Shantaram

Shantaram seems to be a book of many discussions lately. I have friends who love it, and I have friends who really hate it. Different opinions about a book is not weird, but the arguments in different discussion just made me very curious about the book. It's brick size, but it doesn't scare me. I like bricks! When they're well written, that is.

Shantaram is written by Gregory David Roberts. He's an ex-prisoner who escaped from prison in Australia, the same as the main character in the novel. Roberts claims the facts of the book is mostly fictional. I think he puts a lot of his experiences in the novel, without having anything to back up that belief. But the way he describes the Indian environment, its people and the unwritten rules among people of different background in India, I think he has to have first hand knowledge. I liked the way the book was written, the language in the book force the story forward and the rich language gives real good feel for the busy street life in Mombai. I've never been there, but by reading about it in Shantaram I can almost smell the different spices, hear all the noices and feel the people yelling, talking, running around.

I love the way Lin, the main character, follows his gut even though the normal way to act is completely different. And I love the way his reactions gives him a completely different experiences than a normal tourist would have gotten. The way Lin just falls in love with the town, the people and the feel of India, falls in love with Karla and how he kind of tries to make up for his past failures which put him in jail. The novel is just catching and it doesn't feel like it was a brick when you're reading it. The story just captures the reader, at least me, and I just couldn't stop reading it. The story isn't easily forgotten, and I have to say the thing that I loved the most, was the friendship between Lin and Prabakan!

I have to say that I recommend this book. So far the best book I've read this year! And I've read some really good novels so far!