Bombay, the city in which Shantaram takes place, is a chaotic hustle-bustle full of intense sights, sounds, and smells. The descriptions of the heat will make you sweat; the descriptions of the food will make you drool. India is almost another character in the novel, and it's one of the most likeable ones. While it's always the viewpoint of an outsider looking in, it's still a pretty intimate relationship with what seems like an amazing city. The next book you read will be an India travel guide if you're not careful.
Questions About Visions of India
- Most of the characters in Shantaram are not Indian. How does Prabaker, for example, represent his country amid all those foreigners? How does he differ from the "typical" Indian, according to the narrator?
- What makes Lin choose Bombay and India as his new home?
- When Indira Gandhi is killed there are riots in the streets. Why? How does this affect the novel's storyline?
- What are the main differences between urban and rural India, according to Shantaram.
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Unfortunately, Shantaram romanticizes India's poverty and other social problems.
Hold on just a minute, there. Actually, Shantaram shows the complexities of Indian society.