Wow. Starting off, I knew this was not going to be an easy, fast read. Amitav Ghosh writes so beautifully and sucks you into the story - no matter if you feel like some of it is going nowhere. It does somehow weave into the rest of the story. You don't care because the words just entice you.

Tiny Synopsis: Deen Datta "Dino" is a rare books dealer based in Brooklyn. He spends his winters in Calcutta - nothing extraordinary about his life. Upon meeting Piya - he sets off on an adventure from India to Los Angeles to Venice - all somehow connected to the tale of Gun Merchant. He is reluctant in his journey but his path in life leads him to search and find connections between the Gun Merchant legend to his own realities in life.

My Review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5 stars

This very descriptive novel is just a wonder to read. It did feel a bit all over the place but then you have to remember you are in Deen Datta's head as he navigates his life journey when meeting with all these individuals who take him closer to this Gun Island/ Merchant tale. His tale seems to be almost parallel to what was transpiring in Datta's own life and to those he was running into. A skeptic would say its all coincidence, but this book is supposed to make you wonder beyond that. This book does deal with issues of the immigration/refugee crisis in Italy/ Europe/ Africa. I felt the ending felt sudden compared to the pace of the rest of the book - but maybe I was just sad it ended. I wanted to read more about what was going to happen to Deen Datta and his friends including Rafi & Tibu , and his budding friendship with Piya. I highly recommend if you have the time! It's not a long book, but you definitely want to pay attention and read every single word.

Ghosh is one of my favorite novelists and Gun Island focuses on climate change, migrations of refugees, power of myths and folklores, and the random workings of chance. It narrates how Dinanath Dutta‘s quest for a legend becomes a story of 17th century Venice, the Sunderbans in India, the travels of refuges, displacement and privilege, and the hope inherent in humanity.

Rare book dealer Deen Datta encounters an intriguing new version of a well-known Bengal legend, along with a shrine devoted to it in a remote location. Suddenly, Deen’s belief system is upended, while friends—old and new—help him to embark on a path of discovery about the meaning of old tales in a changing world.

I am conflicted when it comes to rating Gun Island. On one hand, it is an absorbing, well-told tale from beginning to end. On the other hand, it relies on so many eye-rolls inducing coincidences that it becomes ridiculous long before the end is in sight. Moreover, I found hard to believe that a sane, mature man would be so gullible and emotionally frail; the legend rattled the protagonist more than it had any right to.

It seems that Amitav Ghosh could not decide if he wanted to breathe life into an old legend by exploring its possible impact in the modern world, or if he wanted to write a full-blown manifesto on climate change and human trafficking. Was the legend an allegory? I just couldn’t decide, and maybe Ghosh could not either, which is a pity because the novel is eminently readable.

Disclaimer: I received from the publisher a free e-book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Bundook. Gun. A common word, but one which turns Deen Datta's world upside down.

A dealer of rare books, Deen is used to a quiet life spent indoors, but as his once-solid beliefs begin to shift, he is forced to set out on an extraordinary journey; one that takes him from India to Los Angeles and Venice via a tangled route through the memories and experiences of those he meets along the way.

There is Piya, a fellow Bengali-American who sets his journey in motion; Tipu, an entrepreneurial young man who opens Deen's eyes to the realities of growing up in today's world; Rafi, with his desperate attempt to help someone in need; and Cinta, an old friend who provides the missing link in the story they are all a part of. It is a journey which will upend everything he thought he knew about himself, about the Bengali legends of his childhood and about the world around him.- Goodreads

An extremely well thought out and beautifully written book. The author holds no punches when writing about the culture and describing the tale that drives the book. 

What I loved about the book was Deen's search for the truth about a tale that is passed down from generation to generation in India. This tale is so ingrained in Deen's life that his obsession over it makes sense. The way it is described is that it is one of those tales that you are told to as a child through the local storyteller and it is a tale that keeps circling back generation after generation so it never loses steam. 

The tale itself isn't anything spectacular and as much as I would love to tell you more about it, I can't. It would be spoiling parts of the novel. Anyway, the reason for my obsession and Deen's as well, is the thought that there are physical objects/historical facts that make the story real. Its like finding out Superman actually existed and then finding out where he lived. I freaking loved this aspect of the book and it kept me going. 

Although this novel is written beautifully and full of detail, it was long winded. Deen, himself, wasn't that much of a likeable character and as I kept reading I realized that Deen didn't really know a whole lot. Yes, he did the travels and gathered information but he lacked so much knowledge that I had to wonder, how is it that he can be a rare book dealer and have went to school specializing on storytelling and culture but knew almost nothing. 

Another thing about this novel. . . there are a lot of subplots or themes that if you are not paying attention to you will miss. For instance, Deen's views on Indian culture and their viewpoints in regards to religion. This is just one example but it is brief but powerful at the same time. Deen has a lot of things going on and the author explores each and everyone not necessarily leaving the reader with doubt but leaving them more with the question of do I want to know more about Deen or move on?

Overall, this a book you take your time on (the author makes sure of that). If you are looking for a tomb raider ish book, you're not going to get it with this one. I enjoyed this book. Although the infamous tale that starts off this whole thing kept me reading, this book is not for everyone. 

Oh! One more thing. I did not like the ending. It was too abrupt as if the author just looked at the page and decided he didn't want to write anymore. 

3 Pickles