I recently completed “Shantaram” book and picked up new book in my hand “Superstar India” by Shobha De and I realized I should write my feelings for Shantaram before getting involved in another book. It took approximately six months to me to complete Shantaram, there were many gaps in between though. Now after completing this book, definitely I am going to miss Shantaram reading in my daily life...
I came to know about the book from my husband. I was not much involved into reading books before marriage. After marriage I started getting more time in MRT (local trains) so I took these opportunities to read books from my ever dreamed list. But Shantaram was not in my list. I took time to pick up that book to read, thinking this is so big book and I was afraid that I won’t complete the book. I thought to read other books first and I did so and after 3-4 books I picked up Shantaram in my hand. I heard so much praise about this book from my husband that I could not wait any more and finally picked up the book.
The impression I was having before reading this book was, this is a true story (non fiction), my husband told that to me intentionally. And I was expecting a lot from this book then, I was curious to know how was Shantaram/Lin’s (author and main character in the book) in India. Most of the people definitely take bad and good experiences in their life. Few can be very serious and critical which the person might feel, it can only happen with him. I do also have faced many realities in my life and I was just thinking, will my any of experiences matches with him (I know that is crazy to think like that :D). But even there might have been same experience; definitely a foreigner will perceive that in different way. I haven’t been to any WAR or worked for any MAFIA.. but the common thing I found in Lin’s life experience is to live in slum with no option in hand. Seeing slum’s life so closely and observing people there. I never told this to anybody in my life, but my best and close friends know this.
Anyway, one of the thing which was responsible towards my curiosity was, after I started this book, many people came to me and were asking me, oh you are reading Shantaram.. and they were curious to know how I am finding that. So they may get their answer here :)
When I started with first chapter, I realized I have to definitely keep dictionary with me if I really want picture author’s story, though I was getting its meaning from its context, I was so excited to grabs each and every aspect of the book.. indeed I was so excited to read that book with my full heart dedicated to that book. At the beginning I did refer to dictionary and obviously that I did not find it that interesting that I was thinking. I took a break of few days and again started the book with full determination. This time I did not care about adverbs author used and just went on.. I did grab all the context from the book.. may be I might missed few of the true meaning but I got its meaning, whole meaning of the book and I am thinking I may read this book again after few years.
Initial few chapters are not of just introduction of characters and author has excellently described those characters in his book. In fact I can imagine those characters. In my office, I have a team mate, and I found character of Prabhakar exactly matches with him. So whenever I see my team mate it reminds me of Prabhakar. So even there would be years after reading this book, character s of Shantaram book will remain always in my mind. Not only Prabhakar, but I found a girl in my office, and she reminds me of Karla :) I imagine, if Karla would be in real life, she must have to be like her (in appearance).
I enjoyed the book, especially when suspense’s started coming in the story. And I was so eager to read next pages to know what I am thinking as an answer to that suspense is true or not :)
Shantaram, is not of one type of book, which we can say it is a romantic book or it is a suspense or thriller book. I found it is ALL. It has thriller, suspense, romance, comedy, action (lot of actions :)) And just imagine when you are reading the book, and you know it is a true story how interesting that would be. But then I got to know not the entire book is true. I watched Gregory David Robert’s video on You Tube and got to know all events in this book are real and characters are friction. But when you will read the book, it is unbelievable that those character’s descriptions are fiction. Hats off to Gregory David Roberts and congratulations too! He has succeeded in describing characters as real ones.
I did not enjoy Afghanistan War part much because I was just curious to know suspense’s. And in my thoughts those long Afghanistan chapters were not related to the suspense’s which answers I was looking for. But ending of Afghanistan gives you more pleasure because there you will discover something important :), So then I realized it has also a meaning to read those Afghanistan war chapters. But you know it really need patience to complete those Afghanistan war chapters.
In many of the points, I was feeling like crying and sad however most of the moments were so romantic. I wish I could describe those moments here but it will reveal surprises involved in the book so I won’t write about any of the moments here.
Since it has all Mafia and Underworld related stories, be ready to get familiar with abusing language. But it also gives a decent society an idea how underworld people think and live and this language is part of their life, I think without those that languages they can’t survive or express themselves :)
I like all characters of the book, but if they were real characters I would definitely like to meet Prabhakar, Karla, of couse the king Kadar Khan, Dadier, Lisa.
I don’t want to reveal any of the event of the book because I don’t want to spoil your reading and give you presumptions.. go for the book and discover your own perceptions.
So, I found the book very good and after completing the book I still miss the book, I wish there would be more chapters to that :)
I came to know about the book from my husband. I was not much involved into reading books before marriage. After marriage I started getting more time in MRT (local trains) so I took these opportunities to read books from my ever dreamed list. But Shantaram was not in my list. I took time to pick up that book to read, thinking this is so big book and I was afraid that I won’t complete the book. I thought to read other books first and I did so and after 3-4 books I picked up Shantaram in my hand. I heard so much praise about this book from my husband that I could not wait any more and finally picked up the book.
The impression I was having before reading this book was, this is a true story (non fiction), my husband told that to me intentionally. And I was expecting a lot from this book then, I was curious to know how was Shantaram/Lin’s (author and main character in the book) in India. Most of the people definitely take bad and good experiences in their life. Few can be very serious and critical which the person might feel, it can only happen with him. I do also have faced many realities in my life and I was just thinking, will my any of experiences matches with him (I know that is crazy to think like that :D). But even there might have been same experience; definitely a foreigner will perceive that in different way. I haven’t been to any WAR or worked for any MAFIA.. but the common thing I found in Lin’s life experience is to live in slum with no option in hand. Seeing slum’s life so closely and observing people there. I never told this to anybody in my life, but my best and close friends know this.
Anyway, one of the thing which was responsible towards my curiosity was, after I started this book, many people came to me and were asking me, oh you are reading Shantaram.. and they were curious to know how I am finding that. So they may get their answer here :)
When I started with first chapter, I realized I have to definitely keep dictionary with me if I really want picture author’s story, though I was getting its meaning from its context, I was so excited to grabs each and every aspect of the book.. indeed I was so excited to read that book with my full heart dedicated to that book. At the beginning I did refer to dictionary and obviously that I did not find it that interesting that I was thinking. I took a break of few days and again started the book with full determination. This time I did not care about adverbs author used and just went on.. I did grab all the context from the book.. may be I might missed few of the true meaning but I got its meaning, whole meaning of the book and I am thinking I may read this book again after few years.
Initial few chapters are not of just introduction of characters and author has excellently described those characters in his book. In fact I can imagine those characters. In my office, I have a team mate, and I found character of Prabhakar exactly matches with him. So whenever I see my team mate it reminds me of Prabhakar. So even there would be years after reading this book, character s of Shantaram book will remain always in my mind. Not only Prabhakar, but I found a girl in my office, and she reminds me of Karla :) I imagine, if Karla would be in real life, she must have to be like her (in appearance).
I enjoyed the book, especially when suspense’s started coming in the story. And I was so eager to read next pages to know what I am thinking as an answer to that suspense is true or not :)
Shantaram, is not of one type of book, which we can say it is a romantic book or it is a suspense or thriller book. I found it is ALL. It has thriller, suspense, romance, comedy, action (lot of actions :)) And just imagine when you are reading the book, and you know it is a true story how interesting that would be. But then I got to know not the entire book is true. I watched Gregory David Robert’s video on You Tube and got to know all events in this book are real and characters are friction. But when you will read the book, it is unbelievable that those character’s descriptions are fiction. Hats off to Gregory David Roberts and congratulations too! He has succeeded in describing characters as real ones.
I did not enjoy Afghanistan War part much because I was just curious to know suspense’s. And in my thoughts those long Afghanistan chapters were not related to the suspense’s which answers I was looking for. But ending of Afghanistan gives you more pleasure because there you will discover something important :), So then I realized it has also a meaning to read those Afghanistan war chapters. But you know it really need patience to complete those Afghanistan war chapters.
In many of the points, I was feeling like crying and sad however most of the moments were so romantic. I wish I could describe those moments here but it will reveal surprises involved in the book so I won’t write about any of the moments here.
Since it has all Mafia and Underworld related stories, be ready to get familiar with abusing language. But it also gives a decent society an idea how underworld people think and live and this language is part of their life, I think without those that languages they can’t survive or express themselves :)
I like all characters of the book, but if they were real characters I would definitely like to meet Prabhakar, Karla, of couse the king Kadar Khan, Dadier, Lisa.
I don’t want to reveal any of the event of the book because I don’t want to spoil your reading and give you presumptions.. go for the book and discover your own perceptions.
So, I found the book very good and after completing the book I still miss the book, I wish there would be more chapters to that :)
Comments
I share your experiences about focussing on context rather than exact word meanings. I am currently reading a biography on 'Napolean' by Frank MvLynn, and must say that it has some especially tough language - and I have read some tough English in my brief book-reading career! Maybe that's just the author's style so can't blame him. I too observed that you just loose the track of the content (and there's some great content in there) if you focus on individual words. Its really annoying! Eventually you can understand what the author is trying to say in the paragraphs.
I've never seen too many resemblances between characters in a book and people around me; maybe because I've always strongly felt that each person is one of a kind. Mom does find similarities with book characters and real-life people.. I guess this perception changes from person to person.
Anyways.. that was a nice review.. I've seen a lot of 'mafia' genre movies like Godfather etc. but have never read a book of that type.. so I look forward to reading this!
I agree with you, every person is unique in the universe. But sometime when we see or meet people, they remind us of somebody else.. may be because of first impression we perceive or the look or may be because the assumptions we make from people's behavior.
I am glad to know, your Mom also happens to know people similar to characters in books :)