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The Man without Shelter
Lucy, a young lawyer, is on fast track to partnership in her firm. Arnault, a convicted felon, leaves prison after two decades through a piece of evidence in his favor. The two of them come together during a rescue operation at the centre of Paris, and then they go on with their separate lives.
Months later, their paths cross again at a camp for migrants on the edge of Paris.
Months later, their paths cross again at a camp for migrants on the edge of Paris.
119 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2022
7 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Indrajit Garai
14 books17 followers"Indrajit Garai, an American citizen now, was born in India in 1965. After his Bachelors degree from Indian Institute of Technology and Masters from Harvard, he worked as a corporate strategy consultant and as an investment banker in America, Spain, and England, while studying parallelly Ayurveda (ancient medicine of India) for stress management. In 2001, after the birth of his daughter, he moved to Paris, opened his private practice of stress management, and then authored six books in this field (five in French and one in English).
Authoring these books on stress management gave him a deep love for writing. Since 2015, he has devoted himself full-time to creating literature."
Authoring these books on stress management gave him a deep love for writing. Since 2015, he has devoted himself full-time to creating literature."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
June 20, 2024
THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ FOR ALL AGES
THE MAN WITHOUT SHELTER by Indrajit GARAI is a heart touching, inspiring story that will leave you feeling both sad and happy and will enlighten you a little into the life of the homeless. This story takes place in France, but I can easily imagine it taking place in any town, city, or country in the world. This book is not only a great read, heartwarming, thought provoking, but it will hopefully open your mind to a world that we can hardly understand unless we are or have been down on your luck and find yourself homeless and living on the streets. We should be thankful for what we have and help those who we can all the while, showing those who have not that we care while respecting their dignity.
The main character, Arnault, was sentenced to prison for 25 yrs and released after 23 yrs in France for a murder he didn't commit. With his only possessions, the clothing he had on when arrested, his state issued ID, which was issued at the age of 19, and his little earnings from working while incarcerated, he is sent out into the world in the middle of the night without any clue to his early release and with no place to call home.
Without current ID, no permanent residence, no phone, it's all "a catch 22 situation." You can't get one without the other. Arnault, not looking for handouts, willing and wanting to work, would not accept money without being able to earn it, and he would politely thank those who would offer. He finds himself living among refugees from outside France who he befriends and takes it upon himself to look out for their safety.
You will also be shown bits of this world through the view of a lawyer named Lucy, who Arnault saves from a mugging by one of the clan of criminals more than once. Lucy takes it upon herself to reverse the wrongful conviction charges against Arnault, all the while searching the homeless camps throughout the greater Paris area. This leads her to a eye opening experience that changes her view of the homeless she's exposed to.
Below are a few quotes that I thought I would share with you from Indrajit GARAI's book "THE MAN WITHOUT SHELTER":
"He pushed aside what lay in the past, what was no longer real, and decided to live in the present."
"Luck doesn't fall from the sky into your hands; you've to do your part to stike on it."
"A tent is the only home a homeless person has: how awful it must feel to return to your spot and find your place of security gone."
"In the parallel worlds of the homeless and the homeowners, except for rare crossovers, a member of one world had no clue about members from the other. They didn't even see themselves belonging to the same species."
"The problem of the homeless isn't one of shelter and hunger alone; it's also the loneliness in a world flooded with humans."
I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more of Indrajit's works. I hope you will also enjoy this book as much as I have.
THE MAN WITHOUT SHELTER by Indrajit GARAI is a heart touching, inspiring story that will leave you feeling both sad and happy and will enlighten you a little into the life of the homeless. This story takes place in France, but I can easily imagine it taking place in any town, city, or country in the world. This book is not only a great read, heartwarming, thought provoking, but it will hopefully open your mind to a world that we can hardly understand unless we are or have been down on your luck and find yourself homeless and living on the streets. We should be thankful for what we have and help those who we can all the while, showing those who have not that we care while respecting their dignity.
The main character, Arnault, was sentenced to prison for 25 yrs and released after 23 yrs in France for a murder he didn't commit. With his only possessions, the clothing he had on when arrested, his state issued ID, which was issued at the age of 19, and his little earnings from working while incarcerated, he is sent out into the world in the middle of the night without any clue to his early release and with no place to call home.
Without current ID, no permanent residence, no phone, it's all "a catch 22 situation." You can't get one without the other. Arnault, not looking for handouts, willing and wanting to work, would not accept money without being able to earn it, and he would politely thank those who would offer. He finds himself living among refugees from outside France who he befriends and takes it upon himself to look out for their safety.
You will also be shown bits of this world through the view of a lawyer named Lucy, who Arnault saves from a mugging by one of the clan of criminals more than once. Lucy takes it upon herself to reverse the wrongful conviction charges against Arnault, all the while searching the homeless camps throughout the greater Paris area. This leads her to a eye opening experience that changes her view of the homeless she's exposed to.
Below are a few quotes that I thought I would share with you from Indrajit GARAI's book "THE MAN WITHOUT SHELTER":
"He pushed aside what lay in the past, what was no longer real, and decided to live in the present."
"Luck doesn't fall from the sky into your hands; you've to do your part to stike on it."
"A tent is the only home a homeless person has: how awful it must feel to return to your spot and find your place of security gone."
"In the parallel worlds of the homeless and the homeowners, except for rare crossovers, a member of one world had no clue about members from the other. They didn't even see themselves belonging to the same species."
"The problem of the homeless isn't one of shelter and hunger alone; it's also the loneliness in a world flooded with humans."
I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more of Indrajit's works. I hope you will also enjoy this book as much as I have.
June 28, 2024
Will Work For Shelter...
THE MAN WITHOUT SHELTER
by Indrajit Garai
No spoilers. 3 1/2 stars. Arnault was reading on his bunk when the guard unlocked the door to his cell...
The guard told him to pack all his "stuff"...
It was nearing midnight, and he was being taken to see the warden. No handcuffs were needed this time, he was told...
The warden said: We're releasing you immediately...
Arnault replied: When? At this hour? He wanted to wait until morning, but the warden said: Those are the orders...
Arnault was asked if he had a place to go. Maybe his parents or a relative, but Arnault had no relatives anymore...
The warden directed him to a homeless shelter down the road. The same bloody clothes he wore at his arrest twenty-three years ago were returned to him...
So...
The warden gave Arnault some of his own clothes to leave the prison in...
It was insane for Arnault to be released onto the streets of Paris at this hour, but there was nothing that could be done about it...
The warden assured Arnault that Social Services would help him restart his life again...
Arnault was only nineteen when he entered prison. He was now forty-two and with an out of date ID card...
His wallet, taken from him when he was incarcerated, was returned to him with twenty-three year old francs instead of euros...
He was escorted out of the prison...
As he walked along the Seine, he began to feel anxious. There wasn't any public transport at that late hour...
And...
He'd never seen so many homeless out in the open.The whole of Paris had changed through the years...
The marketplace, the old square. Even the old wooden benches were gone. He felt he no longer belonged there...
He only had a letter of release from the prison and an expired ID card to get a job and a place to live...
At the homeless shelter, he was told there was a nine month waiting list and given a list of soup kitchens...
He had to be careful with his money, but he bought a tent and a sleeping bag. and set up camp under a bridge spanning the Seine...
The next morning...
On a piece of cardboard, Arnault made himself a sign to display as he walked the train station: Man without shelter looking for a job...
Eventually...
Arnault crossed paths with Lucy, a Parisian lawyer who was determined to help him...
Well, there's a lot to unpack about this novella. I was enthralled with the first 50% of this story.
Told from duo POVs (Arnault's and Lucy's), this thought-provoking story shines a spotlight on the plight of newly released inmates and how they are dumped onto the streets without any tools or skills to survive. It was poignant and similar to John Steinbeck's THE GRAPES OF WRATH.
The second half of the story took a very political turn, focusing on immigration, the judicial system, the tangle of bureaucracy, social injustice, human trafficking, and other social topics. It was almost like someone else wrote the second half.
The information overload in the second half was such that I was reminded of the tedious testimony of the shoe expert in the O.J. Simpson trial (I saw the whole trial from my office at work).
My final word: It was a well-written first half, a somewhat off the rails second half, but well worth reading.
THE MAN WITHOUT SHELTER
by Indrajit Garai
No spoilers. 3 1/2 stars. Arnault was reading on his bunk when the guard unlocked the door to his cell...
The guard told him to pack all his "stuff"...
It was nearing midnight, and he was being taken to see the warden. No handcuffs were needed this time, he was told...
The warden said: We're releasing you immediately...
Arnault replied: When? At this hour? He wanted to wait until morning, but the warden said: Those are the orders...
Arnault was asked if he had a place to go. Maybe his parents or a relative, but Arnault had no relatives anymore...
The warden directed him to a homeless shelter down the road. The same bloody clothes he wore at his arrest twenty-three years ago were returned to him...
So...
The warden gave Arnault some of his own clothes to leave the prison in...
It was insane for Arnault to be released onto the streets of Paris at this hour, but there was nothing that could be done about it...
The warden assured Arnault that Social Services would help him restart his life again...
Arnault was only nineteen when he entered prison. He was now forty-two and with an out of date ID card...
His wallet, taken from him when he was incarcerated, was returned to him with twenty-three year old francs instead of euros...
He was escorted out of the prison...
As he walked along the Seine, he began to feel anxious. There wasn't any public transport at that late hour...
And...
He'd never seen so many homeless out in the open.The whole of Paris had changed through the years...
The marketplace, the old square. Even the old wooden benches were gone. He felt he no longer belonged there...
He only had a letter of release from the prison and an expired ID card to get a job and a place to live...
At the homeless shelter, he was told there was a nine month waiting list and given a list of soup kitchens...
He had to be careful with his money, but he bought a tent and a sleeping bag. and set up camp under a bridge spanning the Seine...
The next morning...
On a piece of cardboard, Arnault made himself a sign to display as he walked the train station: Man without shelter looking for a job...
Eventually...
Arnault crossed paths with Lucy, a Parisian lawyer who was determined to help him...
Well, there's a lot to unpack about this novella. I was enthralled with the first 50% of this story.
Told from duo POVs (Arnault's and Lucy's), this thought-provoking story shines a spotlight on the plight of newly released inmates and how they are dumped onto the streets without any tools or skills to survive. It was poignant and similar to John Steinbeck's THE GRAPES OF WRATH.
The second half of the story took a very political turn, focusing on immigration, the judicial system, the tangle of bureaucracy, social injustice, human trafficking, and other social topics. It was almost like someone else wrote the second half.
The information overload in the second half was such that I was reminded of the tedious testimony of the shoe expert in the O.J. Simpson trial (I saw the whole trial from my office at work).
My final word: It was a well-written first half, a somewhat off the rails second half, but well worth reading.
December 13, 2025
THIS BOOK IS A MUST READ FOR ALL AGES
THE MAN WITHOUT SHELTER by Indrajit GARAI is a heart touching, inspiring story that will leave you feeling both sad and happy and will enlighten you a little into the life of the homeless. This story takes place in France, but I can easily imagine it taking place in any town, city, or country in the world. This book is not only a great read, heartwarming, thought provoking, but it will hopefully open your mind to a world that we can hardly understand unless we are or have been down on your luck and find yourself homeless and living on the streets. We should be thankful for what we have and help those who we can all the while, showing those who have not that we care while respecting their dignity.
The main character, Arnault, was sentenced to prison for 25 yrs and released after 23 yrs in France for a murder he didn't commit. With his only possessions, the clothing he had on when arrested, his state issued ID, which was issued at the age of 19, and his little earnings from working while incarcerated, he is sent out into the world in the middle of the night without any clue to his early release and with no place to call home.
Without current ID, no permanent residence, no phone, it's all "a catch 22 situation." You can't get one without the other. Arnault, not looking for handouts, willing and wanting to work, would not accept money without being able to earn it, and he would politely thank those who would offer. He finds himself living among refugees from outside France who he befriends and takes it upon himself to look out for their safety.
You will also be shown bits of this world through the view of a lawyer named Lucy, who Arnault saves from a mugging by one of the clan of criminals more than once. Lucy takes it upon herself to reverse the wrongful conviction charges against Arnault, all the while searching the homeless camps throughout the greater Paris area. This leads her to a eye opening experience that changes her view of the homeless she's exposed to.
Below are a few quotes that I thought I would share with you from Indrajit GARAI's book "THE MAN WITHOUT SHELTER":
"He pushed aside what lay in the past, what was no longer real, and decided to live in the present."
"Luck doesn't fall from the sky into your hands; you've to do your part to stike on it."
"A tent is the only home a homeless person has: how awful it must feel to return to your spot and find your place of security gone."
"In the parallel worlds of the homeless and the homeowners, except for rare crossovers, a member of one world had no clue about members from the other. They didn't even see themselves belonging to the same species."
"The problem of the homeless isn't one of shelter and hunger alone; it's also the loneliness in a world flooded with humans."
I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more of Indrajit's works. I hope you will also enjoy this book as much as I have.
THE MAN WITHOUT SHELTER by Indrajit GARAI is a heart touching, inspiring story that will leave you feeling both sad and happy and will enlighten you a little into the life of the homeless. This story takes place in France, but I can easily imagine it taking place in any town, city, or country in the world. This book is not only a great read, heartwarming, thought provoking, but it will hopefully open your mind to a world that we can hardly understand unless we are or have been down on your luck and find yourself homeless and living on the streets. We should be thankful for what we have and help those who we can all the while, showing those who have not that we care while respecting their dignity.
The main character, Arnault, was sentenced to prison for 25 yrs and released after 23 yrs in France for a murder he didn't commit. With his only possessions, the clothing he had on when arrested, his state issued ID, which was issued at the age of 19, and his little earnings from working while incarcerated, he is sent out into the world in the middle of the night without any clue to his early release and with no place to call home.
Without current ID, no permanent residence, no phone, it's all "a catch 22 situation." You can't get one without the other. Arnault, not looking for handouts, willing and wanting to work, would not accept money without being able to earn it, and he would politely thank those who would offer. He finds himself living among refugees from outside France who he befriends and takes it upon himself to look out for their safety.
You will also be shown bits of this world through the view of a lawyer named Lucy, who Arnault saves from a mugging by one of the clan of criminals more than once. Lucy takes it upon herself to reverse the wrongful conviction charges against Arnault, all the while searching the homeless camps throughout the greater Paris area. This leads her to a eye opening experience that changes her view of the homeless she's exposed to.
Below are a few quotes that I thought I would share with you from Indrajit GARAI's book "THE MAN WITHOUT SHELTER":
"He pushed aside what lay in the past, what was no longer real, and decided to live in the present."
"Luck doesn't fall from the sky into your hands; you've to do your part to stike on it."
"A tent is the only home a homeless person has: how awful it must feel to return to your spot and find your place of security gone."
"In the parallel worlds of the homeless and the homeowners, except for rare crossovers, a member of one world had no clue about members from the other. They didn't even see themselves belonging to the same species."
"The problem of the homeless isn't one of shelter and hunger alone; it's also the loneliness in a world flooded with humans."
I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more of Indrajit's works. I hope you will also enjoy this book as much as I have.
May 19, 2023
3⭐
Genre ~ fiction
Publication date ~ September 5, 2022
Page Count ~ 119
POV ~ dual 3rd
Featuring ~ references to suicide and r@pe
We meet Arnault who was just released from prison after spending 23 years in for a crime he did not commit. He has no family or friends and no place to go, so he's living on the streets and desperately searching for work.
Lucy meets Arnault when he rescues her from a mugging.
Overall, this one was not really for me, but I did like the following:
~ how Arnalut finally got the freedom he deserved, even if it took way too long
~ how Arnault would not accept handouts and was only interested in finding work, which I found admirable
~ how Arnault would help someone he didn't even know if they were in distress
~ how Lucy was adamant about finding Arnalut to help him after he helped her
It was a quick read, so if any of the above interests you than give it a try.
*Thanks to the author for sending me a copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
Genre ~ fiction
Publication date ~ September 5, 2022
Page Count ~ 119
POV ~ dual 3rd
Featuring ~ references to suicide and r@pe
We meet Arnault who was just released from prison after spending 23 years in for a crime he did not commit. He has no family or friends and no place to go, so he's living on the streets and desperately searching for work.
Lucy meets Arnault when he rescues her from a mugging.
Overall, this one was not really for me, but I did like the following:
~ how Arnalut finally got the freedom he deserved, even if it took way too long
~ how Arnault would not accept handouts and was only interested in finding work, which I found admirable
~ how Arnault would help someone he didn't even know if they were in distress
~ how Lucy was adamant about finding Arnalut to help him after he helped her
It was a quick read, so if any of the above interests you than give it a try.
*Thanks to the author for sending me a copy. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
June 19, 2025
“He didn’t feel hungry yet … He flattened the cardboard wrap of his utensils, took out a pen from his bag, … sat on [a] pedestal and wrote …, ‘Man without shelter, looking for a job’.”
Arnault is a felon, twenty plus long years into a sentence following a wrongful conviction for murder. Notwithstanding the open philosophical question as to whether a roof, a dry bed, and three meals a day in prison behind bars is a better option than hunger and homelessness, the French authorities summarily release Arnault into the streets of Paris when they decide that their evidence for holding him is lacking and flawed.
In the opening chapters of THE MAN WITHOUT SHELTER, young author Indrajit Garai holds a master class clinic demonstrating the author’s maxim “Show, don’t tell!” in which he uses Arnault’s experiences to offer his readers graphic, moving and evocative social commentary on the conditions of homeless people and tent shelters in urban Paris. One wonders if Dickens sat up in his grave and applauded. Arnault navigates the administrative morass and the social limbo faced by the homeless, newly homeless, long-term homeless, immigrant homeless, and newly released prisoners in obtaining food, shelter, employment, “permanent” addresses, ID and even basic recognition of their beleaguered existence by the state.
Enter Lucy, a young female lawyer soon to become a partner in a law firm under investigation (and ultimately indictment) for terrorist money laundering and human trafficking. Exit the notion of “Show, don’t tell” and Garai’s efforts to advance the story become a rather dreary exercise in simply “telling” what happened in dry, uninteresting paragraphs that best resemble witness statements, newspaper articles, government policy handouts and simple third party recounting of past events by an anonymous external narrator. The actual plot of navigating migrant tent cities, ethnic immigrant enclaves run by criminals “mob bosses” from other countries, and the ultimate discovery of the identity of the actual murderer in the crime for which Arnault was originally convicted simply isn’t in the same class as the opening chapters that led me to hope for so much more.
I don’t often say this but here’s what I think – this novella needs to be twice as long, three times as long, and the author needs to sit back and let his characters act out their own story. The details of love, venal criminality, courage, compassion, heroism, bravery and so on will reveal themselves as the action unfolds. A case in point was Arnault’s heartbreaking love for an immigrant coloured woman who, in despair, ultimately hanged herself after being sexually exploited and trafficked for rape by the gang running the migrant camp.
My suggestion? Take this promising novella back to the drawing board and treat it as a draft outline for a novel which could be at once exciting, compelling, informative, moving and heartbreaking. Big re-write and re-publication. It’s clear you’ve got the writing chops, Mr Garai.
Good luck!
Paul Weiss
Arnault is a felon, twenty plus long years into a sentence following a wrongful conviction for murder. Notwithstanding the open philosophical question as to whether a roof, a dry bed, and three meals a day in prison behind bars is a better option than hunger and homelessness, the French authorities summarily release Arnault into the streets of Paris when they decide that their evidence for holding him is lacking and flawed.
In the opening chapters of THE MAN WITHOUT SHELTER, young author Indrajit Garai holds a master class clinic demonstrating the author’s maxim “Show, don’t tell!” in which he uses Arnault’s experiences to offer his readers graphic, moving and evocative social commentary on the conditions of homeless people and tent shelters in urban Paris. One wonders if Dickens sat up in his grave and applauded. Arnault navigates the administrative morass and the social limbo faced by the homeless, newly homeless, long-term homeless, immigrant homeless, and newly released prisoners in obtaining food, shelter, employment, “permanent” addresses, ID and even basic recognition of their beleaguered existence by the state.
Enter Lucy, a young female lawyer soon to become a partner in a law firm under investigation (and ultimately indictment) for terrorist money laundering and human trafficking. Exit the notion of “Show, don’t tell” and Garai’s efforts to advance the story become a rather dreary exercise in simply “telling” what happened in dry, uninteresting paragraphs that best resemble witness statements, newspaper articles, government policy handouts and simple third party recounting of past events by an anonymous external narrator. The actual plot of navigating migrant tent cities, ethnic immigrant enclaves run by criminals “mob bosses” from other countries, and the ultimate discovery of the identity of the actual murderer in the crime for which Arnault was originally convicted simply isn’t in the same class as the opening chapters that led me to hope for so much more.
I don’t often say this but here’s what I think – this novella needs to be twice as long, three times as long, and the author needs to sit back and let his characters act out their own story. The details of love, venal criminality, courage, compassion, heroism, bravery and so on will reveal themselves as the action unfolds. A case in point was Arnault’s heartbreaking love for an immigrant coloured woman who, in despair, ultimately hanged herself after being sexually exploited and trafficked for rape by the gang running the migrant camp.
My suggestion? Take this promising novella back to the drawing board and treat it as a draft outline for a novel which could be at once exciting, compelling, informative, moving and heartbreaking. Big re-write and re-publication. It’s clear you’ve got the writing chops, Mr Garai.
Good luck!
Paul Weiss
December 26, 2024
How does Goodreads lose my entire review, but not my rating or the fact I read it or even how many people engaged with my review?
July 19, 2025
Arnault is 42 year old man who spent 23 years imprisoned. Unlike the Count of Monte Cristo, there is no incredible turn of good fortune when he learns he is to be released.
He finds himself free through a twist of fate and also finds himself destitute and out of place in a world completely changed while he was in prison.
Arnault possesses a soul that remains bright. It is a candle in darkness.
A man who is inherently good despite the loss of so many years in confinement.
It is a short Novella written as an example of perseverance without rancor or revenge.
It does leave the reader having to fill in some blanks.
This is not necessarily a negative aspect of the story.
The book needs to be judged individually. It is not a one size fits all story.
He finds himself free through a twist of fate and also finds himself destitute and out of place in a world completely changed while he was in prison.
Arnault possesses a soul that remains bright. It is a candle in darkness.
A man who is inherently good despite the loss of so many years in confinement.
It is a short Novella written as an example of perseverance without rancor or revenge.
It does leave the reader having to fill in some blanks.
This is not necessarily a negative aspect of the story.
The book needs to be judged individually. It is not a one size fits all story.
July 29, 2024
What a great book. Where I live there are a lot of homeless people and not enough places for them to get help. The main character, Arnault, was sentenced to prison for 25 yrs for a crime he didn't commit and released after 23 yrs. When he is released from prison he has no where to go. All he has is the clothing he had on when arrested, his state issued ID, which was issued at the age of 19, and his little earnings from working while incarcerated. He tries so hard to get a job by asking people, but people only want to give him money because they feel sorry for here. He doesn't want charity and doesn't accept the money. Lucy is a lawyer that notices Arnault and is amazed at his determination to not accept charity and instead to find employment and pay his own way. He finds himself living among refugees from outside France who he befriends and takes it upon himself to look out for their safety. The author did a splendid job handling homelessness and crime in a thoughtful, respectful way. Arnault saves the lawyer named Lucy from a mugging by one of the clan criminals more than once. Lucy takes it upon herself to reverse the wrongful conviction charges against Arnault, all the while searching the homeless camps throughout the greater Paris area. This leads her to a eye opening experience that changes her view of the homeless she's exposed. The author writing is so great that I can pictures the events as they happen. I was kind of sad when the story was over. Highly recommend.
October 27, 2024
First off a big thank you to Estelle who provided me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn’t sure what to make of this before beginning it, with it being such a short read. This was actually written very well and easy to read, which I admit, was a little surprised with. I wasn’t sure if this was translated or not, but it flowed very well.
I really enjoyed the first part of the book, when Arnault gets out of prison and the description of Paris as he’s walking through was very detailed and felt like I was there with him. I was impressed by this.
After that, I feel like it fell off a bit for me. I really wanted a bigger exchange between Arnault and Lucy, and felt unfulfilled when it didn’t happen.
Overall a fairly good short story, with lots of insight into being homeless in a foreign country, and the lengths a man would take to save a stranger. 3 and a half stars
I wasn’t sure what to make of this before beginning it, with it being such a short read. This was actually written very well and easy to read, which I admit, was a little surprised with. I wasn’t sure if this was translated or not, but it flowed very well.
I really enjoyed the first part of the book, when Arnault gets out of prison and the description of Paris as he’s walking through was very detailed and felt like I was there with him. I was impressed by this.
After that, I feel like it fell off a bit for me. I really wanted a bigger exchange between Arnault and Lucy, and felt unfulfilled when it didn’t happen.
Overall a fairly good short story, with lots of insight into being homeless in a foreign country, and the lengths a man would take to save a stranger. 3 and a half stars
June 23, 2024
The Man without shelter is a great short read. At slightly above 100 pages, I was able to go through it in a single sitting.
It's a gripping story about a lawyer who meets a convicted felon before they undertake a rescue mission.
It's a gripping story about a lawyer who meets a convicted felon before they undertake a rescue mission.
January 14, 2023
Arnault spent the best years of his life behind bars. Arnault was convicted of murder and was sentenced to spend his life in prison, even though he claimed innocence.
Due to a technicality, Arnault is released and sent into the streets of France in the middle of the night. No I.D., no halfway house to shelter him, and no job. Arnault is cast out to fend for himself and navigate the homeless world that he was thrust upon.
The Man Without Shelter is not what I expected. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the author’s previous novel, The Eye Opener. I can’t pinpoint the exact reason for not enjoying it, but part of it has to do with vocabulary and a somewhat disjointed storytelling. I found myself backtracking to previous passages to get the drift of the narrative.
The main characters aren’t that memorable. The just seemed pretty vanilla and the only difference was that they were male and female.
I almost gave up on this novel as it got really depressing. And not understanding the French regulations didn’t help the cause. But I forged on to finish the novel only to be disappointed at the somewhat open ended finale. Two stars.
I received a digital copy of the novel from the author’s agent. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
Due to a technicality, Arnault is released and sent into the streets of France in the middle of the night. No I.D., no halfway house to shelter him, and no job. Arnault is cast out to fend for himself and navigate the homeless world that he was thrust upon.
The Man Without Shelter is not what I expected. I didn’t enjoy it as much as the author’s previous novel, The Eye Opener. I can’t pinpoint the exact reason for not enjoying it, but part of it has to do with vocabulary and a somewhat disjointed storytelling. I found myself backtracking to previous passages to get the drift of the narrative.
The main characters aren’t that memorable. The just seemed pretty vanilla and the only difference was that they were male and female.
I almost gave up on this novel as it got really depressing. And not understanding the French regulations didn’t help the cause. But I forged on to finish the novel only to be disappointed at the somewhat open ended finale. Two stars.
I received a digital copy of the novel from the author’s agent. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.
March 11, 2025
“After all those years in that cell, this place in the open felt too spacious. The vast amount of air that the Seine brought over its current to this isle suffocated him. ”
The Man without Shelter by Indrajit Garai follows the story of Arnault, a man released from prison in Paris after two decades of incarceration for a crime he did not commit.
Arnault lacks a family to welcome him into their home. He has no possessions or money beyond a lone outfit and a small amount of prison earnings given to him upon release. Without a valid ID, address, or work experience, Arnault has limited employment options.
The question of whether Arnault is pure of heart is answered early, as he offers some of his meager cash to someone he perceives as needing it more than he does. He also shares his limited food with a family of swans that live on the same part of the banks of the Seine that Arnault sets up camp. He doesn’t want charity; he just wants a chance at a fresh start.
On a crash course with a chance meeting with Arnault is a young lawyer named Lucy. She is a woman whom Arnault saves from being mugged, and then she makes it her mission to find him again and offer him a helping hand in life. This is a monumental task, as the Arab Spring has created a swell of refugees living on the streets of Paris, and the chance of finding one man living without shelter is akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
It is difficult to separate the modern migrant/refugee/homeless crisis around the world from the events in this story. What this tale does, and does well, is to introduce us to one person living on the streets and tell their story. It reminds us that every living being has walked a path that led them to where they are.
There isn’t any sugar-coated fairy tale here. Arnault is surrounded by violence, sexual assault, darkness, cruelty, and death. By the very nature of what he has lived, it makes you root for him.
This is a book that is shorter in length and easily could have been a little longer, especially the end. The chapters are short, and short chapters are glorious!
I was invited to read this book by a friend of the author, and my opinion is given freely and without reservation.
The Man without Shelter by Indrajit Garai follows the story of Arnault, a man released from prison in Paris after two decades of incarceration for a crime he did not commit.
Arnault lacks a family to welcome him into their home. He has no possessions or money beyond a lone outfit and a small amount of prison earnings given to him upon release. Without a valid ID, address, or work experience, Arnault has limited employment options.
The question of whether Arnault is pure of heart is answered early, as he offers some of his meager cash to someone he perceives as needing it more than he does. He also shares his limited food with a family of swans that live on the same part of the banks of the Seine that Arnault sets up camp. He doesn’t want charity; he just wants a chance at a fresh start.
On a crash course with a chance meeting with Arnault is a young lawyer named Lucy. She is a woman whom Arnault saves from being mugged, and then she makes it her mission to find him again and offer him a helping hand in life. This is a monumental task, as the Arab Spring has created a swell of refugees living on the streets of Paris, and the chance of finding one man living without shelter is akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
It is difficult to separate the modern migrant/refugee/homeless crisis around the world from the events in this story. What this tale does, and does well, is to introduce us to one person living on the streets and tell their story. It reminds us that every living being has walked a path that led them to where they are.
There isn’t any sugar-coated fairy tale here. Arnault is surrounded by violence, sexual assault, darkness, cruelty, and death. By the very nature of what he has lived, it makes you root for him.
This is a book that is shorter in length and easily could have been a little longer, especially the end. The chapters are short, and short chapters are glorious!
I was invited to read this book by a friend of the author, and my opinion is given freely and without reservation.
May 26, 2025
The Man Without Shelter
By Indrajit Garai
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was asked to read this book and very happy I agreed.
I was not expecting the book to be all that interesting, was I ever surprised. Such an inspiring story and especially the main character Arnault. I was taken through a gauntlet of emotions and learned of many life lessons. Such an inspiring story which I highly recommend reading.
By Indrajit Garai
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was asked to read this book and very happy I agreed.
I was not expecting the book to be all that interesting, was I ever surprised. Such an inspiring story and especially the main character Arnault. I was taken through a gauntlet of emotions and learned of many life lessons. Such an inspiring story which I highly recommend reading.
July 7, 2024
Well crafted and well though out. Let me clarify that this review is based on a request to review this novella and it is fair and honest.
Let me state that I am real glad to review this book. First off it is not a book I would typically read but having said that I am glad I came across it. I am a political science major with an honours degree and back since I was about 13 till about 30 I was very passionate about politics and especially international politics. I was so passionate I could have led a revolution. These days the world disgusts me and I rarely watch the news. So I don't read papers, seldom watch the news and have buried myself in a sheltered world with my horror/thriller books. Don't get me wrong I do know what's going on and can rant about everything and see both sides of everything though I usually side with one.
So this novel deals a lot with the homeless and their world. The author Garai does one hell of a job portraying that world and its inner workings. Just fascinating. The story takes place in France and I am not sure if this is a translated book or if it is done in English. The writing though is excellent and the author goes to great lengths so you can easily understand French laws and how things work in France. From the way it is written I know Garai knows what he is talking about.
So our main hero is Arnault. The book starts out with him being released from prison in the middle of the night. He was serving a sentence for slicing a womans throat and killing her. He has always maintained his innocence. He leaves the prison with the money he earned while there but has no place to go and wanting to make that money last until he can get on his feet and get a job. And that's the problem for so many isn't it? Getting on your feet and getting a job.
Arnault pitches a tent on an island and finds a family of swans that take to him. I found that the interaction between him and the swans, especially the young chick was so well done and it is referenced several times. It put a smile on my face and it was needed and well timed because of a lot that is written here really makes you feel for the homeless and the struggles that many go through. Arnault eventually hooks up with a migrant clan and you learn that the camp is really like a nation within a nation with a chief who runs things. The girls and women are trafficked out for monies. Others deceit others for money and simply steal. I mean if you think of it you know that they have to be making some kind of monies and you know its not legit.
Our other main character is Lucy who works at a lawfirm and has a boyfriend named Marc. Things are not good at all at the law firm as it is being investigated in its dealings with a French bank and French construction company. Her partnership is in jeopardy.
So while Lucy goes to use atm machine a mugging goes down. Marc is there but ends up disappearing (think huge ass coward here) while Arnault comes to her rescue and saves the day. Lucy feels indebted to him and looks into him learning about his murder conviction and the reason for his release which is dna based but not enough to exonerate him completely. So at that point I understood why he wasn't owed a lumpful of money for wrongful conviction. I do think that should have been explained earlier in the book as being a retired police officer I simply didn't buy into Arnault being homeless and penniless but it does eventually come out and makes sense. Like I said earlier the writer has a unique style but it is very good and he gets round to dotting the i's and crossing the t's. Everything gets covered in a very easy and understandable way.
Arnault then gets involved with saving a child from a balcony. The child is hanging for his life and Arnault saves the day and as its captured on tape, he becomes a hero. He is arrested though as he has a record and though this confused me in regards to lawful right to arrest him based on just having a past record I will take the author at his word and can see it being like that in France. Hell it should be like that everywhere, lol. It is this heroic act that gets Arnault a one on one with the president of France where he is finally given a job in what amounts to the special forces in France which is his dream. Things start to turn in favour of Arnault.
While doing his special forces job he gets a call to the migrant camp he once lived in. He was befriended by an African family there and had fallen in love with a young woman named Zala. Zala is the reason for the call as she has just tried to commit suicide and she does succeed. In her letter she tells why which is she was raped while trying to do her job of house cleaning. Arnault loses it.
At the same time Lucy continues to try and pay back Arnault for helping her survive the mugging. She goes to one of the camp's to speak to the inhabitants. No one will talk to her but she eventually is confronted by the chief as she clearly does not belong. She tells the chief of Arnault and the chief is familiar with him as this is the camp Arnault and his love Zala were at. Lucy is at this camp as it is the area where Arnault was framed for murder, where that crime was committed. Lucy is there looking for possible suspects though it is like 20 years ago. She knows the camp has been there a long, long time and is hoping to get some names so as to see if they have the true murderers of that woman's dna on file. Meaning once she gets names of suspects they can be run through the database for possible hits and Arnault would be completely exonerated.
Well it was so ironic to read in that for a few pages Lucy goes on regretting this action as she believes her prejudices got in the way of interviewing this camp and is remorseful for the way she was wrongfully accusing this group. While she is regretting her actions she is on a bridge over the river Seine and the chief and two cohorts are coming at her. Lucy thinks they are now being cooperative as she had offered monies for some information into the suspects as well. Well that chief and his two cohorts are not approaching her with good thoughts in mind. They don't want her snooping anymore and are going to put a stop to it for good. A struggle ensues and Lucy fends off her attackers and lo and behold who happens to be nearby but Arnault. He again comes to her rescue and a violent struggle ensues. Arnault and the chief both end up in the river Seine and the writer explains how violent a river the Seine is with crazy undertows and the like. Will Arnault survive?
This novella is a 130 pages in length and man there is a lot going on. There are so many moments packed with a hard punch to the gut. Repeated body shots that awaken you to the plight of the homeless and their suffering. Then moments with the Swan and the like where the author gives you something to feel good about and it is needed and so well timed. It is so well done. I really enjoyed it and it opened my eyes up in many ways I was not expecting.
When Arnault and the chief fall into the river we are basically at the end. I will not go further than that as I do not want to spoil things but the ending is so welcoming and I was so glad to see what finally happens. This was an easy four star read. My personal bias is against novella's themselves as they always seem to leave me wanting more as was the case here. I can understand that this may be the intention but part of me really wants more, expand it, give me more, give me a full book, lol. This one did that with me as it was just so good!! I will be reading more of this author and look forward to more from him......
Let me state that I am real glad to review this book. First off it is not a book I would typically read but having said that I am glad I came across it. I am a political science major with an honours degree and back since I was about 13 till about 30 I was very passionate about politics and especially international politics. I was so passionate I could have led a revolution. These days the world disgusts me and I rarely watch the news. So I don't read papers, seldom watch the news and have buried myself in a sheltered world with my horror/thriller books. Don't get me wrong I do know what's going on and can rant about everything and see both sides of everything though I usually side with one.
So this novel deals a lot with the homeless and their world. The author Garai does one hell of a job portraying that world and its inner workings. Just fascinating. The story takes place in France and I am not sure if this is a translated book or if it is done in English. The writing though is excellent and the author goes to great lengths so you can easily understand French laws and how things work in France. From the way it is written I know Garai knows what he is talking about.
So our main hero is Arnault. The book starts out with him being released from prison in the middle of the night. He was serving a sentence for slicing a womans throat and killing her. He has always maintained his innocence. He leaves the prison with the money he earned while there but has no place to go and wanting to make that money last until he can get on his feet and get a job. And that's the problem for so many isn't it? Getting on your feet and getting a job.
Arnault pitches a tent on an island and finds a family of swans that take to him. I found that the interaction between him and the swans, especially the young chick was so well done and it is referenced several times. It put a smile on my face and it was needed and well timed because of a lot that is written here really makes you feel for the homeless and the struggles that many go through. Arnault eventually hooks up with a migrant clan and you learn that the camp is really like a nation within a nation with a chief who runs things. The girls and women are trafficked out for monies. Others deceit others for money and simply steal. I mean if you think of it you know that they have to be making some kind of monies and you know its not legit.
Our other main character is Lucy who works at a lawfirm and has a boyfriend named Marc. Things are not good at all at the law firm as it is being investigated in its dealings with a French bank and French construction company. Her partnership is in jeopardy.
So while Lucy goes to use atm machine a mugging goes down. Marc is there but ends up disappearing (think huge ass coward here) while Arnault comes to her rescue and saves the day. Lucy feels indebted to him and looks into him learning about his murder conviction and the reason for his release which is dna based but not enough to exonerate him completely. So at that point I understood why he wasn't owed a lumpful of money for wrongful conviction. I do think that should have been explained earlier in the book as being a retired police officer I simply didn't buy into Arnault being homeless and penniless but it does eventually come out and makes sense. Like I said earlier the writer has a unique style but it is very good and he gets round to dotting the i's and crossing the t's. Everything gets covered in a very easy and understandable way.
Arnault then gets involved with saving a child from a balcony. The child is hanging for his life and Arnault saves the day and as its captured on tape, he becomes a hero. He is arrested though as he has a record and though this confused me in regards to lawful right to arrest him based on just having a past record I will take the author at his word and can see it being like that in France. Hell it should be like that everywhere, lol. It is this heroic act that gets Arnault a one on one with the president of France where he is finally given a job in what amounts to the special forces in France which is his dream. Things start to turn in favour of Arnault.
While doing his special forces job he gets a call to the migrant camp he once lived in. He was befriended by an African family there and had fallen in love with a young woman named Zala. Zala is the reason for the call as she has just tried to commit suicide and she does succeed. In her letter she tells why which is she was raped while trying to do her job of house cleaning. Arnault loses it.
At the same time Lucy continues to try and pay back Arnault for helping her survive the mugging. She goes to one of the camp's to speak to the inhabitants. No one will talk to her but she eventually is confronted by the chief as she clearly does not belong. She tells the chief of Arnault and the chief is familiar with him as this is the camp Arnault and his love Zala were at. Lucy is at this camp as it is the area where Arnault was framed for murder, where that crime was committed. Lucy is there looking for possible suspects though it is like 20 years ago. She knows the camp has been there a long, long time and is hoping to get some names so as to see if they have the true murderers of that woman's dna on file. Meaning once she gets names of suspects they can be run through the database for possible hits and Arnault would be completely exonerated.
Well it was so ironic to read in that for a few pages Lucy goes on regretting this action as she believes her prejudices got in the way of interviewing this camp and is remorseful for the way she was wrongfully accusing this group. While she is regretting her actions she is on a bridge over the river Seine and the chief and two cohorts are coming at her. Lucy thinks they are now being cooperative as she had offered monies for some information into the suspects as well. Well that chief and his two cohorts are not approaching her with good thoughts in mind. They don't want her snooping anymore and are going to put a stop to it for good. A struggle ensues and Lucy fends off her attackers and lo and behold who happens to be nearby but Arnault. He again comes to her rescue and a violent struggle ensues. Arnault and the chief both end up in the river Seine and the writer explains how violent a river the Seine is with crazy undertows and the like. Will Arnault survive?
This novella is a 130 pages in length and man there is a lot going on. There are so many moments packed with a hard punch to the gut. Repeated body shots that awaken you to the plight of the homeless and their suffering. Then moments with the Swan and the like where the author gives you something to feel good about and it is needed and so well timed. It is so well done. I really enjoyed it and it opened my eyes up in many ways I was not expecting.
When Arnault and the chief fall into the river we are basically at the end. I will not go further than that as I do not want to spoil things but the ending is so welcoming and I was so glad to see what finally happens. This was an easy four star read. My personal bias is against novella's themselves as they always seem to leave me wanting more as was the case here. I can understand that this may be the intention but part of me really wants more, expand it, give me more, give me a full book, lol. This one did that with me as it was just so good!! I will be reading more of this author and look forward to more from him......
August 13, 2024
Adventures in Homelessness
Arnault was in prison for the crime of manslaughter, and had known nothing except prison for years until he was suddenly released in the middle of the night. He had no real belongings and very little money from working at the prison and he was being released into a France that he was unfamiliar with. The Arab Spring had caused a great migration into Europe and there were homeless camps everywhere, so finding a shelter was unlikely.
Arnault does not want charity and does not take handouts offered to him, he only wants a job but has no current identification. He gets a tent and camps down by the river and makes friends with a swan and her little ones. He sees an African family nearby in living in a tunnel, and they silently greet each other daily. Arnault rescues a young female attorney from an attack when even her boyfriend abandoned her. Arnault is again in trouble with the law, but Lucy the young attorney defends him. Arnault loses his things and Zala the young African woman cares for him and feeds him.
This is far from the only adventure Arnault has, for he is not a man to stand idly by when bad things are happening to others. He and Lucy will have their futures intertwined again in ways that will matter greatly to them both.
I confess that I found this story both engaging and confusing at times. It’s possible that I don’t understand French society and legality, but I was interested to know how serious the migrant crisis was in France. I followed the story pretty well until the end, and I think I got lost when Arnault and Lucy were having dreams, but I think it was a happy ending. I can’t give it five stars because I got lost a couple of times, but it was a good four star read.
Arnault was in prison for the crime of manslaughter, and had known nothing except prison for years until he was suddenly released in the middle of the night. He had no real belongings and very little money from working at the prison and he was being released into a France that he was unfamiliar with. The Arab Spring had caused a great migration into Europe and there were homeless camps everywhere, so finding a shelter was unlikely.
Arnault does not want charity and does not take handouts offered to him, he only wants a job but has no current identification. He gets a tent and camps down by the river and makes friends with a swan and her little ones. He sees an African family nearby in living in a tunnel, and they silently greet each other daily. Arnault rescues a young female attorney from an attack when even her boyfriend abandoned her. Arnault is again in trouble with the law, but Lucy the young attorney defends him. Arnault loses his things and Zala the young African woman cares for him and feeds him.
This is far from the only adventure Arnault has, for he is not a man to stand idly by when bad things are happening to others. He and Lucy will have their futures intertwined again in ways that will matter greatly to them both.
I confess that I found this story both engaging and confusing at times. It’s possible that I don’t understand French society and legality, but I was interested to know how serious the migrant crisis was in France. I followed the story pretty well until the end, and I think I got lost when Arnault and Lucy were having dreams, but I think it was a happy ending. I can’t give it five stars because I got lost a couple of times, but it was a good four star read.
August 19, 2024
When Arnault is released from prison with no warning, he finds himself on the streets without a home, possessions, or even any current form of ID. He must use his wits to survive…and to find out why he was suddenly freed.
Full disclosure: I learned about this book because a friend of the author reached out to me and offered to send me a copy. I get offers like this from indie authors from time to time, and generally turn them down, but the reviews of this one intrigued me. While it wasn’t my favourite, I am overall glad that I read it.
I was blown away by how well this book portrayed the experience of homeless people and those coming out of prison. It did a top notch job of showing the difficulties they face, from minor bureaucratic inconveniences to having their tents and possessions confiscated. It’s clear the author did thorough research. I also loved the strong sense of place. I could clearly imagine the Parisian setting.
However, I feel like the execution of this story was a bit lacking. While the prose was strong, the narrative voice was quite distant. I felt as though I was being told a story rather than being immersed in one. I think this story would have benefited from a longer page count, which would allow it to be more fully fleshed out. I also didn’t love how perfect Arnault was. I appreciate that the homeless character wasn’t portrayed as greedy or lazy, but I think some minor flaws or ethically dubious moments might have humanized him.
Overall, while I didn’t love this from a storytelling standpoint, I think it is excellent as a work of advocacy for homeless populations. I would recommend it to those looking to get a glimpse into the hurdles our unhoused neighbours face.
Full disclosure: I learned about this book because a friend of the author reached out to me and offered to send me a copy. I get offers like this from indie authors from time to time, and generally turn them down, but the reviews of this one intrigued me. While it wasn’t my favourite, I am overall glad that I read it.
I was blown away by how well this book portrayed the experience of homeless people and those coming out of prison. It did a top notch job of showing the difficulties they face, from minor bureaucratic inconveniences to having their tents and possessions confiscated. It’s clear the author did thorough research. I also loved the strong sense of place. I could clearly imagine the Parisian setting.
However, I feel like the execution of this story was a bit lacking. While the prose was strong, the narrative voice was quite distant. I felt as though I was being told a story rather than being immersed in one. I think this story would have benefited from a longer page count, which would allow it to be more fully fleshed out. I also didn’t love how perfect Arnault was. I appreciate that the homeless character wasn’t portrayed as greedy or lazy, but I think some minor flaws or ethically dubious moments might have humanized him.
Overall, while I didn’t love this from a storytelling standpoint, I think it is excellent as a work of advocacy for homeless populations. I would recommend it to those looking to get a glimpse into the hurdles our unhoused neighbours face.
September 12, 2024
I’m going to give this book 3.5 🌟
I was asked to read this book , it’s not really my gene but i enjoyed it.
This was a well written story about a man Arnault who has been released from prison in Paris. This book goes on to explain the situation in Paris with the homeless and refugees there, and where there staying and the conditions they have to live under.
There is a young lawyer in the story that goes on to help Arnault after he saves her from some attackers , realising that he was innocent of the crime he was committed 24 years for.
They bump into eachother throughout this book.
Shows how Arnault gets on without a job and living in a tent on the river Seine,as he goes on with his life through difficult times.
Give it a go
Iain
I was asked to read this book , it’s not really my gene but i enjoyed it.
This was a well written story about a man Arnault who has been released from prison in Paris. This book goes on to explain the situation in Paris with the homeless and refugees there, and where there staying and the conditions they have to live under.
There is a young lawyer in the story that goes on to help Arnault after he saves her from some attackers , realising that he was innocent of the crime he was committed 24 years for.
They bump into eachother throughout this book.
Shows how Arnault gets on without a job and living in a tent on the river Seine,as he goes on with his life through difficult times.
Give it a go
Iain
October 12, 2024
Arnault, 42; is suddenly released from prison after 23 years on a murder conviction with little to no explanation. With no one to return to and no destination he roams the streets thinking about finding a job and somewhere to stay.
After no luck because he has an expired personal id and no fixed address, he buys a tent with the money he received from prison upon release. He pitches his tent under a bridge and soon builds a kinship with two swans and their chick.
He meets the lawyer Lucy when he rescues her from being assaulted at an ATM. Unfortunately, he is arrested even though he saved her because of his criminal record. She in turn defends him.
The story moves on from there touching more on the plight of inmates after their time in prison, the almost unbelievable lives of the homeless, corruption, human trafficking, politics and so much more. It almost touches on too much in such a short story. So much happens to Lucy and Arnault that it's a little tough to keep track of. Overall, a very interesting story though.
A woeful story, so very sad at times.
Thank you to Estelle for pointing me in the right direction to read this sorrowful story.
After no luck because he has an expired personal id and no fixed address, he buys a tent with the money he received from prison upon release. He pitches his tent under a bridge and soon builds a kinship with two swans and their chick.
He meets the lawyer Lucy when he rescues her from being assaulted at an ATM. Unfortunately, he is arrested even though he saved her because of his criminal record. She in turn defends him.
The story moves on from there touching more on the plight of inmates after their time in prison, the almost unbelievable lives of the homeless, corruption, human trafficking, politics and so much more. It almost touches on too much in such a short story. So much happens to Lucy and Arnault that it's a little tough to keep track of. Overall, a very interesting story though.
A woeful story, so very sad at times.
Thank you to Estelle for pointing me in the right direction to read this sorrowful story.
November 14, 2024
There are some crazy laws in France especially if one stands up for someone else they are also charged.
I have been pondering throughout the story why I struggled to get into this book and I realised the characters lacked depth and it was devoid of emotion. It was hard to have any feelings towards any of them. For example the woman was beaten up badly but there was no sense of fear or that she was suffering pain. I love a good story that brings out my feelings whether it’s disgust, sorrow or love. This was a fantastic idea for a story but it could have been developed further by expanding more on the characters and lengthening the lead up to the events to create suspense or emotion.
I have been pondering throughout the story why I struggled to get into this book and I realised the characters lacked depth and it was devoid of emotion. It was hard to have any feelings towards any of them. For example the woman was beaten up badly but there was no sense of fear or that she was suffering pain. I love a good story that brings out my feelings whether it’s disgust, sorrow or love. This was a fantastic idea for a story but it could have been developed further by expanding more on the characters and lengthening the lead up to the events to create suspense or emotion.
February 21, 2025
Truly remarkable short story. My mind is flooded with the wonders I found within its pages. If I say more, I might reveal the plot. What I can say is that although I was unfamiliar with the author Indrajit Garai, he has left a mark on my heart, and I will most assuredly feret out his other works. Very highly recommended!
October 28, 2024
Garai’s novella gives [me] a completely new perspective of Paris, a quick peek into some of the city’s social-economic issues. His book focuses on the displaced and impoverished immigrants squatting along the city’s perimeters. An ever-growing population facing hunger, homelessness, lack of opportunities, abduction, rape, lack of healthcare, and more. Let’s not forget the blind eye and distrust of the rest of society.
Of course Paris is not alone, so many (most?) metropolies have their own slums, mafias, clans, “undesirables,” displaced, underground… It’s baffling. But we turn the eye as we go about our day, which is why books like “The Man Without Shelter” need to be read, discussed and addressed. I hope this novel will ignite the reaction it deserves.
Thank you Indrajit for this journey. Thank you Estelle, for the opportunity.
Of course Paris is not alone, so many (most?) metropolies have their own slums, mafias, clans, “undesirables,” displaced, underground… It’s baffling. But we turn the eye as we go about our day, which is why books like “The Man Without Shelter” need to be read, discussed and addressed. I hope this novel will ignite the reaction it deserves.
Thank you Indrajit for this journey. Thank you Estelle, for the opportunity.
August 19, 2024
I was gifted The Man Without Shelter to read and provide my honest review. I’m so glad I was able to read this book. It is short at only 127 pages but is packed with complexities as we follow the two main characters, Arnault and Lucy.
Arnault has served 23 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He is released onto the streets with no friends, family, employment or a place to live. He has only a meager amount of money that he earned while incarcerated to live on.
Lucy is a young lawyer in line to make partner at the lawfirm where she works.Those plans are waylaid and after Arnault rescues Lucy from a mugging she takes up his case to have the old charges against him dropped.
The story takes a hard look at the justice system, homelessness, immigration and rampant crime that plagues those that find themselves adrift on the edges of society. I especially appreciated the human spirit found in some of these people. Their efforts to rise above their difficult situations are remarkable and uplifting. Then there are those who choose to prey on those less fortunate and they are despicable. They build their lives on the backs of others, breaking them, and tossing them away.
This short novel gave me much to think about and consider. I will remember it when I see the homeless on the streets or migrant camps full of people. It is both inspiring and heart wrenching, but it leaves us with hope in the human spirit. I hope you will read it!
Arnault has served 23 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He is released onto the streets with no friends, family, employment or a place to live. He has only a meager amount of money that he earned while incarcerated to live on.
Lucy is a young lawyer in line to make partner at the lawfirm where she works.Those plans are waylaid and after Arnault rescues Lucy from a mugging she takes up his case to have the old charges against him dropped.
The story takes a hard look at the justice system, homelessness, immigration and rampant crime that plagues those that find themselves adrift on the edges of society. I especially appreciated the human spirit found in some of these people. Their efforts to rise above their difficult situations are remarkable and uplifting. Then there are those who choose to prey on those less fortunate and they are despicable. They build their lives on the backs of others, breaking them, and tossing them away.
This short novel gave me much to think about and consider. I will remember it when I see the homeless on the streets or migrant camps full of people. It is both inspiring and heart wrenching, but it leaves us with hope in the human spirit. I hope you will read it!
November 3, 2024
“Man without shelter, looking for a job.”
Arnault is 42 years old and has just been released, to his surprise, from prison after serving 23 years. He is let out onto the Paris streets with nowhere to go and hardly anything to his name. Since being inside France now has the Euro, mobile phones are a thing, street crime is on the rise and Paris has a burgeoning tent city of homeless that he’ll be joining.
Arnault appears to be a good person but why was he in prison for so long and why the sudden release? This we come to know after an incident brings a young lawyer, Lucy and Arnault together up to a point. Arnault helps people without a second thought. Lucy, in her lawyer capacity, does the same. At least she certainly tries to.
We see the migrant camps where Arnault lives and how they work or not. It is the same here in London only here the migrants are set-up in hotels and not in tents but a lot of the looking for labour work is the same. With predatory gangs and crime it is a world not for the faint of heart.
This is a 119-page novella that packs a lot in. The characters, especially Arnault, are well defined and the story keeps you engaged. The first half of the story was really good but the second half was a slight let down and I think this was to do with the flow being disrupted with a couple of large jumps in time. A quick read showing another view of Paris.
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Estelle in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
Arnault is 42 years old and has just been released, to his surprise, from prison after serving 23 years. He is let out onto the Paris streets with nowhere to go and hardly anything to his name. Since being inside France now has the Euro, mobile phones are a thing, street crime is on the rise and Paris has a burgeoning tent city of homeless that he’ll be joining.
Arnault appears to be a good person but why was he in prison for so long and why the sudden release? This we come to know after an incident brings a young lawyer, Lucy and Arnault together up to a point. Arnault helps people without a second thought. Lucy, in her lawyer capacity, does the same. At least she certainly tries to.
We see the migrant camps where Arnault lives and how they work or not. It is the same here in London only here the migrants are set-up in hotels and not in tents but a lot of the looking for labour work is the same. With predatory gangs and crime it is a world not for the faint of heart.
This is a 119-page novella that packs a lot in. The characters, especially Arnault, are well defined and the story keeps you engaged. The first half of the story was really good but the second half was a slight let down and I think this was to do with the flow being disrupted with a couple of large jumps in time. A quick read showing another view of Paris.
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Estelle in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
November 5, 2024
This was a sober and solemn novella set in Paris. A look at the poor neighborhoods and camps of migrants. So many Paris books are very light about the spell blinding beauty of the city the art ,books ,fashion,restaurants ,cafes ,the Seine ,the Louvre,.This is about a whole other side of life .The main character /hero is quite simpathetic and brave despite his very hard past. The Lawyer is intrepid and courageous and a bit lonely as she works so hard for justice . This reminds me of a conversation i had in a scarf shop in Paris -I was very pale and wobbly from jet lag and the young woman pulled out a chair and gave me water. while my friend tried on endless scarves. I told her how much i love France and how i leave my heart there- and she said it is not all as it seems and life is hard for most people making their way there- we left with a brilliant blue scarf and my friend a ballet pink scarf and a different view of Parisian life. This was a very good read with only small sparks of romance but with a lot of heart.
December 27, 2024
I was lucky enough to be gifted a copy of this wonderful book, and even though this isn’t my typical genre really enjoyed this one. The Man Without Shelter is a heartfelt story about resilience and dignity. It sheds light on those society often overlooks with relatable stories of people navigating through situations .
If you’re into thought-provoking story that mixes tough topics with hope, this one’s worth a read.
If you’re into thought-provoking story that mixes tough topics with hope, this one’s worth a read.
November 17, 2024
“Lucy, a young lawyer, is on fast track to partnership in her firm. Arnault, a convicted felon, leaves prison after two decades through a piece of evidence in his favor. The two of them come together during a rescue operation at the centre of Paris, and then they go on with their separate lives.
Months later, their paths cross again at a camp for migrants on the edge of Paris”
This is a short story, a novella, which I do not usually choose, however I am very glad I read it.
Overall I felt incredibly sorry for Arnault (the main character) who spent twenty five years in prison for a murder he did not commit. It was a heartbreaking story but with a lot of hope and inspiration. It was well written and I got behind the characters easily and quickly.
I would love to read a follow up story as I feel the ending was perhaps a little rushed.
Highly recommend 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Months later, their paths cross again at a camp for migrants on the edge of Paris”
This is a short story, a novella, which I do not usually choose, however I am very glad I read it.
Overall I felt incredibly sorry for Arnault (the main character) who spent twenty five years in prison for a murder he did not commit. It was a heartbreaking story but with a lot of hope and inspiration. It was well written and I got behind the characters easily and quickly.
I would love to read a follow up story as I feel the ending was perhaps a little rushed.
Highly recommend 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
December 4, 2025
1 Sentence Summary: Lucy, a young lawyer, and Arnault, a convicted felon who has been released from prison after two decades, cross paths in Paris.
My Thoughts: I was just kind of bored the whole time and didn’t really care what happened to the characters. It’s a pretty quick read, and the explorations of homelessness were kind of interesting, but I didn’t love it and wasn’t very invested.
Recommend to: Nobody
(Warnings: death)
My Thoughts: I was just kind of bored the whole time and didn’t really care what happened to the characters. It’s a pretty quick read, and the explorations of homelessness were kind of interesting, but I didn’t love it and wasn’t very invested.
Recommend to: Nobody
(Warnings: death)
June 28, 2025
I do enjoy a book that transports me to a different place, and this story is set in Paris, France. As with all capital cities, there is a wide range of people in vastly different circumstances, from the very rich to the homeless living by the Seine.
The story starts with Arnault, who is being discharged from prison in the middle of the night. He has nowhere to go, no home, no job, and, crucially, no ID; without ID he is unable to work and earn money to feed himself. Also, Arnault was innocent of the serious crime for which he was incarcerated for over two decades...
Lucy is a lawyer, but her firm is going through a crisis, which puts her job in jeopardy.
These two characters are bound together throughout, with Lucy trying to help Arnault in different ways to improve his life and prove his innocence.
I was really interested in learning Arnault's story, and he comes across as a good man who finds himself in terrible situations because of his kindness.
The book is only 125 pages long, and I found that I did not get the in depth "fleshing out" of the main characters that I like to have, but I still cared about them.
There is lots about the homeless and refugees, and I was glad that these were prominent themes. Anything which humanises these people is welcome, however, again, it would have been great to have some back stories to expand these themes.
I feel the world needs more Arnaults!
3.5 stars
Thank you to Chère Estelle for providing a copy of this book for my honest review.
The story starts with Arnault, who is being discharged from prison in the middle of the night. He has nowhere to go, no home, no job, and, crucially, no ID; without ID he is unable to work and earn money to feed himself. Also, Arnault was innocent of the serious crime for which he was incarcerated for over two decades...
Lucy is a lawyer, but her firm is going through a crisis, which puts her job in jeopardy.
These two characters are bound together throughout, with Lucy trying to help Arnault in different ways to improve his life and prove his innocence.
I was really interested in learning Arnault's story, and he comes across as a good man who finds himself in terrible situations because of his kindness.
The book is only 125 pages long, and I found that I did not get the in depth "fleshing out" of the main characters that I like to have, but I still cared about them.
There is lots about the homeless and refugees, and I was glad that these were prominent themes. Anything which humanises these people is welcome, however, again, it would have been great to have some back stories to expand these themes.
I feel the world needs more Arnaults!
3.5 stars
Thank you to Chère Estelle for providing a copy of this book for my honest review.
October 27, 2024
* 3.5 stars *
Thank you to the author for giving me a copy of this book in return for a review!
This book was really interesting. Slice of life with a bit of mystery. I didn’t love the main character but I really liked the lawyer side character. I loved the writing and the just of this story. I wish the ending was more flushed out but overall this was a good read!
Thank you to the author for giving me a copy of this book in return for a review!
This book was really interesting. Slice of life with a bit of mystery. I didn’t love the main character but I really liked the lawyer side character. I loved the writing and the just of this story. I wish the ending was more flushed out but overall this was a good read!
April 21, 2025
3.5 stars. The Man Without Shelter is a deeply moving story about homelessness, resilience, and second chances. Through Arnault’s journey, the novel sheds light on society’s treatment of the vulnerable, blending emotional storytelling with thought-provoking themes. While sometimes more philosophical than immersive, it’s a compelling read that stays with you.
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