In 2010, the book “Shantaram” by Gregor David Roberts was translated into Russian. Reader reviews are diverse: from sublime to sharply negative. What is the opinion of critics about the work of the Australian author? What can attract in this novel, and what, on the contrary, cause an unpleasant impression? Feedback on the book "Shantaram" is the topic of this article.
A few words about the author
One journalist and travel enthusiast, leaving a review of the Shantaram book, expressed the opinion that Roberts' work gained popularity in Russia due to the theme of spiritual development. After all, the great Russian classics raised it in their novels. There are several more reasons that a review of the book “Shantaram” is written in our country in most cases laudatory. But more on that later. First, it’s worth a few words to say about a writer whose biography formed the basis of the novel.
After a divorce from his wife and separation from his beloved daughter, a resident of distant, hot Australia knew the hardships of loneliness. He decided to get rid of longing with the help of illegal drugs. As a result, he finally lost the opportunity to return to family happiness, but gained heroin addiction. This Australian was none other than Roberts, the author of the acclaimed novel Shantaram.
Book (reviews, description)
The plot of the work is inextricably linked with the biography of the author. In order to provide himself with illicit drugs, Robert began to rob credit organizations, construction companies and shops. He committed his crimes in a peculiar way: he did not scream, did not threaten, and did not use physical violence. Robert only took out a toy gun and expressed his demands in an exceptionally polite manner. But the term was still given to Roberts considerable: nineteen years in prison. From prison, the author of Shantarama fled to India. In this original fairy-tale country, events took place that formed the basis of the book.
One million copies - such is the circulation of the novel "Shantaram." Reviews of the book of famous people have always played an important role in acquiring a work. On the cover of Roberts' novel, you can see the opinion of Jonathan Carroll. The American science fiction writer left a review of the book "Shantaram", in which he expressed the opinion that this work cannot but please. According to him, only a heartless person can not interest Shantaram. Such a categorical point of view inspired readers around the world. "Shantaram" has become extremely popular in our country.
Russia and Indian Adventures
Returning to the question of how the Russian-speaking readers perceived the novel about the Australian adventurer, several reasons should be given why Shantaram is read so well in our country.
The book, the reviews of critics about which are rather contradictory, became popular in Russia at a time when it became fashionable to go to India for spiritual development. Shantaram has become the perfect travel guide for travelers. In the novel, events take place thirty years ago. But little has changed since a fugitive prisoner named Roberts arrived in Bombay. The work of this author is primarily a book about India. “Shantaram”, reviews of which are not always flattering, many readers praise precisely because this country is depicted in it in full diversity. So no author has written about India yet.
About how the novel was born
Both Roberts and his famous character have been detained more than once. Once the author of the book, which is discussed in this article, ended up in solitary confinement. In such a situation, people often go crazy. Roberts' cellmate, for example, used to launch attacks on jailers every time a door to his gloomy cloister opened. And he decided to help him. Every evening, after the end, Roberts taught a neighbor meditation. Other prisoners soon joined. This event did not require physical or eye contact. It was enough to hear each other.
A month later, Roberts called the so-called watcher. Unaware of what he was teaching the other prisoners, he asked him not to stop evening classes. After all, after the prison began to practice meditation, there was not a single murder or attack. Robert fulfilled the request, but instead asked for a pen and paper. He was to spend another fifteen years behind bars.
The underworld of Bombay
The moral character of the hero causes some readers negative emotions. In addition to Shantaram, the book contains many characters who trade in drugs, weapons or fake documents. The author of the famous book claims in an interview that his heroes have nothing to do with small bandits. These are members of the mafia - a community in which its laws and regulations operate. However, not every reader is sympathetic to a character who is constantly using drugs and reasoning on philosophical topics. Namely, this is what Roberts' heroes do mainly.
Is it worth reading?
The opinion that "Shantaram" is the greatest novel of the XXI is somewhat exaggerated. At least, many Russian critics believe so. But it is worth considering that the author of this book is not a writer at all. He spent a significant part of his life in prison, suffered from drug addiction, traded weapons and fought in Afghanistan. In a word, "I didn’t graduate from universities." However, even readers who are not enthusiastic about the book of a former prisoner sometimes recommend reading this essay. But perhaps Shantaram should not be taken as a work of art - rather, as an autobiography of a person with an extraordinary fate. Roberts was in the Bombay slums, he was put in a leper camp, among his friends were Afghan Mujahideen. There is hardly a person in the literary world with such a rich biography.
Artistic features
What caused the negative reviews about the book of Roberts? The plot is extremely stretched. It contains many characters whose role is not defined. The love line, according to readers, also does not hold water. Perhaps a genius novel would have come out of Shantaram. But only if it is reduced by at least half.
Mostly in Roberts book is India. The author describes this amazing country, its traditions, mores. Arriving in Bombay, the hero after several days realizes that it is simply impossible to live in this city. It is necessary to become a part of it, to learn to live according to its laws. The book depicts slums adjacent to rich areas. Roberts' heroes are both people who earn their bread with hard, exhausting labor, and mafia figures.
The third part of the novel is dedicated to the stay of the hero in Afghanistan. These chapters are hardly even interesting to Shantaram fans. After all, the character of this book, like its creator, fights on the side of the Mujahideen, which cannot cause emotion for the Russian-speaking reader.
Mountain shadow
In 2015, the continuation of the novel about the adventures of Shantaram was published. As already mentioned, the criminal path of Roberts is extremely rich. He smuggled gold and passports, transported drugs to Europe. But in the end I decided to break with the mafia. However, Roberts was arrested and spent several years in a German prison. About these and other events is the book "Shantaram-2."
Reviews on the book "Shadow of the Mountain"
According to readers, this work somewhat loses to Shantaram. The hero is still the same, but he is no longer a member of the mafia, but a novice writer. In the novel “Shadow of the Mountain” there are not many episodes that tell about the customs of the criminal world. However, there is no vivid colors and enthusiasm in India in it, due to which readers were so fond of Roberts' first novel.
Despite the differences of opinion regarding the work of Gregory David Roberts, his books are worth reading. Perhaps these novels cannot be called great literary creations, and their author is not a living classic. But they are interesting from a cognitive point of view. And thanks to the unusual plot, the novel “Shantaram” aroused the interest of filmmakers. The film will be released in 2017.