Self

Rating:
Summary: A fall into pop culture
Review: After reading Life of Pi, I was looking forward to reading another Yann Martel book. Though I was suprised by the opening scene in the book I found the first half of the story quite enjoyable. As in Life of Pi, Martel gave us a glimpse of a unique and well-rounded character, following them through their childhood to the end of grade 12. It is at this point that Martel, quite fooolishly, believed he needed to change. For some unknown reason, Martel has his character switch sex while on a trip to Portugal. This idea could have been salvaged, focussing on the change in thought patterns and ideas, but for Martel, the sex changes (Yes, the character switches back at the end of the novel) simply give him an opportunity to describe in lurid detail all of the sex the character has. Gone is the charming inner voice of the story, gone are the little lessons the character learned in their experiences, gone is the plausibility of the entire character! As soon as the main character has had the first sex change, we are subjected to purely sexual relationships which include lesbians, gays, homosexuals, and even rape. Martel was on his way to creating a stunning novel about the things we learn in life. Somewhere along the way, he fell into the trap of believing the idea of "sex sells" that is so persistent in our modern culture. Martel could have had a masterpiece, created by a truely innovative Canadian author. Instead we are left with a good beginning that ends in a mess of sex, unbelivable characters, absent plot lines, poor conclusions (it seemed as if Martel simply decided to stop writing) and a total lack of any original ideas (which existed in the first half). If Martel would go back and finish the book he really started, I would gladly read it. But after this book, I am hesitant to even try another on of his books, much less recomend him to a fellow reader.

Rating:
Summary: A fall into pop culture
Review: After reading Life of Pi, I was looking forward to reading another Yann Martel book. Though I was suprised by the opening scene in the book I found the first half of the story quite enjoyable. As in Life of Pi, Martel gave us a glimpse of a unique and well-rounded character, following them through their childhood to the end of grade 12. It is at this point that Martel, quite fooolishly, believed he needed to change. For some unknown reason, Martel has his character switch sex while on a trip to Portugal. This idea could have been salvaged, focussing on the change in thought patterns and ideas, but for Martel, the sex changes (Yes, the character switches back at the end of the novel) simply give him an opportunity to describe in lurid detail all of the sex the character has. Gone is the charming inner voice of the story, gone are the little lessons the character learned in their experiences, gone is the plausibility of the entire character! As soon as the main character has had the first sex change, we are subjected to purely sexual relationships which include lesbians, gays, homosexuals, and even rape. Martel was on his way to creating a stunning novel about the things we learn in life. Somewhere along the way, he fell into the trap of believing the idea of "sex sells" that is so persistent in our modern culture. Martel could have had a masterpiece, created by a truely innovative Canadian author. Instead we are left with a good beginning that ends in a mess of sex, unbelivable characters, absent plot lines, poor conclusions (it seemed as if Martel simply decided to stop writing) and a total lack of any original ideas (which existed in the first half). If Martel would go back and finish the book he really started, I would gladly read it. But after this book, I am hesitant to even try another on of his books, much less recomend him to a fellow reader.

Rating:
Summary: Self Indulgent Beyond Belief
Review: I am a Canadian living in Los Angeles and had read Martel's earlier books of short stories which don't seem to be available here. I enjoyed them and looked forward to reading a full novel from him. I was gravely disappointed. Martel seems to think very highly of himself and it comes through in the writing. Stick to short stories, Mr. Martel, and try to return to reality.

Rating:
Summary: I thought the point of writing was to explore . . .
Review: I like the other reviewers read 'Pi' first. I only have one question: why would anyone expect an amazing writer like Martel to turn out 'Pi' flavoured cookie cutter novels? I, for one, find it quite a refreshing turn that Martel has the depth and creativity to find such different topics to write about with such command.

There is no doubt that sex (and quite explicit for that matter) plays an important part in Martel's foray into understanding the dichotomy of humanity. However, he is not covering any unknown territory. If you can read the sexual content as part of the larger context of identity crisis, you will find that Martel is absolutely compelling, even illuminating about human nature.

Why should a reader cheer Pi more than the protagonist of 'Self'?

Rating:
Summary: Awful
Review: I read "Life of Pi" and found it creative, although I didn't agree with some ideas. So, I decided to read another of his books, expecting better.
To put it out honestly, you may as well find the worst porn pictures and it would equal this. Most of this book is sexual stuff I hate to even think about. Swears are constant, and unless the author is trying to show the worst the world has to offer, or hell, I am truly disappointed. The idea of having the main character have his gender changed overnight may be okay, but this has even homosexual displays in it. The "show don't tell" rule should NOT apply to this book.

Rating:
Summary: Extremely well written
Review: I received this book as a gift, and before reading it, I checked-out the reviews online. Honestly, I didn't have high expectations of the book..

But then I read it... here is some of the best quotations I have read...

"Love is a form of childhood in the way we become capable again of being wholly enthralled, able to believe so much so easily so intensely"

"--- the sort of friendship where a separation of time and space is merely a pause in an ongoing conversation"

I can quote so many others well written phrases by the Author. The book is an extremely well written, well organized exploration of the human mind.. it touches every feeling you ever thought you had in you.. it shows you the thin line between what actually happens and what takes place in our own imagination.

I would recommend this book... and next on my list to read would be other books by Yann Martel....


Rating:
Summary: I thought the point of writing was to explore . . .
Review: It is unfortunate that most people who read this book will have read "The Life of Pi" first, and will therefore be expecting another similar novel by Yann Martel. As other reviewers have shown, this proves to be a huge error in judgement. While Pi is a novel that has an easily accessible surface story, and many underlying themes that most can associate with, "Self" is a novel that requires more from the reader. You can literally float along with Pi on his journey and understand what he is going though, but the journey in Self is utterly different. While the main plots (sexuality, gender, society and fulfilling given roles) are clear at first, the real meaning is not as apparent. The switching of genders by the main character, the lesbian and gay scenes and the rape all beg questions of the reader. What is sexuality and what defines it? Is it socially based, culturally based or based within the person? The changes in the character should force the reader the reexamine preconceived notions of what it is they are reading about. "The Life of Pi" is more of a personal/spiritual journey, one that most people can relate with, and don't get me wrong, I love the book. But "Self" is a book that questions the journey of a person through society and through questions of what "makes" a person who they are; the judgements and outcomes, and therefore the inner change (generally mirrored by the outer change of the character) are merely the beginning of the story itself.

If you read "Life of Pi" and are expecting another novel of a similar genre, don't read "Self". But if you want to read another brilliant novel by Yann Martel, and go into expecting it to be different (just reading the back of the book should evoke this, with the questions it offers the reader before the story even begins), then read Self and look deeper into it than the surface story. If you do this, Self can become an even greater novel than Pi.

Happy Reading!

Rating:
Summary: Don't compare to "Life of Pi"
Review: It is unfortunate that most people who read this book will have read "The Life of Pi" first, and will therefore be expecting another similar novel by Yann Martel. As other reviewers have shown, this proves to be a huge error in judgement. While Pi is a novel that has an easily accessible surface story, and many underlying themes that most can associate with, "Self" is a novel that requires more from the reader. You can literally float along with Pi on his journey and understand what he is going though, but the journey in Self is utterly different. While the main plots (sexuality, gender, society and fulfilling given roles) are clear at first, the real meaning is not as apparent. The switching of genders by the main character, the lesbian and gay scenes and the rape all beg questions of the reader. What is sexuality and what defines it? Is it socially based, culturally based or based within the person? The changes in the character should force the reader the reexamine preconceived notions of what it is they are reading about. "The Life of Pi" is more of a personal/spiritual journey, one that most people can relate with, and don't get me wrong, I love the book. But "Self" is a book that questions the journey of a person through society and through questions of what "makes" a person who they are; the judgements and outcomes, and therefore the inner change (generally mirrored by the outer change of the character) are merely the beginning of the story itself.

If you read "Life of Pi" and are expecting another novel of a similar genre, don't read "Self". But if you want to read another brilliant novel by Yann Martel, and go into expecting it to be different (just reading the back of the book should evoke this, with the questions it offers the reader before the story even begins), then read Self and look deeper into it than the surface story. If you do this, Self can become an even greater novel than Pi.

Happy Reading!

Rating:
Summary: A Fantastic beginning, degenerates into awful!
Review: The beginning of the book gets 5 stars. It was well written, original, with a delicious narrative style which kept me turning the pages. For someone who distractedly reads 4-5 different books at the same time, this book (at least the first half) was soon the only thing I was reading. Frequently I would come across some great prose, and wonder why I had never heard of this writer until he won the booker prize. This impression, sadly, didn't last long.

Half way through the novel (incidentally soon after the character realizes he's actually female) it suddenly started to badly degenerate. Not only did it became mechanical and obsessed with female bodily functions (fell into the trap), but also centered around the boring unoriginal theme of the writer within the writer ..(yawn). It can only possibly keep interested the most adolescent of minds. I don't care to make a generalization about male writers assuming female first person - but Yann did not do this well. I started skimming, skipping entire chuncks of pages. Eventually I stopped altogether.

If you must buy this book, go to page 180, rip the book in half. Only buy the first part!

Rating:
Summary: O, Martel, where art thou?
Review: Yann Martel is one of Canada's greatest writers. It is not only a shame and a travesty that he is not better known, it is deeply embarrassing.
This is a stunning, wholly original book. To give away any of the plot, and what it hinges on, would be to ruin the fun.
His next book, that hasn't come out in the US yet, which is called Life of Pi, is an absolute marvel.
You cannot go wrong with Yann Martel. His story collection ... is so incredible it will make you weak at the knees.
I cried at least once in every one of his books.
He is a hero. He is Yann Martel. Good Lord is it ever time to read him.