It had to happen. My 2019 run of reading excellent books had to end sometime. And that run came to a screeching halt with Shantaram.
This is a book that has long been on my TBR list. The blurb on Goodreads made my mouth water with anticipation. All my excitement came crashing when one of my close IRL friends read it and assured me I wouldn’t like it. And so I put this book out of my mind.
Then in December, I spotted an acquaintance reading this book who raved about it so much and pressed me to read it. Seeing her enthusiasm rekindled my interest in reading this book.
Shantaram: Book Synopsis
Shantaram is narrated by Lin, an escaped convict with a false passport who flees maximum security prison in Australia for Bombay.
Accompanied by his guide and faithful friend, Prabaker, the two enter Bombay’s hidden society of beggars and gangsters, prostitutes and holy men, soldiers and actors, and Indians and exiles from other countries.
Burning slums and five-star hotels, romantic love and prison agonies, criminal wars and Bollywood films, spiritual gurus and mujaheddin guerrillas – this huge novel has the world of human experience in its reach, and a passionate love for India at its heart. Based on the life of the author, it is by any measure the debut of an extraordinary voice in literature.
~ Synopsis from goodreads
Shantaram: My Thoughts
Oh! Shantaram! How much I wanted to love you! The plot synopsis reads exciting and action-packed. I went into this book hoping for an exciting and intense journey through the dark underbelly of Mumbai.
However, I found this a slow and plodding sort of novel. Most of the book is boring, with brief, short periods of action.
The beginning was promising.
So it begins, this story, like everything else—with a woman, and a city, and a little bit of luck
The protagonist, Lin, is also an incredible character journey to follow. He is open to all kinds of experiences and willing to make friends – from beggars and gangsters, prostitutes and holy men, soldiers and actors, and Indians and exiles from other countries.
Three of his close friendships (love?) influence the direction of his actions and this novel. First, he becomes friends with taxi driver Prabhakar who finds him a home in the slum and influences him for the good. Next, he befriends Khader Khan (a mafia Don), who influences him to join the mafia and fight a Jihad in Afghanistan (eye roll at this entire 200 + pages of nonsense). He also falls in love with Karla (a beautiful and enigmatic woman with many secrets), who may or may not be using him for her own needs.
Why I didn’t like the book
It was just a bit too much. Gregory David Roberts swings wildly between prosaic and dull day-to-day details and over-the-top fictional accounts. I found this swing in writing very difficult to enjoy. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the over-the-top bits, even if it paints India in a relatively ludicrous light (that scene where bears were arrested and put in jail. So hilarious!).
For the most part, though, he has a very pedantic, preachy writing style that slows the book’s pace in numerous places. He had a very annoying way of waxing philosophical at the wrong moment. Also, his philosophical asides and lengthy dialogues just didn’t feel that well-written or profound to me.
Here’s an example of what I am talking about:
It’s forgiveness that makes us what we are. Without forgiveness, our species would’ve annihilated itself in endless retributions. Without forgiveness, there would be no history. Without that hope, there would be no art, for every work of art is in some way an act of forgiveness. Without that dream, there would be no love, for every act of love is in some way a promise to forgive. We live on because we can love, and we love because we can forgive.
Many reviewers have been singing his praises because of this style of writing. But my preference runs to minimalism. And this book is anything but that!
Overall, this just wasn’t a book that worked for me.
Have you read this book? What did you think of it?
I am reading the book right now(In fact for the last 3 months). I too share the same opinion about the book being exaggerated and too philosophical. But for some reason , I do like the book 🙂 I want to finish it and want to know what happened to him at the end. Also the fact that he had actually lived in a slum, at that point of time, makes it more interesting and fascinating(even though 95% of the narration would have been fictitious).
I quite liked the slum portions of the book too. Have you come to the part where he fights in a jihad in Afghanistan? That section of the book was simply terrible. The ending is so-so too, I mean I don’t even clearly remember what happens in the end.