Life of Pi by Yann Martel has
taken over Birdsong as the best book I have ever read.
The whole way through reading it
I was in the blissful position of not being able to put it down. It was everything
I love in a good book. Colourful. Different. Unpredictable.
I didn’t know anything about it
beyond the fact it had a tiger in it. I read it because I saw the trailer for
the film and thought ‘What the hell is that about?’. If you don’t know already,
it is about a boy who becomes stranded at sea with a zebra, a hyena, a tiger
and a rat.
During his 227-day voyage both
the thinkable and the unthinkable happen to him. His physical and mental
strength are tested beyond comprehension as he tries to survive, and Pi, who
narrates the novel, uses his unbelievable story as the basis for his belief in
God.
“Love is hard to believe, ask any
lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask
any believer. What is your problem with hard to believe?”
I don’t want to spoil the ending for anyone, but the
reader is left with a decision to make. Do you prefer and believe an
extraordinary tail of endurance and friendship? Or do you believe a more
comprehensible, tragic version of events.
There is no twist (which the
movie version would like you to believe there is). There are simply two
versions of events and you get to choose which one you prefer. It sounds
complicated. It isn’t, I promise. And I can pretty much guarantee that, even
though you may not want to, you will prefer the story that includes a tiger.
Life of Pi was a little bit of an
emotional journey for me. I connected with its main character and his views on
religion, I am already in love with India and the culture it has to offer, and
I am a vegetarian (so I love animals). However, even if none of these things
were true, I would love Life of Pi for the story it tells. It is original and
breathtaking. A must read for story lovers everywhere.
(P.S Please do not watch the movie
and miss out on reading this book. It is truly one of those instances in which
the film has not captured the true experience gained by reading this story.)
by Sarah Gate
Hi Sarah.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to see someone been recognized and so on. But, have you heard of his "life of Pi" (inspiration) from a Brazilian author?
Please, take a look at this video on youtube. I really would like to have your opinion about it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jIQitu5oYWw
Tks
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I didn't like the book, Life of Pi, which I actually find a real shame. I don't like the fact that I clearly didn't enjoy the 'magic' that is this book. However, I loved the film. I thought it beautifully filmed and the cinematography breathtaking.