Rating:  Summary: A Positively Brilliant Book Review: Reading this book became more than the simple act of reading. As with truly intelligent writing, for days after the last page was turned, I was left thinking of the magnitude of this tale and all that it implied. When I first heard of the premise, I wondered how it would possibly work, but then, sea voyages are nothing new to literature. Moby Dick, The Old Man and The Sea, and of course Kon Tiki all took place over long periods at sea. Life of Pi contains elements of those aforementioned master works, but maintains its own special dignity by adding spiritual lessons to this unique genre.There are many in the world today who could learn from the intelligent look at the innocence of a child who becomes entranced with the Muslim faith, Christianity, and Hinduism. It is through the varied faiths that he has that Pi is able to survive his ordeal. This book is simply astonishing and I recommend it highly.
Rating:  Summary: Fantastic Journeys Review: Any book that keeps me up all night turning pages is worth 5 stars!
Rating:  Summary: The best book I have ever read!!! Review: The best book I have ever read. I think that it really makes you think even after you finish reading. It can be slow at times but you will always be curious what happens next. It was a pretty fast read for me although I'm only 12. I find the story captivating. But the story is not for everybody. It has lots of very visual scenes about animals. It has lots of different ways you can look at it. There is a religeous way, political, and an environmentalist way. I really love this book.
Rating:  Summary: LIfe of Pi Review: Yann Martel's "Life of Pi" is, on the surface, about a young boy who is the lone survivor of a shipwreck and ends up on a lifeboat with an orangutan, a zebra, a hyena, and a tiger. Pretty soon, all that's left is Pi and Richard Parker, the tiger, and thus begins a journey not just of survival, but also of faith, common sense, and a delicate balance of man-animal interactions. Pi's background as a zookeeper's son allows for interesting perspectives on the lives of animals. Present in the novel is a defense of zoos and short anecdotes on the anthropomorphism of animals. Furthermore, Pi asserts that animals are largely creatures of habit in that they unremittingly follow the social caste of their herd and confine themselves within the boundaries of their marked territories. These two assertions are the main and key pieces of knowledge that Pi uses to survive being at sea for 227 days with a Bengal tiger. It makes for a truly unique read to see Pi act out accordingly to assert himself as the Alpha male over Richard Parker. The beginning of the novel offers unique and entertaining glimpses into Pi's first encounters with Christianity and Islam and, wishing to simply worship and love his idea of God, Pi practices those two religions in addition to Hinduism. The beginning of the novel is where most of the religious themes seem to lie. One notices, however, that it is not simply Pi's religious beliefs that allow him to endure his ordeal, but also the strange and strained companionship of a Bengal tiger in such close proximity. The novel stresses through Pi's experience of living on a lifeboat with Richard Parker that companionship, no matter how tense or bizarre, is key to surviving a traumatic ordeal. Many people would claim that "Life of Pi" is a religious novel. "Religious?" one might say. Aye, but Pi does not pray his way across the Pacific Ocean, and, furthermore, it appears that religion is only a springboard from which Pi finds strength to survive being lost at sea. In this case, common sense and reason prevail. At the end of the novel, however, Pi assures Japanese investigators that reason, though key to his survival, cannot help one understand everything. It seems that the biggest and perhaps most religious theme of the entire novel is that reason, based upon one's narrow and limited experiences, fails as a vehicle upon which one might understand and discern the world and stories and experiences of others. "Life of Pi," is highly recommended if you're looking for a quick, entertaining, and thought provoking read.
Rating:  Summary: wow Review: When I finished this book, I felt like I lost a friend. I was lonesome for Richard Parker, for more tales of the open ocean, for that drive for survival. I had to pause before reading another tale. I was perplexed by the ending, I was astonished, blown away....I wanted to read it all over again as if it were my first time. I envy you if you are new to this book, I assure you, you will be in for an incredible journey.
Rating:  Summary: Good, but the first quarter of the book is a little wordy Review: Don't get me wrong, I liked The Life of Pi. The graphic way in which animal deaths were conveyed was a little disturbing, and I felt that it was a little gratuitous. Merely describing the death would have been enough without such detail. I also wanted to throw this book out of the window at times because of the wordiness of the author. I found myself saying out loud "Alright, I got it. Move on"! I stuck with it, and ended up really enjoying the book. I've read reviews about people having spiritual epiphanies from reading the book. I did not. I saw the spiritual aspect, and it made me think a bit, but it certainly wasn't life altering. I would have given this book 4 stars had it not been so wordy at times and had the animal deaths been a bit less graphic. Definitely worth the read though.
Rating:  Summary: I couldn't put it down Review: This was an excellent book, I couldnt not put it down, and even read throughout lectures. It really makes you want to keep reading to find out what happens, and is funny in parts too. Overall, I would definatly recommend reading it.
Rating:  Summary: Totally enjoyable! Review: I wanted to read this book for while but never got to it. So I decided to listen to it. The audio certainly did a great job in telling an already great story. The narration was simply captivating, especially the indian accent for Pi! The story just comes alive. It painted an even more vivid picture in my mind then if I were to read it.
Rating:  Summary: The ending Review: The ending has had me still thinking about this book 2 weeks after I have finished it. An Amazing story from beginning to end.
Rating:  Summary: Don't Peek! Review: The ending is a great surprise - something I enjoy in a book.
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