Thread: Life of Pi

if you haven't read 'Life of Pi' by Yann Martel then go and buy it and read it NOW! because it is a wonderful, charming little book and i loved it dearly. i don't really know what to say on it right now, apart from the fact that its brilliant. i don't really want to give a book review of it (plus, its late for me and i'm tired! need to sleep!), everyone go read it and see how good it is.



that's all i've got to say, heh.

Agreed, what a neat book!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would even read it again (which I normally don't do).

OH!!! I *loved* Life of Pi. It was very charming. I thought the writing style was very interesting in a good way, and I just had the best time reading it, even with the whole plot to consider. Anyone who's read the book will understand what I'm talking about. Martel just shows the events in a much different view than one would expect, which is really cool, I think.

agreed. the way Martel wraps the story up absolutely rules. One of my favorite endings EVER. Amazing book. I listened to the audiobook and can say it was great.

This is one of my favourite novels. It's just magic.

Hmmm my mum has it.. so maybe i should give it a read

My father recommeded the book to me because I've been working at a zoo. I've only read the first 60 or 70 pages, but I was hooked by his description of animal behavior and have been touched by his exploration of religion. It's creatively told, with beautiful and simple language. I am eager to see what else lies in store for me.

I wish I had skipped the first part. Some people love it, but it just needed to be summarized for me. Perhaps I am missing the depth to the novel, which is likely, but what a tale.

I did not like the part when Pi is alone at sea with the tiger occupying the other part of the boat. Seems too unbelievable. Otherwise the parts about the animals' behaviour in the wild and in a zoo are brilliant and probably true.

Incidentally, as I am French and lived in Paris twenty years ago, I can say I have seen and been to the famous Piscine Molitor, which gives Pi his name. The most incredible swimming-pool ever !!

The ending was not so good, I was expecting something different.
But what is absolutely awesome is the idea of a boy tempted by all the traditional religions and embracing them all ! Very funny and mind-tickling at the same time. Why can't people be Jews, Christians, Muslims , Hindus at the same time ? (sorry if I forgot some religions in my list)..

I bought the book but stopped reading after the first like ten pages. It just seemed like the kid was too arrogant for some reason and too unbelievable that animals would be that happy in captivity.

same here. I only got to the first 10 pgs and I stopped reading. Not really my cup of tea. Can someone give me a quick, brief summary of the book? I might consider picking it up again.

Life of Pi was pretty amazing. Some reasons? Well, I'd agree that it's pretty unrealistic that this kid survives for all that time with a tiger living on the same boat, but remember something: all literature is symbolic, whether the author intended it or not. This whole scenario may just have been designed to prove that you can survive anything if you have the will to live.

One could also argue that the fact that this boy lands on a flesh-eating island made of carnivorous algae and discovers his predessor's teeth in one of the trees is rather far fetched, but that would be looking at it from science's standpoint. That could also be considered unrealistic, but this entire thing could be a metaphor for the way you live: living in the ocean vs. living in a pool. The pool is safe, realiable, and undamaged by the harshness of the sea, yet you miss out on the most enjoyable things in life, such as love and joy. Being Xeno the stoic gets you nowhere. The ocean, while unrealizable, allows you access to all your feelings; the ocean is a symbol of life. Pi lived in the pool before, but notice how it takes on the form of the carnivorous island once he's been at sea a while. It all means something, and you can say I'm on crack, but you know, I might be right.

Anyway, it was an amazing book, I read it in my lit. class last year and enjoyed it a great deal.

Originally Posted by waylander

I did not like the part when Pi is alone at sea with the tiger occupying the other part of the boat. Seems too unbelievable.

I think that's the point - hence the alternative version Pi gives us at the end. For me the novel is about faith, and imagination and choosing imagination over the sterility of reason.