Life of Pi

[Clare]

"The Life of Pi" was an profound and interesting read. I enjoyed the beginning especially, with the narrator's introduction to his life and his explanation of his religions. I loved the idea of practicing three religions at once, and his stories of his childhood living in a zoo with his father and brother. The middle of this book was packed full of action, from fighting starvation, to struggling to live in an inclosed boat with a tiger, hyena, and orangutan. The adventures of Pi and Richard Parker were entertaining, inspiring, and down-right thrilling. I enjoyed every second of this story...that is, until the very end. The reason this book does not get 5 stars for me personally, is because of the ending, where Pi tells officials a different story. A story of him trapped on a boat not with 3 wild animals, but with 3 other people, whose characteristics and demeanors are supposed to closesly mirror those of the wild animals. I personally felt betrayed. I had thought, here is a wonderful story of the survival of the fittest, filled with adventure and jaw-dropping challenges for our protagonist to overcome. Instead, it all turned out to be one big metaphor, with the reader shocked to find out that instead of surviving and eventually taming a Benegal tiger, our hero has actually spent all this time on the life boat with a nasty cook. Our adventure appears to be ripped out from underneath us, and we get the sensation that we are being beaten over the head with it, while the narrrator playfully sings, "just kidding!" Though this book had a disappointing ending, I enjoyed the rest of it very much, and would reccommend it to all ages and genders.

[Emma]

I had heard good things about this novel and couldn't wait to read it but once I started I hated it with a passion. It's not very often I abandon a book but I really couldn't bring myself to get beyond half way on this one. I can't even really put my finger on why, which made it even worse.

[Shawna]

I didn't like the beginning at all but once I got to the part where Pi is in the lifeboat I couldn't put it down.

[Ronald]

Your experience just means that you prefer to believe the story of the cook to the story with the animals, even though you liked the latter story. There is no overbearing evidence for either story presented in the text other than the doubt of the interrogators, so the narrator is not exactly beating us over the head with either one.

[Jennifer]

I absolutely loved this book, but I know several people who hated it. More than most, this book really is a love/hate thing. My husband, my dearest friend, and a person at work hated it. I have to say that it is a book that I have thought about several times (read it twice) and think it is an amazing piece of literature. I like how unusual it is and how compelling the story is.

[Pranay]

I enjoyed reading it too but unable to make the decision that I liked it or not. This was not what conventional books are like(may be that was the reason). It was a great idea no doubt.

[[deleted user]]

I liked the book, except for the ambiguous ending. It's up to the author to end a book properly, and this one didn't do that.

[Lee]

lol shirley! It was nothing special until the ending, which made it memorable.

[[deleted user]]

Shirley wrote: "I liked the book, except for the ambiguous ending. It's up to the author to end a book properly, and this one didn't do that."

Well, Lee, I was waiting for a good ending to validate my getting through all of the previous pages!

[Fred]

I enjoyed this book a great deal and was quite surprised by the ending.

[Elizabeth]

Loved this book and couldn't put it down. I think I loved it for the same reasons others did not -- that it is not a usual book and wrapped my mind in the symbolism of what might be or not . . .

[Fred]

I thought the writing was excellent and the ending added a tasty level of complexity to the story.

[Licha]

Just like Clare, I loved the book and story but felt cheated by the ending. However, as days went by, the ending started being more acceptable. I think what does bother me most about the ending were the Japanese interviewer's attitudes. It seemed like the whole thing was a joke played on the reader by the author. But like I said, the more I started to see it from the perspective of the "two realities" I've come to accept the ending more. It's an excellent story and worth reading more than once.

[Jonathan]

Emma wrote: "I had heard good things about this novel and couldn't wait to read it but once I started I hated it with a passion. It's not very often I abandon a book but I really couldn't bring myself to get be..."

It's a pity, because it really is an inspiring novel!
When they told me it was about a boy castaway and a tiger on a boat, I said, for some reason, 'this must be a childish story'. It's no story for children though, and it is one that simply won't leave you unmoved!
I think if you get back at it you'll love it!
Some books are like acquired habits! ;-)

[Jonathan]

PS (to anyone who felt betrayed, cheated etc by the ending)

It might come as surprise to you that the ending of the book is what made ME love it even more!
I mean, it really has you suffering with Pi's laments, and in the end you find out that all this story was a kind of metaphor, and the true laments were even more macabre. And then, once you've discovered that you've just read the 'better story', the 'one with animals in it', you have the supposedly official report that ends with the claim that very few castaways could survive for so long a time, nay with a Bengal tiger (although this was a 'lie'). This homage to the boy's suffering, by the Japanese guys who could simply tell the truth, reaaaaaaaally moved me... a lot!
Good thing is, though, that most readers suggest it's up to YOU to choose which story to believe (although I think it's clear), so if you felt betrayed by the ending, you could find 'data' to support the animal story. I think there's loose evidence to back up both stories.

[Paul]

If you literally take the ending to happen at the end of the book, then yes, I could see how one might be somewhat dissapointed.
I personnaly took the ending to happen somewhere mid-book, where we are introduced to the older Pi and we get to meet his wife who is a nurse and find out that he has raised a son and has a beautiful young daughter... isn't that the meaning of "happily ever after...?"

[Abby]

I loved this book. Yes, the beginning was a little slow, but so was his life at that point. He was just waiting for something exciting to happen and when it did he didn't know what to do or how to cope. If you read the authors note in the beginning, then you would realize in the end how true it was. The ambiguous ending made you think. Throughout the whole story it was just reality and grief mashing together to form this wonderful but horrific tale. His faith took him on a ride and in Pi's perspective, this was God testing him.

[Lucy]

I had a lot of trouble with this book. I had heard it was excellent and yet when I began it I found it a slow read. The middle became almost impossible for me to get through and I put it down several times only to pick it up again weeks or months later. I did finally make it through to the end of the book.....and when I read the last chapter I had to agee that it was excellent,in its own way. I think the ending made the book what it is....and only illustrates how the "telling" can influence our perception of something.

[Donald]

The content is all philosophical in nature, designed to have you choose a belief. The author presents this by saying "Choose" your preferred belief.

He does not mince words through the intent of this film. It creates the exact result he wished to convey.