commonwealth Writers' Prize, he became a celebrity in Malaysia and Singapore, and is now one of the most respected literary figures in Southeast Asia.

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a freebie from Kobo, a short story written by an author I've never heard of though apparently he's been long-listed for the Man Booker prize twice.

The writing was beautiful and very much the sort of literary style that appeals to Man Booker judges. The story itself is a rather minimalist character drama about a Taiwanese widow named Mrs. Liu who is visiting India, hoping to see Bengal tigers, but really just wanting to meet some other women her age to make friends with. The climax comes when she goes wandering in the jungle near her hotel, but this is a literary character drama, not a thriller, so don't expect any shocking twists or revelations.

It was good and worth the quick read, though if it were a chapter in a novel, I would probably find that novel boring. 3.5 stars: 4 stars for the writing, 3 stars for the story.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this as a book reward from KOBO. I think it just might be the shortest short story of my lifetime. The author just got me hooked into the story and then it was over.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was no tiger :(

[LibraryCin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lady is visiting India and hopes for two things while there: to make two friends and to see a tiger.

The short story is under 30 pages and I’d already forgotten the rest of it the next day. I don’t think much, if anything, happened.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an exclusive short story less than 30 pages that came free from Kobo. The story is really too short to be fully enjoyed but give you a sense how beautifully his style can be. Mr. Aw is a respected literary figure who has won the Whitbread Award, the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize Award and his novel “Five Star Billionaire” was longlisted for the 2013 Man Booker Prize.

There is not much to “The Tiger” a rather simplistic tale about a Taiwanese woman visiting India hoping to see Bengal tigers. Nothing really happens, no shocking twists even when the poor lonely soul goes wandering in the jungle.

The trouble with short story I find them terribly unfulfilling but as fillers they do the trick.

[Sam]

This wasn't much of anything. Old lady goes to India, over thinks then gets scared by an animal. Ta-da.

[Gavin Stephenson-Jackman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting short story. Sometimes you don't get what you wanted but sometimes you get more than you expected.

[TamW · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story wasn't at all badly written, but did seem amateur. It ended rather abruptly, which sometimes works and may very well work in this one, thought I'm not sure....here's why: I felt all the way through this story it was going to have this ingenius twist, or a sudden reveal in which case, a sudden ending would work fine...and yet it ended without me figuring it out. That could be my own problem...but now I feel like I'm back in public school with sweat beading on the forehead desperately trying to answer an essay question in a reading comprehension test, and not getting it and feeling like I'm the only one....but reading other's reviews, I see I'm not alone.

I will re-read this again and if that changes, I will update. Until then, this short story gets 2 stars from me....because if there really isn't something I've missed, then it's a rather dull story. I love shorts, so it's not the mere 15 pages that bothers me at all.

[Marilyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Essentially this is a story about nothing. There is no tiger - only a desire from an old Chinese widow to see one while she visits India. She wants to see a tiger but doesn't. She wants to make friends in her hotel but doesn't. She thinks the young hotel owner is attracted to her but he isn't. The climax is when she wanders into the possibly dangerous jungle and...

I assume the author wrote this to entice people to read his Man Booker nominated novels but this only served to remind me why I don't usually like books nominated for Man Booker prizes. It's a whole lot of nothing.

[Taryn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this book free from kobo, I read it cuz I had no other books on the go or to read so I thought why not? well I didn't enjoy it. I found it boring, simple and if I told you what happened I would wreck the whole story as its only 12 pages long.... I mean it took me 20 days to read this because I just read it on the bus to kill time and I didn't even want to read it.... I would mostly listen to music or play games instead :p

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like many other readers, I received this book as a free Kobo promo.

Pleasant enough short (very short) story. Nicely written, but felt like the beginning of a larger story that the author abandoned.

It would make for a good piece to analyze in high school English - it's full of references to cultural (mostly Asian) symbols as well as women's roles (dependent vs independent), age, family, love and loss, etc. A goldmine, really, for a creative teacher.

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short story, about a widow's first holiday, with I think, a twist in the tale . . .

I got it free so it feels churlish to complain, but it only took a few minutes to read, and I was sitting in a waiting room, expecting to at least read this, rather than start a novel, but it was over before I was even called, and I had to start on something else anyway!

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the reviews for this book, I figured if it was really that bad, at least I was only investing a few minutes into it.

However, it was short but sweet.

All of 13 pages, the story makes you think about life and what it is to really live it. It makes you think about the changes it may have on the protagonist - and her view of life

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got this free from Kobo. The writing was very descriptive and captured the setting well. Like other reviewers I did think this story ended abruptly and I would have preferred it to go another couple of pages to finish properly.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Didn't really do anything for me. Read it only because it was short and I was waiting for my laundry. Wouldn't really recommend this for people to go out of their way to read this, but if you have a Kobo, then its a nice waste of time.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun short story! I was anxiously turning the page when the story ended. I will have to check out this author's novels, he has a way of immersing you in the story so that you forget that you are reading and become part of the drama unfolding in front of you.

[Matilda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a free ebook I got given by kobo years ago. Well I've never read it until now.
It's not long 15 pages, but I felt like I wanted a bit more.

The story tells of a Chinese lady who visits India, and all she wants to do is see a Tiger.

[CB · Rating 3 out of 5]

I intentionally read this very short novel as an easy add for my 2017 reading challenge. The story was okay but forgettable; however, the descriptions were beautiful and I still think about them months later.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit disconnected and seems to drift as the author bored of the scene before him. I gave it three stars because the story fits the frazzled and depressed protagonist.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice enough short story, rather brief. I am not going to pursue any more of this authors work based on this story though.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful prose.

[Alyn Lunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a free read it was worth the time. Well written even if it is on the extremely short side.

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

A widow goes on a holiday where she does some self-analyzing soul-searching of her passive acceptance of the life she had and (the bitterness) of not being able to grow within her marriage.

[Jill Robbertze · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry, I just didn't get it. I found the end disappointing - for me I'm just glad it was so short.

[Julie scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very different from what I usually read but it was a very short story which I enjoyed I found it to be quite refreshing and certainly caught my interest. A short but sweet read❤❤❤

[Carla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not get it. Just when I was getting into it ...it ends!

[BeverlyB · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh ...

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story gifted by kobo.

[Sio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got this as a freebie on my Kobo, and it was a pleasant little short story. Very descriptive, allowing me to picture the scenery, but not weighing me down.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received this short story as a "freebie" from Kobo.

It is very descriptive and well written but just ends abruptly. I would have liked the story to go on a little bit longer.