The way Roberts writes is gripping You fall in love with the characters and with Bombay and it takes a clever author to weave in such complicated philosophical ideas into a fiction narrative so seamlessly. Its length looks daunting until you start reading, every page is enthralling so you cannot get bored reading this. I implore everyone to read this book, it's simply stunning.
Roberts was a thief and an addict in Australia when he was arrested and sentenced to nineteen years in prison. He made a daring and infamous daytime escape from prison and was smuggled into Bombay to build a life of contrasts, from operating a free clinic in the slums to working for one of the biggest mafias in the city.
The gorgeous language, undoubtedly, is the biggest strength of the book. Potent, lyrical, and richly philosophical, the prose resonates with one on all the highs and lows of the multi-faceted plot.
For what it’s worth, Shantaram is a thrilling read.