And I finally finished Shantaram! Well actually not now really. Even managed to finish another book in the meantime and start a third (!) But let's talk abt 'S' today.
Let's say we're mixing up Vikram Chandra's 'Sacred Games' with a bit of Bollywood masala. A great hero doesn't ever fall and is at the right time and the right place ALWAYS. A gangster with a heart of gold (excuse my cliches), you'll get urself 'S'. You find that the 'hero', and yes he's put himself up as a hero, is too soul-searching for a criminal. There are constant throw backs on things like conscience and and sentiments. And for someone who has a long criminal record, his language appears very refined (fine editing perhaps?) Too incredulous?
Roberts infuses too much bravado in his style. There is too much happening all the time. After a point, you begin to doubt the authenticity of facts.
But if you can overlook that, and I believe one can, it is quite an entertaining read. It will give u an insider's glance into the dark and grimy world of survival in Bombay. But I do admit, I always wondered abt the many videshis on Indian streets. I thnk I now have a tiny idea of their world.
But if u want some real dirt on Bombay, chk the aforementioned book by Chandra. its a product of years of research with a very no-nonsense approach. Let me use the word 'clinical' in describing it. No sentimental riff-raff.
But back to 'S.' its a tad bit too lengthy. U mite say u cant compass a life in a short book, but much of its length is made of descriptions that cudv been done away with. That is, I feel, one of its biggest shortcomings, the pace slows considerably at places. You need to push urself to read on. I read sumwhr that this book has been selling well in India. I think thts really coz of the 'superhero' element. after all, dnt we just love a guy who's always right?
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