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ollietarp_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
An incredible, inspiring story. Very easy to read and fast-paced for a 900 page book. Never a dull moment.
The author has created an engaging story from a main character you can’t help but love. His willingness to give to others when he himself is lacking, his ability to forgive and love despite atrocious actions and circumstances, and his aspirations to learn everything about the cultures he’s surrounded by is truly inspiring.
I want to recommend everyone read this book, it hits almost every genre and has such a wide variety of characters that it’d be hard to dislike.
Heartwarming and heartwrenching at the same time.
Please read this book.
Thank you Cas for recommending <3
The author has created an engaging story from a main character you can’t help but love. His willingness to give to others when he himself is lacking, his ability to forgive and love despite atrocious actions and circumstances, and his aspirations to learn everything about the cultures he’s surrounded by is truly inspiring.
I want to recommend everyone read this book, it hits almost every genre and has such a wide variety of characters that it’d be hard to dislike.
Heartwarming and heartwrenching at the same time.
Please read this book.
Thank you Cas for recommending <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Confinement, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Grief, and War
loquaciousleon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a book that changed my life.
This is a book I was buying for people before I finished.
AND, this book is heavy. (A lot of trigger warnings.)
This is a book I was buying for people before I finished.
AND, this book is heavy. (A lot of trigger warnings.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
cherub__'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a complicated book with a complicated history. In a sense, it's no wonder the page count approaches 1000. There is so much life, history, emotion, and tension packed into every single chapter. The prose can be poetic at times, but sometimes borders on pretentious. It's action-packed, but also slow-paced over the whole -- it really does feel as though I've read 7 years of the author's life. Rarely have I read a novel so capable of expressing scenes in an urban environment, and for a reader who loves urban travel/exploration, the early chapters are a delight of new characters and experiences.
There are two things I'm still chewing on after reading. The first is the matter of authenticity and authorial honesty. Shantaram is marketed as fiction, but the events are obviously inspired by the author's real life experiences in 1980s Mumbai and characters are either entirely real people or are barely-hidden composites of real people. Unfortunately, Prabaker's real-life family disputes the events as told in the story, which gives the story more than a hint of exploitation. This, in addition to the history of Orientalism and travel books going back to the 1960s, put Shantaram in somewhat uncomfortable company.
The second concerning aspect is the core philosophy seemingly held by the author and doled out over the course of the narrative. As Lin learns through his conversations withKhaderbai , there begins to be a unifying theme in the novel surrounding the notions of good vs. evil and personal redemption. The philosophy lesson contrasts subtly with a distinct lack of personal growth: Lin accumulates an increasingly fantastical amount of experiences but seems almost wholly immune to gathering the associated wisdom. He is, in essence, the same person/decision-maker at the end of the book as at the beginning, just with more power and an additional 7-8 years of stories to tell. Whether this is an intentional choice by the author or a byproduct of the author's true beliefs is hard to tell, but the proselytizing tone and minor hero complex displayed by the self-insert main character combined with a philosophy that more or less excuses the worst behaviors displayed in the book makes for an interesting reflection after reading.
Despite the above, I'd recommend reading this book to anybody who enjoys characters who are larger than life. Each little interaction in Leopold's or the slums was leaps and bounds more interesting than some of the more fantastical plot points!
There are two things I'm still chewing on after reading. The first is the matter of authenticity and authorial honesty. Shantaram is marketed as fiction, but the events are obviously inspired by the author's real life experiences in 1980s Mumbai and characters are either entirely real people or are barely-hidden composites of real people. Unfortunately, Prabaker's real-life family disputes the events as told in the story, which gives the story more than a hint of exploitation. This, in addition to the history of Orientalism and travel books going back to the 1960s, put Shantaram in somewhat uncomfortable company.
The second concerning aspect is the core philosophy seemingly held by the author and doled out over the course of the narrative. As Lin learns through his conversations with
Despite the above, I'd recommend reading this book to anybody who enjoys characters who are larger than life. Each little interaction in Leopold's or the slums was leaps and bounds more interesting than some of the more fantastical plot points!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Police brutality, Trafficking, Grief, and War
Moderate: Car accident
amandajoy's review
I just did not have the patience to read about a self indulgent white guy. Maybe I’ll come back to it another time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Drug use, and Violence