s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all]’s review of Life of Pi > Likes and Comments

It's in my to-read list for long now .. But I am stuck with some other books of different genre,far away from Fantasy ..Will probably pick this up next month

I know what you mean, I've always meant to read it but other books came first. I was lent this so I figured I should actually tackle it so I can return it.

One of my fav..though gets too elaborated for my taste at times, but worth for that delicious ending.

Garima wrote: "One of my fav..though gets too elaborated for my taste at times, but worth for that delicious ending."

I've been enjoying it so far, and I hear the ending is truely satisfying.

s.penkevich wrote: I've been enjoying it so far, and I hear the ending is truely satisfying."

That depends on how one takes it as a reader. I know many who didn't like it. Do post your views on the same. There's a movie coming up too. I don't seem to leave movies apart from books, sorry! ha!

Wait, who told you the ending was satisfying? The ending is horrifyingly, in-your-face, "fuck you, reader!"—the ending is certainly not satisfying! You're going to be pissed off.

Garima wrote: "s.penkevich wrote: I've been enjoying it so far, and I hear the ending is truely satisfying."

That depends on how one takes it as a reader. I know many who didn't like it. Do post your views on th..."

Yeah, just mentioning I was reading this resulted in a lot of back and forth about the book. I have people with opinions and tastes I highly respect that both loved hated and were just underwhelmed with the book. Made me want to read it more though just to see it for myself.

Jason wrote: "Wait, who told you the ending was satisfying? The ending is horrifyingly, in-your-face, "fuck you, reader!"—the ending is certainly not satisfying! You're going to be pissed off."

Spicey Scott said the end was amazing ha. Pissed off you say? Like Pissing Pi haha. Gah, I need to be reading not working, I want to know!

No, I was really irritated. It totally makes the book, though.

Hmmm, now I'm even more excited. All the back and forth on this book makes me glad I'm reading it. So far so good. I do feel he could be a bit more subtle though, he keeps basically saying 'and that means this!'

s.penkevich wrote: "he keeps basically saying 'and that means this!'"

What do you mean? Give me an example.

Oh sorry, i didn't catch this until now. I'll find some actual quotes but there was one part where the atheist science teacher goes to the zoo and says the name of scientists that pertain to an animals behavior. At the end of the paragraph he writes something to the effect of: he did because he liked life to have order.

I guess that's being nitpicky though, because I quite enjoy it. I just felt like, hey, I could have figured it out!

No, okay, that's a good example. I was just curious what you meant because I know there is definitely stuff later that I felt does not get the "this means this" treatment but what you just mentioned is pretty minor in comparison. You'll see what I mean.

And by the way, you will review this. Don't think we're letting you off the hook!

I'm going to agree with Jason on the ending it's a major "fuck you" but in a way thats what made me like the ending haha.

and now you know why I couldn't live on a zoo... unless I could feed the giraffes cause they won't kill me... hopefully.

Jason wrote: "No, okay, that's a good example. I was just curious what you meant because I know there is definitely stuff later that I felt does not get the "this means this" treatment but what you just mentione..."

I decided I have to review this, I had a lot of thoughts brewing. I feel like the beginning is all the standard basic arguments so he can build to something larger now. I took a World Religion course once, it should have been a positive experience but instead it turned into people just arguing personal beliefs and it missed the point. Such as, it was annoying that when discussing any religion some people (one person in particular) would pipe in 'well that's not true because this is what it said in X holy book...'. Lots of palm to forehead in that class. I've been reminded of that a lot in this book, but in a positive way.

Megan wrote: "and now you know why I couldn't live on a zoo... unless I could feed the giraffes cause they won't kill me... hopefully."

We will just have a giraffe zoo. And ride them.... into battle!

s.penkevich wrote: "Megan wrote: "and now you know why I couldn't live on a zoo... unless I could feed the giraffes cause they won't kill me... hopefully."

We will just have a giraffe zoo. And ride them.... into battle!"

And then take over the world! Tilly will be the giraffe trainer cause they are her giraffes.

it's funny because i took a world religion class once, too, and it really opened my eyes to the similarities in other belief systems, and the peacefulness of them and what they teach. i looooved learning about Islam...i thought it was a beautiful religion. it's sad to see people associating Muslims with anti-peacefulness because that's so not what it's about at all.

Claro que si!

So are we super dorks seeing as I am both texting you and commenting to you on goodreads?

I think you know the answer to that... and the answer is yes yes we are.

Jason wrote: "it's funny because i took a world religion class once, too, and it really opened my eyes to the similarities in other belief systems, and the peacefulness of them and what they teach. i looooved le..."

I totally agree. It's sad to see how religious rhetoric is used to fuel violence and wars. I like that this book tries to dissolve borders and misunderstandings in that way. Oh, and learning about buddhism changed my life a bit. I think some of the backlash to this book is a backlash to modern religion and all the connotations. You put it best when you said this is about spirituality not religion. I'll have to focus on that in a review, because I really wouldn't want to turn it into a theological debate or offend anyone accidentally.

Are you friends with Hend? She has taught me a ton about Sufism and Islamic tradition.

Megan wrote: "I think you know the answer to that... and the answer is yes yes we are."

you're right....

s.penkevich wrote: "Megan wrote: "I think you know the answer to that... and the answer is yes yes we are."

you're right...."

It's alright though cause it actually means we are really really cool.

That's also true!

Have you gotten to the three religion argument part yet? That's a great scene.

(view spoiler)[ but oh my god when he decapitates the turtle. I, no joke, was looking away from the screen while trying to catch glimpses of words. Oh, that one was a doozy (hide spoiler)]

Stephen M wrote: "Have you gotten to the three religion argument part yet? That's a great scene.

[spoilers removed]"

Yes, got through that part yesterday. I rather liked it, I was saying to Jason how it reminded me of a World Religion class I took. The class was made up of super opinionated people that were sadly closed minded though, so that's what it reminded me of. I guess none of the arguments were new to me but it felt real because I've witnessed people make these same points.

Poor turtle.

I loved this novel, and the ending! Looking forward to your review.

Thanks, I'm hoping to finish this weekend. Funny, everyone mentions the end and either says 'i loved the ending' or 'the ending pissed me off'!

That's because the ending is essentially the whole crux of the novel. It's like the entire point. Everything else is a side dish. You'll see, my friend. :)

Gah, I need to get off the computer and read haha

So, how big is this lifeboat? LOL

As big as the universe, Riku...
Nah, I kept picturing this tiny ass raft and somehow there were Zebras and hyenas and apes and tigers that could hide from sight for days and I couldn't get my head around that. Eventually he describes it, and peaking at the trailer made it make more sense. But back to the heavy handed metaphor, it's the whole universe man ha

It's that tarpaulin that hides everything! What's that a metaphor for, I wonder?

And he seems like at the mercy of the tiger. Hmmm.......

Hmmm... I was thinking the Tiger was just a life metaphor? Like, it's scary as shit and you have to tame it and take control to survive or it will crush you?

Jason wrote: "It's that tarpaulin that hides everything! What's that a metaphor for, I wonder?"

Perhaps, thinking out loud here, it is some sort of false security? Like our own little personal bubble that we have to gloss over all the dark realities of life. Like, hey you're safe, but really theres a f*cking tiger about to gut you.

Also, I must admit there was a time where I misread and thought, 'they have a trampoline on board?!'

s.penkevich wrote: "Also, I must admit there was a time where I misread and thought, 'they have a trampoline on board?!"


Hahaha! that would have been the perfect setting for a circus.

Well............. the tiger..............

The ending might put your mind onto some other things w/r/t the tiger and everything.

(view spoiler)[he's supposed to be God, right? And then the tarpaulin would be his hiddenness. That was what I thought he was going for, but I done know! (hide spoiler)]

Stephen M wrote: "Well............. the tiger..............

The ending might put your mind onto some other things w/r/t the tiger and everything.

[spoilers removed]"

Stephen, this is your thought after reading the ending? I would love to discuss the metaphors further after you both have finished the book. Don't want to spend the rest of my life hiding from crazed stalkers for spoiling a book.....

s.penkevich wrote: "Jason wrote: "It's that tarpaulin that hides everything! What's that a metaphor for, I wonder?"

Perhaps, thinking out loud here, it is some sort of false security? Like our own little personal bub..."

HAVE YOU FINISHED IT YET???? I AM DYING TO KNOW.....LOL.

I think by the end though, the metaphors were flexible and not necessarily "this exactly equals this" as some parts of the book seemed to be.

(view spoiler)[but if the point of the story was to woo us (as Pi does the japanese that interviewed him at the end), then it seems to be the message, we prefer the story with God in it. But that could be Mrs. Atwood taking over my reading. I could see it as something more broad like, we prefer the story with the epic struggle and heroic circumstances. As opposed to the cook who brutally kills the other person on the raft (hide spoiler)]

What did you think Riku? I'd love to see your review on it if you ever decided to write one :)

Stephen M wrote: "I think by the end though, the metaphors were flexible and not necessarily "this exactly equals this" as some parts of the book seemed to be.

[spoilers removed]

What did you think Riku? I'd love..."

I would agree with your ideas... It leans heavily towards being a parable about parables. I have thought a lot about this book cos I wanted to write one like it :) Can't bring myself to review it though...

hey wait, which atwood is about that? I want to read it too!

That tiger is really starting to sound like another animal-allegory cliche. A Puma would've been oh so much better. (Anyone read that CS Lewis series?)

Nathan "N.R." wrote: "That tiger is really starting to sound like another animal-allegory cliche. A Puma would've been oh so much better. (Anyone read that CS Lewis series?)"

one word - geography

Riku wrote: "one word - geography"

Fiction? Magic? Pumas are still better; I'll stand up for Pumas any day of the week. ; )

Stephen M wrote: "Well............. the tiger..............

The ending might put your mind onto some other things w/r/t the tiger and everything.

[spoilers removed]"

JUST finished. so this is my thoughts on that (view spoiler)[ yeah, he is God right? The God that is inside us all? or is he our primal instincts? I'm torn, I almost feel like the end says 'hey, we are all killers but it's okay as long as you then turn to God and bandage it up with pretty stories.' I dug the ending, as it was a statement of stories and literature, but I feel like her crossed so many metaphors that things got mixed up and can be interpreted as anti-religion. Like, is the beginning about all the different religions just him saying that picking one doesn't matter since they are all just a pretty story to gloss over the sadness and brutality of the world and not actually meaningful beyond being a bandage or pill we swallow? I feel that not putting such emphasis on religion and being more subtle would have saved this book. He sort of fist fed the ideas instead of leaving it more open to interpretation. I see how it is both faith affirming, but I almost see it the other way by how I've thus far examined it. (hide spoiler)] Reviewing this is going to be hard. It'll be another day.

Nathan "N.R." wrote: "Riku wrote: "one word - geography"

Fiction? Magic? Pumas are still better; I'll stand up for Pumas any day of the week. ; )"

Especially Mike Pumas