Yann Martel: Life of Pi

[Wabbit]

I keep hearing a lot about this book. I have read some excerpts from the book and read this thread. I have decided not to get it. It just is not calling me at all, dispite the hype. It seems to me a very simplistic book that is pretending to be deep. Though, I have not read it, so maybe im wrong lol If I see it going cheap used, then I will pick it up and give it a try.

Regards
SillyWabbit

 

[Litany]

I found it to be quite a boring read actually. I skimmed through most of the 'raft' chapters simply because they were so very, very, dull. The most interesting part was the beginning, but even that wasn't exactly earth shattering. I certainly don't get why so many people think it's so fantastic. It really wasn't.

 

[JH14]

Review

I just finished this book last night, so I'm still in the midst of thinking about it. The end caught me by surprise -- it ended so quickly and abruptly, I just didn't expect it, but it made think more about the entire tale. I enjoyed the beginning and the boy's search into religion.

His entire adventure on the boat seemed to be a book about life (the Life of Pi). The strength, demons, fears, etc. which are all within us (the tiger), which we must cope with on a day to day basis, while we're basically living the practicalities of life (gathering food, shelter, clothing, and basically surviving). Then, life isen't just about survival; while we're living the practicalities of life (and living with our DH), magic things happen. Circumstances happen which can only be attributed to something divine, something not about facts but about spirit beyond our control. It is up to us to see the divine in the practicalities of life, and honor that.

O.k., these are my first thoughts.

 

[chehughes]

firstly,hello to everyone...this is my first post.
Introductions.....well I guess like everyone else here,I devour books,usually have 2 or 3 on the go at any one time.....am currently reading middlesex by Jeffrey Euginedes.
Anyhow,
I recently read The life of Pi.
I think the negative reviews here are perhaps missing the point.Martel has crafted a modern-day fable as fanciful as Eusops fables.
I agree that the religious aspects of the book woulod not stand up to religious inspection,but,the book is perhaps meant to convey an unworldy feel anyway.if one can accept that a boy could survive in a lifeboat with a bengal tiger then surely Martel can be forgiven for some religious licence also.

anyway...nice to be new here
che

 

[Rosie]

firstly,hello to everyone...this is my first post.
Introductions.....well I guess like everyone else here,I devour books,usually have 2 or 3 on the go at any one time.....am currently reading middlesex by Jeffrey Euginedes.
Anyhow,
I recently read The life of Pi.
I think the negative reviews here are perhaps missing the point.Martel has crafted a modern-day fable as fanciful as Eusops fables.
I agree that the religious aspects of the book woulod not stand up to religious inspection,but,the book is perhaps meant to convey an unworldy feel anyway.if one can accept that a boy could survive in a lifeboat with a bengal tiger then surely Martel can be forgiven for some religious licence also.

anyway...nice to be new here
che

I completely agree. I've read the book twice, once to myself and the second time outloud with a friend. There was so much I admired about it, though I didn't agree with everything he said about religion. One of his major points was "all religions are true," which as a Christian I must respectfully disagree with. However he said some amazing things about God, faith, religion, humanity, family, the importance of story, and scads of other things. And to top it all off, it was exquisitely written! The form and structure was beautiful. Though I didn't agree with everything philosophically, there was a lot a took away from it. I can't say enough about this wonderful book!

 

[h_carnahan]

I agree, I didn't really like it. It seemed to me that it had to be the story with the people, and that Pi himself was the tiger, and in order to convince himself that everything was ok he make believed that it was really just animals as opposed to humans. Then when he reached shore, he let that tiger part of him go, and that was what walked away.

 

[Mort]

Just finished the book this morning. Am I the only one who thought that the dark fruit of the one tree on the algae island were going to be bats? I kept waiting for the "bat" to wake up and bite him on the thumb.

 

[Ell]

Originally posted by Idun:
Nevertheless, I suppose I got enough information to dislike this book. To my mind, it could as well has a little longer title, let's say: "Life of Pi. A short introducion to the New Age philosophy." As I totally disagree with what New Age says about the world, getting further into a praise of it (no matter how well-written) was not something I wanted to do. So, I recommend not reading this book. Don't waste your time on it. Of course, all above doesn't apply to people who regard New Age as their way of life.

Interesting comment. I didn't of it as New Age. What makes you think it is New Age?

It seems to me that tolerance of other religions isn't new age. If you're talking about Pi's acceptance of 3 religions, then I guess you could say it's sort of new-agey; but I really think Martel is using it as a device to show there's always more than one way to view things.

Ell

 

[member 737]

I didn't of it as New Age. What makes you think it is New Age?

Well, it is the thing you mentioned, that Pi believes simultaneously in three religions. To my mind, by this Martel suggests that all religions are equal. It also means that no matter to which Church/cult you belong, there is one God, which is present in all religions in a different way. So, personal understanding of God replaces belonging to any particular organised religion, which then leads to rejecting all religions. It's New Age point of view.

Another one is in the different interpretations of Pi's adventures on a boat. These are not only interpreations; we don't know what in fact happened on the boat. That is another idea of New Age; that there isn't something like an objective truth, or any other objective value. Everyone chooses values by himself; which is comfortable in a situation when there is no moral authority in a form of a religion to show you the right way of life.

So, equality of religions and relativity of values are what indicates that the book represents New Age point of view.

 

[james-88]

I really enjoyed Life of Pi. It was a good read, not going to be a classic or anything, but good book none the less. Obviously the second ending with the people on the raft was what really happened, but he told it and thought of everything happening with the animals because he didnt want to think of all of the people dying, especially his mother. Thinking of everything as animals just helped him cope with the misery he saw and went through. the book would have been more interesting, psychologically if he would have told it like it actually happend, but then it would have been a totally different book, not the kind of lightehearted interesting book it was.

 

[huapanguero]

But how do you all handle the idea of the carnivorous algea island? Wasn't that a bit Sci-fi'ish or over the top? And, if it was all made up, what explains the bones of the strange mammels he carried back with him on his boat?

 

[True@1stLight]

I particularly enjoyed the beginning of the book when the dad was going through and explaining how each animal has its own utility. Also, the early talk of varying perspectives of life, and the short chapter completely on what fear is and its effect towards the beginning of Pi's boat life. Otherwise, I thought the story lacked anything exceptional, and had a rather dull storyline throughout. The ending was kind of unique, but I somewhat wish the author would have chosen to tell the story as it actually was rather than with the animals. Would have allowed for a much more human perspective of emotions and the mind in hopeless situations, rather than trying to the endless symbolism one will inevitably draw from using the animals. I give it a C+/B- on a grading scale.

"A thing is true at first light and a lie by noon and you have no more respect for it than for the lovely, perfect weed fringed lake you see across the sun-baked salt plain. You have walked across that plain in the morning and you know that no such lake is there. But now it is there absolutely true, beautiful and believable."

 

[Richard Rahl]

ignoring everything said earlier, is that whole island thingy that they went on possible?

 

[lies]

I finished reading Life of Pi last night. I usually don't like the way books end, but I thought this one had a satisfying ending. I also found the first hundred pages a bit harder going than the rest, but the religion/animal stuff never really slowed me down. There's much Pi said that I disagreed with though.

the agents were hilarious.. i don't get what they mean by "this book will make you believe in God"?

Yeah, I didn't get that either. Not if you take it literally.

Am I the only one who thought that the dark fruit of the one tree on the algae island were going to be bats? I kept waiting for the "bat" to wake up and bite him on the thumb.

I was right there with you!

 

[Bernard]

Somewhere here is a thred asking about book which you haven't read and don't mean to. "Life of Pi" is a book which I would place there. I actually started to read this book, but I stopped before I got to the part which is described on the cover as "the content" of the story. Nevertheless, I suppose I got enough information to dislike this book. To my mind, it could as well has a little longer title, let's say: "Life of Pi. A short introducion to the New Age philosophy." As I totally disagree with what New Age says about the world, getting further into a praise of it (no matter how well-written) was not something I wanted to do. So, I recommend not reading this book. Don't waste your time on it. Of course, all above doesn't apply to people who regard New Age as their way of life.

Although I believe that this would make for a great debate, I won't go to much into it. I do want to point out that you generalize by saying that only people who regard New Age as their way of life will like this book. This would mean that if I liked this book I automatically agree with whatever opinions are stated in the book as fact. I don't. I liked the story.

 

[member 737]

I haven't said that only people who regard New Age as their way of life will like this book. It was irony. I just despise books which have particular, hidden ideology in them - they may influence readers's opinions, without them being aware of it. My friend loves this book, and she even doesn't know what New Age is.

 

[member 737]

Although I believe that this would make for a great debate, I won't go to much into it.

Why not? We're here to debate, aren't we?

 

[Bernard]

I haven't said that only people who regard New Age as their way of life will like this book. It was irony. I just despise books which have particular, hidden ideology in them - they may influence readers's opinions, without them being aware of it. My friend loves this book, and she even doesn't know what New Age is.

Why not? We're here to debate, aren't we?

I suppose you're right. We are here to debate. Although, I don't mind controversial books, I sometimes find it difficult to distinguish when an author is not trying to sell his opinion, and just gives it to you. I felt that in Life of Pi, Martel's ideology wasn't really hidden. The boy, Pi, came flat out and said that what was common between the 3 religions was that he prayed, in different ways, to the same god, and I think that was the message that Martel was trying to relay. Although like you, I don't agree with some of his opinions, I do agree with some. I may be taking Martel's opinions in a different context.

 

[member 737]

Although, I don't mind controversial books, I sometimes find it difficult to distinguish when an author is not trying to sell his opinion, and just gives it to you. I felt that in Life of Pi, Martel's ideology wasn't really hidden. The boy, Pi, came flat out and said that what was common between the 3 religions was that he prayed, in different ways, to the same god, and I think that was the message that Martel was trying to relay.

You're right, this was in fact openly said. What I felt is missing in the book is mentioning, that Martel's ideas are part of a wider ideology.

I don't agree with the basic idea of the book that there is the same god in every religion; therefore, I also don't agree with all implications of it. Which is the rest of the book.

 

[Sapper41]

Just Finished Clan of the Cave Bear! I was greta! Can someone give some insight on the sequels? Someone did before but I can't find the post