When this book was offered up to me for review, I was a little hesitant. The title was intriguing, but I hadn’t heard of the author. Of course I hadn’t, this is his first book. I remembered all my disappointing reading experiences with first-time authors. But the folks at Fingerprint Publishing pressed this book on me insisting that I would love it, and so I ended up accepting this book for review.
About the Book
When Kris made a trip to India to study Ayurvedic massage, he never thought he would find love, adventure, and heartbreak. Traumatised by the loss of his friend and army abuses, Kris came to India practicing meditation and chastity, but both efforts were turned head over heels when he caught sight of Radha, a sex worker in Pune’s notorious red-light district.
Before he knew it, Kris was wrapped up in the world of pimps and crime lords, losing his hold on the life he had been pursuing and all the dreams of stability he had once built in his head. To be with the woman who had stolen his heart away, a life-altering decision awaited.
A true story, The Buddha of the Brothel is a poignant look into the world of godmen, spiritual seekers, and the men and women whose lives are ruled by the sex market and its overlords. Advaya’s account, written in refreshingly sparkling prose, is by turns anguished, humorous, hopeful, and bewildered, as he wades through a world he had never expected to encounter.
Sure to appeal to readers of Gregory Roberts’s Shantaram with its less than glittering setting, this is a literary memoir that opens readers’ eyes and minds and will not let go easily of their imaginations.
~ Synopsis from back of the book
My Review
All my apprehensions about this book were totally unfounded. I ended up really loving this book. The protagonist is quite endearing. Kris comes to India looking to learn meditation and Ayurvedic massage. However, soon he finds himself entrapped in Pune’s dark underbelly. The reason for this is Radha who he has madly fallen in love with at first sight – true Bollywood ishtyle.
However, winning over Radha is not easy considering she is from a brothel. And unlike our Bollywood heroes, Kris cannot fight his way into her heart. Instead he takes up a dangerous challenge, and the rest of the book is how he gets through this challenge, and whether he is successful at winning his Radha.
This book is supposed to be non-fiction, but is exciting enough to read as a fiction. I found myself zipping through the pages eagerly wanting to find out how it all ends.
Apart from the thriller aspect, I also loved Kris’ character. He is not looking for trouble, he is actually a gentle soul who believes in Radha regardless of her profession, and the fishy people that surrounded her. It was actually pretty touching to read, and did not at all feel like a cliché.
Normally, books by foreign authors about India can have me feeling a bit on the defensive side – especially when they point out any of our foibles. But in this case, I didn’t feel even a bit defensive. I guess the author’s accepting attitude towards India makes all the difference.
Overall, I thought this was a surprisingly good read, and I recommend it highly.
Huge thanks to Fingerprint publishing for sending me a copy of this book for review consideration.
You can also buy a copy of this book from Amazon.
