Yann Martel - Life of Pi

[Kam911]

Life of Pi
Author: Yann Martel
ISBN # 184195392X
Publisher: Canongate
First Published: 2002
319 pages
“Japanese-owned cargo ship Tsimtsum, flying Panamanian flag. Sank July 2nd 1977 in Pacific Ocean, four days out of Manila. Am in life boat. Pi Patel my name. Have some food, some water, but Bengal tiger a serious problem. Please advise family in Winnipeg, Canada. Any help very much appreciated. Thank you.”
This extraordinary tale of the 16-year-old son of an Indian zookeeper, drifting in a 21-foot lifeboat with an adult male Royal Bengal tiger aboard, is nothing short of amazing. It’s fantastically whimsical, yet harshly real, showing the hardship of survival at sea under the most unusual circumstances ever witnessed: A seven-month epic journey into the unknown with an uncertain outcome.
It’s a wonderful story, cleverly written to draw the reader into what should be completely unbelievable, yet manages to convince one that this could actually happen. No wonder Life of Pi won The Man Booker Prize in 2002.
Don’t let the “critical literary acclaim” put you off – this is pure escapism at its finest and a highly recommended page-turner.
Rating: 8

[Evelyn321p]

i agree this is an amazingly original book.
funny,frightning,full of ideas
a terrific page turner one of my all time favourites

[Faith folau]

Despite it staring down at me from my shelf, I don't actually have it on my TBR list. I bought it years ago, and my friend read it before me, and asked if I'd read it because she wanted to ask someone what it was all about, as she'd struggled to get to grips with it. Needless to say, this put me off slightly, and haven't been inclined to start it since then.
Maybe one day ...

[Faith folau]

I started this years ago on a recommendation but couldn't really get into it - I thought perhaps because I was a bit younger. I'm going to give it another go.

[Ducky]

RoxiS.C. said:I started this years ago on a recommendation but couldn't really get into it - I thought perhaps because I was a bit younger. I'm going to give it another go.

[Doug4506]

I loved the Life of Pi! It has been a few years since I read it, but I still remember what a great page turner it was, and how cleverly written it is - especially the ending. I recommend it too!

[Kasonthall]

This is waiting to be read, as a couple of friends gave it to me when I was leaving India.. It didn't really sound like my thing from the blurb, so having a bit of trouble getting motivated to start it. Maybe some day soon...

[Deyan]

There's more about the book here, when it was chosen for our Reading Circle. Personally I struggled with the beginning, but very much enjoyed it once he was in his boat.

[happycat1984]

Freewheeling Andy said:As I wrote on that thread, the introductory section was dry and rubbish. The postscripty section was rubbish. The "twist" was rubbish. The oh-so-clever religious allegory stuff was rubbish.

The only good stuff was the story of the boy on a boat with a tiger, which was a nice and fun bit of Gripping Adventure Yarn which, stand-alone, I might have liked. But even that was kind of ruined by the ending.

[Elphaba]

kala_way said:It did start off a bit slow, and his understanding of religion was rather illogical, but as a whole I enjoyed it! It made me want to go to the zoo :irked:
The ending reminded me a bit of Princess Bride, and I just took it as a kind of joke, 'believe what you want' idea. He had to somehow handle the inevitable mistrust of his story and being a creative and somewhat jaded kid it fit IMO.