Shantaram: A Novel by Gregory David Roberts Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Shantaram: A Novel
Book Review: A great book
Summary: 5 Stars
I read Shantaram about a year ago and hands down it is the best book I read all year, maybe in the past five years. It is really memorable. The prison scenes, life in Mumbai, the characters, stay alive long after I stopped reading. The book is long, but I never wanted it to end. A year later, I miss it.Book Review: A huge story with flaws to match its size.
Summary: 4 Stars
Rarely have I read a book that inspired such mixed feelings. I want to emphasize right away that I really enjoyed this book and I've given it four stars despite exasperating faults because the story and story-telling are so enthralling. That said, I struggled with the faults from cover to cover and they truly detract from what could be a five-star novel.
First, the good. Roberts is a gifted story-teller. He has a knack for parceling out pieces of the story in such a manner that you continuously get new information, but constantly want more of the story. It's the recipe for an engrossing read.
Beyond that, Roberts creates some great characters. Some reviews say the characters are straight out of central casting and/or are two-dimensional. The first claim is frequently true, but the second usually misses its mark. One of the things that makes this book strong is the life that Roberts breathes into many of the characters and their relationships with one another. You tangibly feel Roberts affection for the people he describes and it separates this book from most others, making it a worthwhile read.
The story itself is apparently based on Roberts' own experiences and is gargantuan. This becomes a strength and a flaw. The novel has an epic quality to it, which is great, but by the end, you feel like you've traveled too far, gone too many places and experienced too many things too many times and you're just ready to be done. Making the reader feel the hero's feelings may even be the intention of the book, but if that's the case, it would be better to experience the hero's fatigue because of the prose, not because of its length.
With that, let's move on to the less-than-great aspects of the book. Roberts is absurdly fond of metaphor and deep philosophical meaning and never misses an opportunity to throw in either or - better yet - both. So you get writing like, "The betrayal was an unsharpened butter knife twisting in the part of my gut just below my ribs, but above my belly button. I knew as the insidious emotion viciously attacked the core of my being that his words had been true; trust never is given for free, it always exacts a price in the end." I made that one up for you, but the book is filled with examples that blow it out of the water on the laughter/nausea meter.
Too many of the characters in the book are amateur philosophers, constantly ready with a treatise on any topic at any time. It rings hollow. Roberts also loves to describe contrasting emotions being present at the same time, "His lips smiled while his eyes frowned." I think some variant of that concept appears about 50 times in the book. Enough!
None of that keeps Shantaram from being a very strong book, it just keeps it from being the book that it might have been and puts it into the category of something a little too over-the-top. Despite the distractions, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it.
Book Review: A must read
Summary: 5 Stars
Shantaram is a novel 14 years in the making. A story set in the underbelly of India, it's a story of love, war and redemption. The book mimics many of the author's own experiences. Roberts words are magical and poetic. Don't miss this book!Book Review: A must read for anyone!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the best book I've ever read in my entire life. Nothing close will ever compare. I've set out on my quest to find a book equally as good, and cannot. It is a marvel that this book isn't talked about more. This book is written so eloquently, you will want to highlight quotes on every page and seek redemption in them.
Do not let this book pass you by, you will not regret it.
Book Review: A remarkable book - almost unbelievable, but not to one who grew up in Bombay...
Summary: 5 Stars
A must read for anyone who grew up in India - especially Bombay (Mumbai). It is a remarkable story - part autobiography, part documentary, part history - by an incredible writer. The author is fortunate to have experienced the incredible life that few would even believe was possible.
Every character is remarkably described - there are many Prabakers, and many Khaderbhais - yet they are all unique.
Thanks for sharing, Gregory.