Life of Pi: Book 2 of 52

Hey everyone,

Ok before I launch off into book world, I just wanted to apologize for being a way for a bit. I just moved back into school so I’m still trying to settle into the new semester schedule. After this week I should be back on track with my blogging plans 🙂

Life of Pi is a fantasy adventure novel by Yann Martel published in 2001. The protagonist, Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel, a Tamil boy from Pondicherry, explores issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age. He survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Life of Pi is focused on the retelling of the main character, Piscine Molitor Patel (or Pi)’s life from parts of his childhood to mid-teens. The story is broken into three parts, the second being the longest and the bulk of the story. The second part of the novel describes Pi as he struggles to survive on a life boat in the middle of the Pacific ocean–his only companions being four animals. Further into the story the Tiger, one of the four animals, becomes another major character in the novel.

When I began this story, I didn’t know anything about the novel. I added it to my 52 in 52 because it is considered a book you should read before you die. After finishing it, I browsed a few reviews and found that most people either hated it or loved it. I frankly am somewhere in the middle. I’m not in love with the book, but I don’t dislike it terribly. Mostly I think the ah-ha moment grazed over my head that most of the reviewers mentioned. It might be my age (just about 21) or my life experiences that made me miss this grand feeling and philosophical point. Maybe if I reread the book later in life I’ll be able to “get it.” I enjoyed the beginning of the novel the most. I loved reading about Pi’s early childhood and his discovering of a love for different parts of religion and faith. I liked his random animal facts as well (I know way too much about a three-toed slug then I wanted too!). The beginning of part two was interesting and the survival story was good, but for me a little long-winded. I mostly took this story as a human vs. nature and human vs. human mind kind of a story where the reader sees how far one will go until one becomes more primal and less human in order to survive. The third part sort of threw me for a loop. I was a little disappointed because the ending seemed sorta like a cop-out. I wanted more. I understand why the twist was added at the end, but at the end of reading the book I still felt like something was missing. I was a little disappointed.

With all that being said, I still recommend that you read the book. I think its a classic case of relativism. The book will leave each person with their own interpretation and not everyone’s going to like it or love it. I do love the main character Pi and the animal interplay. Martel also has a lot of really great lines and passages. For that I would recommend that you give it a try (or check out the movie coming Dec. 2012!) In the end it’s all up you!

Have you read Life  of Pi? Are you thinking of reading it? What are your thoughts on philosophical/survival/religious themes?

Happy Reading!

xo,

NicoleLynn
NEXT UP: The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks (Book 3 of 52)

I wasn’t able to find Jurassic Park and my friend wanted me to read this book. I’ve never read a N. Sparks book before so I’m interested in seeing how this goes! Hope you look forward to reading about the book!