Summary (from the front flap of the book)
"It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured."
So begins this epic, mesmerizing novel set in the underworld of contemporary Bombay. Shantaram is narrated by Lin, an escaped convict with a false passport who flees maximum security prison in Australia..."
Click here to read on
Review
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| Gregory David Roberts |
After hearing numerous rave reviews about Shantaram, I was a bit hesitant to read it, lest I be disappointed. I was familiar with the story behind it, but unprepared for the RICHNESS of the writing, the jarring HONESTY of the prose, the vibrant characters and Bombay, forever REDEFINED through the eyes of Gregory David Roberts.
I know that several people were intrigued and excited about the sections, dealing with the involvement of the Bombay underworld. My experience was different. I didn’t particularly enjoy the particularities of the individual illegal experiences, but loved the descriptions of the CHARACTERS involved in the same.
I was also struck by the exquisite BEAUTY of the visualization of the protagonist, Lin's experience in the slums. Slums are always portrayed as the dregs of a society but in Shantaram, the most touching moments occur in the slum. It is shown as an efficiently working society, systematic and organized, and within the sludge of poverty reside the few people in Shantaram’s world who seem to be untainted by the problems and issues that plague the majority of the characters. Not to say that he Romanticizes the slum, but to me, the most REDEEMING characters were found there, despite the hardships that defined their lives.
My other favorites were his description of the jail. He really brought to life, the grittiness of the experience, the advantages won by the rich even in prison and the physical realities of life in jail. I also loved the proverbs and anecdotes that punctuated the book, spoken by various characters. A great example was: “Didier once told me, in a rambling, midnight dissertation, that a dream is the place where a wish and a fear meet. When the wish and the fear are exactly the same, he said, we call the dream a nightmare.” [p. 150] The philosophical and cosmological discussions were sometimes a bit tedious but there were so many people, living such different lives, all in the same city, that it was interesting to be presented their varying points of views, interpreted and misinterpreted by the protagonist.
The imagery and metaphors of Gregory David Robert’s writing were unique, fresh and sometimes UNEXPECTED. (“I pressed my lips against the sky, and licked the stars into my mouth. She took my body into hers, and every moment was an incantation. Our breathing was like the whole world chanting prayers.” [p. 400])
Overall, it was a compelling read. Shantaram captures ones imagination. It becomes more that a good read; it becomes an unforgettable EXPERIENCE.
Other Interesting Stuff
Author's website: http://www.shantaram.com/
(Compare the facts about his life to the fiction, see interviews, philosophy, poetry & more.. )
A movie based on the book is supposed to be made starring Johnny Depp and directed by Mira Nair. It currently seems to be on hold, based on Johnny Depp's reluctance to shoot in India.
Shantaram is dotted with with numerous memorable quotes. Few are listed here
