Shantaram: Gregory David Roberts, 2003.
This novel was written as an almost autobiography. Roberts himself was a heroin addict and felon who escaped from prison and lived in Bombay. Upon his eventual recapture in Germany, Roberts wrote Shantaram.
In this story opener we meet a man known as Lindsay, or Lin, who has escaped from an Australian prison and travelled to India in order to live a life of freedom. During his time in Bombay and beyond Lin falls in love, is in close ties with the mafia, makes some important and faithful friends, works as a gunrunner, smuggler and a counterfeiter. His incredible journey in India is framed by the rich and detailed descriptions of that country and its culture. It is where the true enjoyment of this novel is found.
While this is an exceptional, intelligent and beautiful read, it does have one downfall. The length of the book is more than a little difficult to get through. At 933 it takes an almost Herculean effort to get through more than a dozen pages at one time. It reminds me of very delicious and rich chocolate fudge: You want to continue eating it, but it's just too sweet for only one sitting. Better to break it down and truly enjoy and savour every small bite.
This book is best suited for someone with an interest in India, although I do believe that anyone who would not be scared away by its weight., would enjoy this book. This could not be described as a summer read, more like a rainy Sunday or long, quiet night in.
Enjoy!
****
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment