Life of Pi

[Zeke]

Life of Pi, written by Yann Martel

Wonderful book, read it twice in 6 months - something I have never done before.

Anyone else read it?

 

[Uncle Steve]

Originally posted by Zeke
Anyone else read it?

No, but Aunty Shell has. She described it as "very unusual, but average". This has discouraged me from picking it up myself. Should I change my mind?

 

[Zeke]

Re: Re: Life of Pi

Originally posted by Uncle Steve
No, but Aunty Shell has. She described it as "very unusual, but average". This has discouraged me from picking it up myself. Should I change my mind?

Hmmm. I really liked it. That's the thing with books, one person can love it another loathe it... Spose you just have to find out for yourself.

 

[Seb]

For some reason this book bored me.

Couldn't stand it

 

[Zeke]

Originally posted by Shaitan
For some reason this book bored me.

Couldn't stand it

Much like me with a Wilbur Smith.

 

[Mog]

Dangerous hints of literacy showing up on Big Footy. Two threads about a book in the last week? Quick, get the hot water bottle, hell has frozen over.

 

[Boro]

Absolutely superb book! Probably my fave from last year. Anyone who struggles with it early needs to keep going as the first part of the story is a little tedious but is essential for the set up of the story.

 

[Possumisagun]

I read it a couple of months ago. Easily my favourite book; has the best ending for a story I've ever encountered.

 

[Zeke]

Finally... Common sense prevails!

 

[SaveFeriss]

Quick blurb anyone?

 

[Boro]

Originally posted by SaveFeriss
Quick blurb anyone?

Without giving much away;

It's about a young Indian boy Pi, whose parents decide to migrate to Canada. On the voyage over the ship goes down and Pi finds himself in a lifeboat with only a Bengal Tiger, Zebra, Hyena and a few other animals I can't recal as company. The story is about his remarkable survival.

 

[SaveFeriss]

Sounds interesting, I'll check it out tomorrow.

Thanks Boro.

 

[jim boy]

I started reading it about 6 months ago, am still somewhere ion the first 30 pages. I will finish it though, at some point. Did the same thing with Tim Winton's Dirt Music , although I was bit over half way through. Actually I accidentally packed the book and lost it for a year. When I found it, I finished it, although I shouldn't have because the second half sucked.

 

[Bartholin Juice]

Charming little book. Very enjoyable.

 

[Uncle Steve]

Well Zeke, after reading this thread I was motivated to pick the book up and read it. I finished it yesterday.

It was good enough, an entertaining read. But by no means the best book I've ever read. Not even close.

Possible spoilers follow.

In the first part, with all the discussion of animal psychology, I thought the scene was being set for an allegory; explaining human life in terms of animal social behaviour. But this idea was dropped before being fully explored.

In the second part I thought the book was about to get all existential, particularly when Pi decides he wants to live, though his life is merely going through the motions of keeping himself and Richard Parker alive. Again, the idea was dropped before it was developed.

I did not care much for the surreal turn the book took towards the end. First the encounter with the other castaway, during which Pi is conveniently blind; and the later encounter with the living island. I'm afraid this was just to bizarre for my liking. If Mr. Martel was trying to speak in parables, then I guess I just missed the point.

All up an entertaining enough read, but not outstanding in any way. Just my opinion, of course

 

[Darky]

Hmmm. I really liked it. That's the thing with books, one person can love it another loathe it... Spose you just have to find out for yourself.

Hustler, August 1994.

 

[aggels]

This was one of the books I read just before I got the chicken pox (another thread I know.) and the hallucinations I had immediately on finishing the book, involving being on a boat with animals myself, is enough to make my stomach queasy at the thought of the book.

But from what I remember, it was a decent book - not a great work, personally I enjoyed the first few chapters more than the rest, because that's my style, but once the plot started getting into full swing, I couldn't put the book down. I really liked the points the plot made on the nature of faith, etc. and the statements on religion at the end. Couldn't read it again though, if only because of the chicken pox thing.

 

[NarniMagic]

Anyone seen the movie?

 

[mantis]

Anyone seen the movie?

You'd be better asking this question on the media & entertainment board, which didn't exist when this thread was started.

 

[NarniMagic]

You'd be better asking this question on the media & entertainment board, which didn't exist when this thread was started.

Move thread or...

 

[mantis]

Move thread or...

Go to the media & entertainment thread.

 

[NarniMagic]

Go to the media & entertainment thread.

Done (I googled the thread to see if one existed, didn't notice it was in the GD board)