Shantaram

Author: Gregory David Roberts
Genre: It is supposed to be true story….If it is, and then one man has had the adventure that 10 average lives may dream of.
Why is a book about an Australian who is a criminal, fugitive, junkie, smuggler, and gangster (well more adjectives would give the end away so I shall refrain for further description) called Shantaram? How has yet another lengthy novel about Mumbai captured the attention of so many readers across the world?

Shantaram is the story of a man on the run, who adopts and more importantly is adopted by Mumbai and the spirit of those who live in it. It is a gripping narrative of a man who had lived several lifetimes in a span of 3-4 years in places ranging from the slums and posh town side of Mumbai, a village in Maharashtra and even war stricken Afghanistan.

The strength of Shantaram lies in its characters. Prabaker and his smile, Karla and her beauty, Didier and his flamboyance, the mystery of Khader, the strength of Abdullah, Qasim and his wisdom, Lin and his stubborn confidence linger in your memory for a long time.

But the main character in the book remains Mumbai. Very few characters can be the background and the lead of a story without having to say a single word. The people, the places, the stories always make me want so much more of Mumbai. Like ‘Maximum City’ by Suketu Mehta , this book makes every one who has lived in Mumbai miss it, all who live in it swell in pride and all who have never been at least visit. The author does well to treat the city with the respect that is due. Also the pace and the wit keep you interested.

The book has its strengths, but does prove to be tiresome at times. Other than the obvious weakness – its length, the extensive soul searching discussions about good and evil, life, philosophy and society among people who have made a living off crime and exploitation only aggravates the irritation.

Should you the read the book….I would say yes…if you are ready to give it sometime. If you don’t, well I will be happy to recommend this author and his work when his collection of short stories is out!