I’m currently trying to read 50 books over 52 weeks and last week I finished my second book which was Life of Pi by Yann Martel. 
What did I say when I read the last few pages? ‘Ah, fuck.’ There was some heartbreak in the book but for the majority of it I was pretty happy reading about Pi surviving on his little boat and raft with the Bengal tiger ‘Richard Parker’ (best name for any animal award).
It wasn’t meant to be happy, he’s in the middle of the ocean, stranded, with a huge tiger that could eat him at any given moment, but Pi’s optimism was lovely, until I reached the end and Yann Martel decided to roundhouse kick me in to next year.
I just wasn’t expecting the ending I was given and sat in my kitchen, mouth open, in stunned silence.
The book is quite philosophical and spiritual and asks why we have to choose just one religion. Why can’t Pi stud being a Christian/Muslim/Hindu. God is God. It also reminds us of the beauty of nature and life and how even when people are faced with horrific situations they manage to pull through.
When faced with a life or death situation it’s incredible how the human mind and spirit is unwilling to just give up and die.
It was an odd book to read but probably because I’ve spent years re-reading Harry Potter books and fantasy books in general. It was great to step out of my comfortable reading zone.
The book is brilliant and I read it really quickly, probably because the chapters (like The Book Thief) don’t have a specific length. Some could be incredibly short while others are longer which helped keep my interest and prompted me to keep reading on after a long chapter: ‘Oh, the next chapter is short, I shall read on.’
Oh and ‘Life of Pi’ is being released as a film later this year. Yay!
If anyone reads this (probably no one) book suggestions would be fantastic and if anyone is taking part in the challenge, I would love to hear how you’re getting on!
I re-read it again just recently – it is a solid book, but I personally think it is better the first time around. It has a charming, slow pace in sync with the protagonist’s innocence which makes it a very relaxing read. It’s comforting hearing Pi’s tales of his family and zoo – even the accident (I’ll say *accident* not to give away too much to other readers and hope you know what I refer to!) has a simplicity that means our focus is on poor little Pi more than cinematic qualities of the event.
When I knew what was coming its pace and generous sections on theology from a child’s perspective were slightly wearisome, whereas first time around they had been delightful.
This isn’t to knock the book at all, as I did really enjoy it (enough to read it twice any way!)
I think re-reading a book is always a bit dangerous. The first time round you’re taken in by the story and you don’t really know what to expect, but when you go over it again you’re gonna notice some things that may ruin it for you. Dreams may be shattered.
I just accepted the story as it was and didn’t question it. Who would ever question the reality of a boy on a boat with a Bengal tiger? Not this girl.
Some books do seem to just keep on giving though
, I went through a stage growing up of reading Catch-22 every 6months after all and always found something new. It isn’t a bad thing if a book doesn’t do that though, not in the least, if it achieves its objectives first time around then that’s good enough.
I just went along with it too…even the island…
Catch-22 is on my list of books to read. I have such a long list. Sometimes books are like films I watch. I watch them the first time and think they’re amazing and tell people to watch ‘em and then we do and it’s not that good at all…embarrassment!
I’m still trying to figure out that island and he did have meerkat or supposedly merrkat bones in the boat when he reached land. Any thoughts on the island?
Catch-22 is a must. As I remember it can be a bit of a struggle for the first two thirds because so much is going on, but it comes together beautifully in the end. Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried” is another brilliant war-but-not-really-about-war novel.
I think Pi alleged they were meerkat bones, but they would (I presume) actually belong to a turtle or sea-gull etc. on inspection. That’s my personal opinion any way, it would be nice if they actually belonged to a meerkat!
The island itself is difficult to figure out from the point of view of Pi’s analogy, and I think even the Japanese interpreters in the story crack it. The idea of self-cannibalism could be because of his wasting away, or because he encountered an insidious form of cannibalism through the Chef. Like the island the Chef also had a penchant for fishing (Pi said it was one of his saving graces), but also was sneaky (the island turned carnivorous under cover of darkness), preyed on the same innocents that benefited from his fishing during the day (the mother/orang-utan and even Pi) and its dirty secret was human consumption (the Chef tried to hide eating slivers of the crewman’s flesh but was caught by the mother)
One idea?
Catch-22 will definitely be one of my 50 books this year and I’ll also look in to “The Things They Carried”. Trying to branch out of my fantasy genre.
I think you’ve pretty much just explained the island right there. I’m slow to catch on to things as you can see. Thanks for clearing that up, it all makes sense now.
Note to self: Must improve deciphering abilities
Thanks
, I just made that up now though, so there’s likely more to it. Pi also tried some of the sailor’s flesh and so the island may have some kind of guilt from Pi factored into it as well somewhere. It may be something to do with Pi’s guilt complex instead of the Chef…after all, the Chef already has the Hyena for a metaphor, it would be greedy to want more!
I suggest, ‘Perks of being a wall flower’, it’s a lovely book.
Life of Pi, is probably my favourite book in the world.