Man Tiger: A Novel

Of the 68 reviews on Goodreads of Man Tiger, by Eka Kurniawan, only a handful are written in English by reviewers who do not also speak Indonesian. This is a shame because Man Tiger, and Kurniawan, deserve a wider audience. Verso Books is known primarily as the publisher of nonfiction works in such areas as cultural, literary, social, and political theory, and it has now expanded its expertise in translation to the world of fiction. Given its leftist slant, it is not surprising that Verso's newest fiction author comes from a part of the world which is all but forgotten by a majority of English-speaking readers, and it is to be applauded for publishing this fascinating peek at Indonesian village and family life. My concern is that Verso's radical left reputation may dissuade more politically and socially conservative readers from picking up Man Tiger. Kurniawan will hook them once they open the cover (which is itself quite eye-catching with four deep claw marks in its red-orange background), but first we have to get the book into their hands. I will be championing this book among my friends, and I hope readers of this review will join me. I received a free copy of Man Tiger through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.