January Monthly Read 2013: Life of Pi

[[deleted user]]

This is the discussion thread for our January monthly read, Life of Pi by Yann Martel.

I look forward to discussing this novel with you all and hearing your thoughts and views.

Declan. :)

[Deirdre]

Great, looking forward to reading it - I've been meaning to read it for such a long time.

[Sinead]

Just downloaded it onto my kindle, look forward to reading it

[Laura]

I read it awhile back. It was a great read.

[aprilla]

I've never read it. Saw an ad on TV for it lately.... movie I think, cinema? TV?... I wasn't really paying attention but did think 'I should read that'. This could be the time :)

[[deleted user]]

@Aprilla. Long time, no see. It's good to hear from you, again. The ad was for the new movie which I saw in 3D and it's impressive.

This will a reread for me, which seems a little given that I only watched the movie recently. I'll leave it until later in the month, or I may just jump into the discussion as it feels fresh in my mind.

[[deleted user]]

I actuallt enjoyed the start of the novel. Everything from his relationship with his family to his dabbling in religion.

I agree with you to an extent, though. His time adrift was the real story and at the time it was unlike anything else I'd ever read. It has it's faults but I enjoyed the ride.

[Susan]

I got the book today so I am ready to dive in tonight. I didn't see the movie so I really don't know anything about it yet.

[Mr. Owl]

Doing things backwards, I saw the movie on Friday night and then started the book!

[Marie-christine]

read it last year and it s actually good ... can be a bit long at times but overall good one

[[deleted user]]

Can't really get motivated to read life of pi.

[Mr. Owl]

Over half way through. Sometimes its slow-going...a bit like being adrift on a lifeboat I suppose.

Not sure if this is a really clever book...or if I'm
missing something deeper. For example, do the animals on the boat represent different religions?

Some nice phrases here and there - no overly flowery language which seems to suit this simple tale.

[Ted]

Sean said Sometimes its slow-going...a bit like being adrift on a lifeboat I suppose. I like the comment. :)

I read it last month. I enjoyed parts of the book a lot, other parts not so much.

[[deleted user]]

Having read your comments I've decided I'm not going to bother reading this as ill just end up lemming it.

[Debbie]

I actually read this one just last month. Not a fan at all. I think it tried too hard to do several things and thus accomplished nothing.

[[deleted user]]

I think the fact that this is an award-winning novel has raised people's expectations a little unrealistically.

It can be a little uneventful at times, but I felt that that was necessary in order to empathise with Pi's monotonous routine aboard the lifeboat. And by the end of the novel everything will make perfect sense. Whatever depths this novel has, none of them are hidden.

[aprilla]

I started it, listened to an hour or two, but a new book in a series I followed tempted me away, so I've put Pi aside. It wasn't bad, just didn't grab me, so I might have another attempt. Maybe... those 11 nominations for an Oscar leans me towards the movie.

[Mr. Owl]

Finished. Doesn't deserve the hype but Booker winners rarely do. A book about belief that I bet ends up tormenting future Leaving Cert sitters!

[Susan]

Seán wrote: "Finished. Doesn't deserve the hype but Booker winners rarely do. A book about belief that I bet ends up tormenting future Leaving Cert sitters!"









I am more interested in your comment than in the book so far. I have heard this discussed before but I am not sure what Leaving Certs is. Can you tell me?











U

[[deleted user]]

@Sean. When I read the book I didn't come away with belief as a key theme of the book. Apart from the statement at the beginning religious belief was only discussed once more with any real significance and then it was all but forgotten for the rest of the book.

@Susan. The leaving cert is the state-wide exam taken by all students on their last year of secondary school. The results are translated into points which are the key contributing factor in deciding which course, and college, accepts you.

[Mr. Owl]

@Declan. Maybe its just me but I suppose the reason I mentioned belief as a dominant theme is that I kept asking myself is any of this yarn believable. If you then add in Pi's need to subscribe to three religions and...there's the matter of how the book ends...

I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone but there are two possible interpretations of Pi's story which puts me in mind of "Pascal's wager" (in that the truth cannot be determined so therefore you can choose what to believe).

@Susan. Declan kindly explained (no need to go into the full horror here of what this exam entails though!).

This book isn't actually on the Leaving Cert course yet but I can see it as the type of book that would be added.

[Susan]

Thank you for the explanation. We have a test you can take for college called a SAT (scholastic aptitude test). You must have a really high score to get into the better schools but it doesn't affect what courses you can take. Your SAT's and grades combine to get into school. In CA. we have universities, colleges and community colleges. If you are a CA. you can get into at least a community college.

[Deirdre]

Just bought the book a few days ago, started reading it on the bus on the way into town and really loving it so far. I love that he's named after a swimming pool.

[[deleted user]]

@Sean. It definitely isn't just you. A few people have raised this with me, but it's an aspect of the book (and movie) which never struck a chord with me. (view spoiler)[ I enjoyed Pi's dalliance with various religions; particularly the scene where his various religious instructors had their little stand-off, but this was only an aside. (hide spoiler)] On the the whole, though, I found the religious references in the book no more profound than someone who is almost hit by a bus exclaiming 'thank god.'

@Susan. In Ireland it's pretty similar. We have Universities, colleges, ITs and instead of community colleges we have PLCs. (Post Leaving Cert institutions.) PLCs would train people in the practical skills of a given industry: beauty, media studies and sound engineering would be popular examples, and they also do access courses for students who either have no experience in a field they'd like to study at Uni or who failed to get a good enough leaving cert to be selected.

@Deirdre. I hope you enjoy the rest of the novel just as much. Its a while since I discussed the novel with someone who enjoyed as much as I had.

[Susan]

I agree with Deidre. I loved the swimming pool inspiration. I am about100 pages in and so far it's OK. I have to agree with Declan that the meeting with the three spiritual leaders was hysterical. I also like the description on how cute animals can inflect a lot of damage. When I was in Australia I found out the cute Koala bears have deadly long nails. They can take you out in an instance. It's important to remember all
animals have a defense system.

[Susan]

I finished the book and ended up liking it. If you take it at face value, it's amazing story of survival. I understand how the people and animals were alike- such as the sailor and the zebra both losing their legs. But the island- what was it supposed to be? The tress with the molars? How the island kills things? Someone please help me on this.
P.S, Declan, aren't we supposed to be able to discuss the book-spoilers and all?

[Ted]

Rather than repeat myself, if anyone is interested, my review is here.

[Mr. Owl]

I think I enjoyed Ted's review more than the book!

(view spoiler)[ What on earth the meerkats are supposed to represent (if anything) is anyone's guess!
<\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

@Susan. I'll open a spoiler thread when I get home, for a freer discussion. I can't do it on my phone.

[Ted]

Thanks very much, Sean. At least it was shorter than the book. :)

[Susan]

Ted wrote: "Rather than repeat myself, if anyone is interested, my review is here."
Ted,
I liked your review but it doesn't address the island. Can someone talk to me about the island and it's symbolism?

[Ted]

For my part, I've got no idea what symbolism (if any) is involved in the island. As I said in my review, that whole chapter went whistling right over my head. I'm sure some of the group will have some good ideas about it?

[[deleted user]]

I've opened a spoiler thread. You can use this to discuss aspects of the book in closer detail.

[Susan]

I thought we'd have more of a discussion. It's an intereesting book to talk about.

[[deleted user]]

I was kind of expecting that myself, Susan.

There probably isn't enough disagreement with this discussion to generate a more lively debate.

[Catherine]

It's yonks since I read it but I enjoyed it immensely at the time. off to see the movie this afternoon.

[[deleted user]]

As you enjoyed the book, I'm sure you'll enjoy the film. If you can, watch it in 3D. It's absolutely gorgeous.

[Richard]

I loved both the book and the movie. Ang Lee doesn't do crap, and the 3D is a new level of entertainment. It's shame to call it just cinema. The book read really quickly for me, and I came away with the distinct feeling that I had seen God after all. My wife says it's really all summed up in what our local vet says: Cats all do what's best for them. It's true. We both also were disappointed that the film did not have the daughter come to the door with the tiger-striped tabby kitten as she did in the book. That one omission left out a great deal of Martel's intent in the book, IMHO.

[[deleted user]]

I'm still trying to convince people to see it. I'll add your approval to help persuade people, Richard.

[Sinead]

I really like this book, hope to finish it this week, didn't go to see the movie, but looking forward to seeing it, based on what I have read so far

[Susan]

Richard wrote: "I loved both the book and the movie. Ang Lee doesn't do crap, and the 3D is a new level of entertainment. It's shame to call it just cinema. The book read really quickly for me, and I came away wit..."

Richard, I am curious about the girl with the cat. What do you think it meant? It went right over my head.

[Richard]

It was two things for us. 1. Cat lover tip-off (always welcome) 2. Reinforced Clue as to the source of the tale itself and the value of a story as expression of creativity unrolling from unusual sources. We're a species that "what-ifs" a lot, and we deeply value those that do it best. We quite possibly value them more than those who compile facts, and if spinning such a tale doesn't reveal one of the faces of God, then I don't have any answers at all.

[Susan]

Thank you, Richard. That was a great insight. I hadn't thought of that. That's what's great about book clubs-getting new perspectives.