India, Aug. 9 -- When characters in a novel are excessively reticent, checking for signs of boredom in their lives can provide valuable insights. This exercise presents the root causes of their inaction, which are usually feelings of insufficiency and a traumatic past. Keshava Guha's The Tiger's Share does exactly this as it helps readers determine the motives behind the inaction, delayed action, and ultimate action of Brahm Saxena, a patriarch of one of the two rich Delhi families, the Chawlas and the Saxenas, featured in this novel.

The book begins with Brahm calling a "summit". It's a strange choice of word but what's even stranger is his wife, Malini exclaiming, "Brahm, what's this bakwas?" on hearing his declaration about inheritanc...