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Life of Pi

Yann Martel

Start date: February 1, 2013

Finish date: February 28, 2013

Discussion: 1001 books

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Dec 01, 2012 Gabby rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: made-into-movie, favorites, fantasy, adult, 2013-reads

I'll be the first to admit I kind of skimmed through the first part of the book. I had seen the movie before reading the book so I more or less knew what was going on. I'll admit I was wrong. The book condenses and changes the first part of this book quite well. I found the book rambled on for way too long. I thought the movie just took the most important and essential parts of this first half and presented them in a very cohesive way. Then again this isn't about the movie (which I think everyon I'll be the first to admit I kind of skimmed through the first part of the book. I had seen the movie before reading the book so I more or less knew what was going on. I'll admit I was wrong. The book condenses and changes the first part of this book quite well. I found the book rambled on for way too long. I thought the movie just took the most important and essential parts of this first half and presented them in a very cohesive way. Then again this isn't about the movie (which I think everyone should see if you ask me) it's about the book.

Piscine Molitor Patel "Pi" is a fantastic character. Very well written and very believable. I felt for this character. I wanted to hug him really. Poor kid. Stuck on that boat. With that tiger. Speaking of tigers, Richard Parker takes the cake. Fantastic fucking character and he's a tiger. I fell in love with him. He doesn't even talk. I fell in love with a Bengal tiger and he's really the protagonist of this book. We see him through Pi's eyes but he kind of tells a story on his own. You feel that, through Pi, you're in that boat with him, surviving.

Now, the ending. The ending is open and subjective. I love it. You believe what you want to believe. It's fantastic because in the end, they're right, it is a story that will make you believe in God. Some people will out right tell you (and argue with you) that (view spoiler). While others, like me choose to believe that (view spoiler) and it ties in with God because you have two choices, one that's probable and one that's totally unbelievable and one that's horrible yet probable. You choose. Just like you choose to have faith in God (something that most people find improbable) and others choose not to. I think it's fantastic. It's brilliant. It brought tears to my eyes.

I loved this book. I really did. It stuck with me. I love it when a book wrenches my heart in such a way that it makes itself a part of me even for a little while. 5/5 stars. ...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Laura S rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: physical-books-owned-and-read

Small spoiler alert******
Wow! Is all I can really say to sum up this book! I enjoyed it very much so. But what stands out most about this novel is you are left with so much to think about! I found the way Pi at the beginning practised three different religions fascinating and I loved the way that they all came together.
The actual story was shocking and enjoyable, I wanted to keep reading sometimes despite feeling in complete disgust and some of the gruesome images will stay with me! But I loved ...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Mimicha rated it liked it

I felt that this book had opportunity to be beautiful but the writing didn't go deep enough. There were some good concepts but because the writing lacked nothing resonated with me. Even Martel's analysis of the religions was broad and stayed at the surface. I felt that Pi's story was driven more by his childhood in a zoo than his religious beliefs. All in all the story was fine once it got going but ultimately because of the writing it was a miss. ...more

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