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Summary: One of those incredible "Wow!" books...
Review: I'll admit it: I normally avoid the highly-touted, Sunday suplement reviewed, novels of "literature." I happened across a radio interview with Author Yann Martel as he answered questions about LIFE OF PI, became intriqued, and decided to read it.I was quite pleased. Okay, more than pleased. This is one of those books that is so well crafted, so intricately plotted, so challenging in it's theme and tone, that by the time you're done reading it, all you can say is, "Wow!" Early in the book, the main character claims that this story will prove the existence of God... I don't know about that, but it's a story that accomplishes what great art of any type does: it sneeks up on you with its beauty and form, and then it gets you thinking. A true masterpiece, LIFE OF PI will stir up your mind and never let you forget that you read it.
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Summary: Pi = 3.14
Review: When I first saw this title advertised by the books page in Amazon I wondered how Pi - the Greek letter for number 3.14 - would be used in that novel. I had to buy this book to find out. What motivated me to buy it was the fact that I soon found out the book was translated in Greek, among tens of other languages. When I read it I thought 'this could make a great film' and I waited it would happen soon. Now I heared at movies.go.com that the film is to be releashed on 2004. By the time writting this I am in page 180 and so far the plot is okay.
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Summary: A Unique Book
Review: Will it change your life? Will it make you believe in God? I would answer probably not to both of those questions. And although there is a blurb somewhere on the dust jacket that this book WILL make you believe in God, it's better to simply enjoy Life of Pi as a unique and funny book with some interesting comments on the human condition. The first third of the book describes the young man's upbringing in India, his life as a zookeeper's son, and his introduction to---and confusion over---the different religious doctrines. The next two-thirds of the book describes his ordeal when he is trapped on a lifeboat for seven months with only a tiger for company. Both parts of the book are very enjoyable and well-written. One reviewer said that the ending was disturbing, but it is also highly ambiguous---intentionally---and this reader may have been disturbed by something that didn't even really happen. Take the book with a grain of salt and simply enjoy its stylish prose and offbeat humor, then look for the secrets of life elsewhere.
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Summary: Worth the Challenge
Review: Books that take us out of our everyday world to transport us through our imagination to somewhere real, yet unreal, are worth the effort. I recall other favorite novels such as, "The Cunning Man" and "Midnight's Children" that caused me to pause to catch up on my thoughts. I would lose myself in the story while marvelling at the author's ability to spark so much self analysis and personal feelings. A ride worth taking.
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Summary: Depressing ending gave me nightmares
Review: This survival at sea story did not cheer me up at all. I read all of it and enjoyed reading about Pi's search for religion and his relationship with the tiger. I could even stomach the many gruesome details of fish guts. Rather it was the last pages that gave me nightmares because they were were graphically violent and extremely cynical about human nature. The last pages were a complete reversal of tone of the rest of the book. After reading the end, the earlier chapters took on another meaning and seemed to be crafted to undermine faith in all religious belief and in the goodness of human beings. The end of the book was very disturbing for me and I couldn't shake it off for a long time.
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Summary: So what?
Review: Maybe I am thick, but this book certainly did not make me believe in God. Nor did it engage me enough to take another read to try and figure it out. For me, if a book needs a lot of figuring out, it better be a good read. I liked the way that the author slowly layered information about the adult Pi with the young Pi's history. Once he was adrift, tho, I was lulled by the rocking of the lifeboat and searched for a story that was either there or not. When I was done, I just didn't care anymore. All said, I must applaud the copy on the jacket which got me to pick up the book. That was as compelling it got.
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Summary: Shocking ..
Review: You start reading the book about the life of a little Indian boy Pi and the story behind his name..India ..and the influence of the foreign occupation .. then you are taken into a different place with a different insight .. you go back to Pi and his parents and their zoo..then a big change in the story and you are in the middle of the ocean with Pi and his animals.. seems like any other story but the ending is what the story is all about.. it is so shocking and for me it is unbelieveable although "it had no animals" .. It is true that we take life for granted and that with the rush of everyday life you forget about what really counts and what life is all about .. do we really have to go through all that misery to realize where we are and why?!! I read a quote that said something about believing in God and for me Life of Pi made me believe more and made me realize how blessed I am just to be here and to enjoy and cherish every moment.. Martel is great .. simple language .. subtle meanings and deep insights .. I could relate to the way of life in that part of the world and understand his base and the person Pi became..
Enjoy
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Summary: Worst book that I ever finished
Review: I had problems getting into this book from the very start. I thought that the author jumped around so much that he could not complete a thought at all. He averaged a new chapter every three pages which really broke up the flow of the book. The only reason that I finished this book is because I am in a book club and we are going to discuss it.
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Summary: A visual feast
Review: I speed read but this book forced me to slow down and savor.
This is not the kind of book I'd normally be attracted to. I need dialogue, emotional insight, relationships with people, something that's going to make me change the way I experience the regulars in my life. Pi gave me something else. His descriptions of the ocean, the fish, the sky, the tiger, changed the way I look at the physical world. His book literally woke up my eyes. Whenever I feel my eyes are getting tired or unable to recognize beauty -- this is the book I will return to.
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Summary: Try some Pi
Review: For the last few months, when I found myself in a bookstore lusting after books I could not financially justify buying, I always ended up picking up this book. The simple and absurd premise drew me to it until I finally gave in and bought it. I'm happy I did. I appreciate books that take something old (there is nothing new under the sun) but twist it in a way that seems like something new. It placed me in a lifeboat with a beautiful, terrible beast and brought me to a place where I saw things in a startling and unexpected way. It did not totally change my life, but it did add a spark of beauty and a grain of understanding to my life. In my mind, that makes it worth buying. Some may be very dissatisfied with the somewhat unusual and possibly disturbing ending, but because it so poignantly proved the author's point, I found it satisfying.
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