#86 Life of Pi by Yann Martel
As the son of a zookeeper, Pi has lived an atypical childhood in India. When Pi is sixteen, his father decides to move the family to 
Canada, where he hopes that they can live a more modern life. Shockingly their ship sinks, leaving no survivors but Pi, and several of the zoo animals, one being a tiger named Richard Parker. Soon there are only two left, Pi and Richard Parker. If they are to complete their journey across the Pacific they will need to do the impossible, learn to coexist.
Life of Pi is one of those incredibly popular books that I've been hearing about for years. Still, it wasn't until I saw the trailer for the upcoming movie that I knew I needed to read it. Admittedly, Life of Pi is a little different from my usual choice of books. As a result, I didn't find it as engrossing as other readers have. I found the majority of the book to be enjoyable, including Pi's time on the life boat, and his exploration of different religions before leaving India. At the same time, the sections that focused on animal behavior, and the flash forwards that showed Pi's life as an adult weren't as interesting to me. Still, I found there was a lot to admire about this very unique novel.
Life of Pi is first and foremost a survival story. When Pi's journey in the lifeboat begins, in many ways his situation looks promising. He has plenty of rations, as well as fishing supplies and ways to find fresh water. The one drawback of course is the presence of an animal that could easily kill him. Still, despite his large case of supplies, Pi's story really emphasizes how physically and emotionally draining the life of a castaway is. The book is not afraid to give the reader the sometimes disturbing details about what being lost at sea for so long can do to you. The character of Richard Parker is really interesting. On one hand, he is a constant reminded of Pi's potential death. At the same time he ends up being one of the things that saves Pi, as he at least serves as a companion. Also, despite the fact that I saw the ending coming, I really don't think that it robbed me of any of it's emotional impact. It was one of the strongest parts of the book
Life of Pi is an interesting read that seems to hit every emotional high and low. I'm happy that I chose to listen to the audiobook and now I am even more curious about the upcoming movie adaptation.
Rating: four stars
Length: 401 pages
Source: Readfield Community Library
Other books I've read by this author: This is my first
Next I will be reviewing An Artificial Night by Seannan McGuire and Poison Tree by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
xposted to temporaryworlds, bookish and goodreads
Canada, where he hopes that they can live a more modern life. Shockingly their ship sinks, leaving no survivors but Pi, and several of the zoo animals, one being a tiger named Richard Parker. Soon there are only two left, Pi and Richard Parker. If they are to complete their journey across the Pacific they will need to do the impossible, learn to coexist.
Life of Pi is one of those incredibly popular books that I've been hearing about for years. Still, it wasn't until I saw the trailer for the upcoming movie that I knew I needed to read it. Admittedly, Life of Pi is a little different from my usual choice of books. As a result, I didn't find it as engrossing as other readers have. I found the majority of the book to be enjoyable, including Pi's time on the life boat, and his exploration of different religions before leaving India. At the same time, the sections that focused on animal behavior, and the flash forwards that showed Pi's life as an adult weren't as interesting to me. Still, I found there was a lot to admire about this very unique novel.
Life of Pi is first and foremost a survival story. When Pi's journey in the lifeboat begins, in many ways his situation looks promising. He has plenty of rations, as well as fishing supplies and ways to find fresh water. The one drawback of course is the presence of an animal that could easily kill him. Still, despite his large case of supplies, Pi's story really emphasizes how physically and emotionally draining the life of a castaway is. The book is not afraid to give the reader the sometimes disturbing details about what being lost at sea for so long can do to you. The character of Richard Parker is really interesting. On one hand, he is a constant reminded of Pi's potential death. At the same time he ends up being one of the things that saves Pi, as he at least serves as a companion. Also, despite the fact that I saw the ending coming, I really don't think that it robbed me of any of it's emotional impact. It was one of the strongest parts of the book
Life of Pi is an interesting read that seems to hit every emotional high and low. I'm happy that I chose to listen to the audiobook and now I am even more curious about the upcoming movie adaptation.
Rating: four stars
Length: 401 pages
Source: Readfield Community Library
Other books I've read by this author: This is my first
Next I will be reviewing An Artificial Night by Seannan McGuire and Poison Tree by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
xposted to temporaryworlds, bookish and goodreads