I hope you have read this and this.
The past fifteen days had seen me go through a lot of emotions, just because of two books I read. If you doubt that books can have such an impact, ask me…I am totally in tune with the emotions raging through the book. Yes, I am talking about Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts and Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
Read Shantaram’s story and review by Smitha….here.
Shantaram was intriguing, interesting and made the inner me feel happy, sad, angry, desperate, choked with tears, so touchy, romantic – it was a helluva lot of emotions to handle through the many pages of the book….
– First of all, I liked the spirit with which he learnt Marathi and Hindi…its amazing for a foreigner to feel so much at home, in Bombay.
– I was happy that Lin stayed in the slum next to the World Trade Center – even though he cringed at first, he learnt to live there and where he touched many people’s lives as a Medicine Man…I use this term because he was no doctor himself. How each and every person’s life in the slum is interlocked with that of the others is an amazing eye-opener to me. The simple judgments by the Zophad basti’s leader on a few occasions tell about the simple yet profound life in the slum, which we avoid like hell.
– I was sad when Lin tries to deal with the death of Khader and the truths which materialise after that. It’s terrible to know that your whole life has been planned by someone else.
Also its saddening to know that when Karla understands Lin perfectly and has a lot of fondness for him, it’s not love, as Lin wanted it to be. Lin is a convict, yes, but that doesn’t make him less human.
I was shocked to know that both Karla and Khader perfectly knew the time he was in Arthur Road Prison, and allowed him to be there, just to finish a matter of their importance. The father’s love Lin saw reflected in Khader’s eyes…..the love which Lin felt during the wonderful times with Karla…..seem to have no consequence, when they allowed Lin to suffer. I felt so bad. The days spent in the prison by Lin….OMG – totally devastated me.
And its only when he forgives both Karla and Khader, he gets his peace of mind and there by, I felt in peace. I’ve always thought it very difficult to forgive, when ppl so close to you, try to hurt you or ignore that you are hurting. But to do that….that forgiveness, is certainly a great thing – a lesson to learn for me.
– I laughed with Vikram, Didier and the rest !!! I loved the play of words by Karla !!! The bonding between Lin and Abdullah was fantastic !!!
– I almost cried when Lin did the turkey, when he had to leave off his addiction to dope.
– I adored the strong man Lin, who came back from the war-wrecked Afghanistan and who stood for Abdullah during their Mafia war !!!
– The final pages of the story ends in the Zophad basti, where Lin feels like himself !!!! Isnt it an irony ??? He has money, has Mafia influence, has a lot of friends – but finds PEACE in that basti. It’s the simplicity of life, which we need to come to terms with and thats what we’ll love forever.
I highly recommend this book…..don’t be scared off by the volume of this book….every page will keep u hooked to it. 🙂
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I finished reading Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini in just one day….Because I just couldn’t put the book down. Such simple writing, yet profoundly wise on many things. Pl read the story here.
The amazing way the truth hits you finally to explain the bonding between Amir and Hassan….OMG !!!
The boy who never stood up for anything in life….Amir….I’ve never sympathised with anyone who cannot stand up for himself, for his ideals, for his words…but for the first time, I understood whats it like to be in their shoes. It doesn’t mean its right for me…I just understand thats all.
The cleft-lipped Hassan…the true and loyal friend….who is able to love Amir even after all those happenings in his life.
Oh those horrible Aseef and his friends….I am still quivering at the shameful incident in the dark alley, when Hassan runs for the Kite, so that Amir can win the competition !!! I feel sorry for that little boy Hassan….I cried for him….I was angry with Amir…I wanted to punish that Aseef and his frnds….I wanted to hug Hassan, for such an awful experience.
It’s strange that in this life, whatever you don’t want might sometimes come back to you in double dose. How much ever Amir tried to forget the incident of Hassan’s abuse by Aseef, he is unable to. He tries to stay away from him…but his heart doesn’t find peace in those things. Its only finally, when he stands up to the abuse of Sohrab, against the same Aseef, does he find release to his pent-up emotions !!! Amir didn’t want Hassan then….but waited patiently to take Sohrab back with him.
That line by Rahim Khan, which called out to Amir….”Theres a way to be good”…..I prayed and prayed for him to take that way to goodness.
Among all these, I am torn at the war-wrecked Kabul. I’ve read more abt it in the other book by the same author, but those visions seems to torment me totally – how there’s no value for human life ??? Is the power to rule and run a country, more important than human lives ???? Massacre of human lives is the route to power ???? It saddens me all the more, to know more abt the Russian Invasion of Afghanistan and how the Taliban treated the land and the people later !!!
Read this book !!! Its brilliant narrative keeps you going on and on… 🙂
UmaS Reflections 