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peebee's review against another edition
2.0
Easy read, but then again, it might be because the book it was plagiarized from was an easy read. [book: Max and the Cats] Don't really get the hullabaloo though.
viachu888's review against another edition
4.0
Will probably contain spoilers, read at your own discretion.
4.5 stars!
What a fabulous little read! I am so guilty of being the type of person who loves to read, but only reads fluff books, so this was a good change for me personally. I put this book on my Christmas wish list, and the first thing my mom told me was that I would cry. Hate to break it to you Mom, but my eyes remained dry. While this was an interesting book, it didn't hit me on an emotional level like I expected. But, there was a lot about this book I enjoyed.
First and foremost, the writing is spectacular. Yann Martel is a very talented author. More the most part, at least to me, it sounded like poetry. It also was very, um, refined, for lack of a better word. I compared this to the Maximum Ride series I had read prior, and it was like changing from the diaper of writing to underwear. Also, I absolutely loved the cleverness and facts woven within the plot, which will be discussed later. Especially in the beginning, and with Richard Parker on the boat.
Piscine Molitor Patel, known as Pi, is a sixteen year old who is in the spotlight of this novel. Pi was clever and cunning, intelligent and funny, strong and independent, and just about any other positive characteristic that makes up a grade-A main character. I found myself completely enthralled with most of what he was saying, and sitting in awe at the statements he makes at such a young age which could be compared with those of an experienced adult. He and Richard Parker's relationship was endearing, even thought the latter was a very dangerous tiger. It would suffice to say that Pi is wise beyond his age.
I think the only reason I would give this 4.5 stars was the plot. Don't get me wrong, the plot was phenomenal, but there were just a few details that bothered me. First, the whole religious piece. I am not religious myself, so maybe its just me, but I found that part meaningless and unnecessary. Second, the beginning of this book was a little to slow paced for my liking. I feel the back story would have better been told in flashbacks on the boat, but that is just my opinion. I also didn't really like the few chapters in the first part that were flash forwards, as they were few and pointless. I feel these were not reason enough to knock a whole star off an amazing novel.
All in all, a good book for any who want a read to leave them thinking.
4.5 stars!
What a fabulous little read! I am so guilty of being the type of person who loves to read, but only reads fluff books, so this was a good change for me personally. I put this book on my Christmas wish list, and the first thing my mom told me was that I would cry. Hate to break it to you Mom, but my eyes remained dry. While this was an interesting book, it didn't hit me on an emotional level like I expected. But, there was a lot about this book I enjoyed.
First and foremost, the writing is spectacular. Yann Martel is a very talented author. More the most part, at least to me, it sounded like poetry. It also was very, um, refined, for lack of a better word. I compared this to the Maximum Ride series I had read prior, and it was like changing from the diaper of writing to underwear. Also, I absolutely loved the cleverness and facts woven within the plot, which will be discussed later. Especially in the beginning, and with Richard Parker on the boat.
Piscine Molitor Patel, known as Pi, is a sixteen year old who is in the spotlight of this novel. Pi was clever and cunning, intelligent and funny, strong and independent, and just about any other positive characteristic that makes up a grade-A main character. I found myself completely enthralled with most of what he was saying, and sitting in awe at the statements he makes at such a young age which could be compared with those of an experienced adult. He and Richard Parker's relationship was endearing, even thought the latter was a very dangerous tiger. It would suffice to say that Pi is wise beyond his age.
I think the only reason I would give this 4.5 stars was the plot. Don't get me wrong, the plot was phenomenal, but there were just a few details that bothered me. First, the whole religious piece. I am not religious myself, so maybe its just me, but I found that part meaningless and unnecessary. Second, the beginning of this book was a little to slow paced for my liking. I feel the back story would have better been told in flashbacks on the boat, but that is just my opinion. I also didn't really like the few chapters in the first part that were flash forwards, as they were few and pointless. I feel these were not reason enough to knock a whole star off an amazing novel.
All in all, a good book for any who want a read to leave them thinking.
becca5741's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
whatvictoriaread's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
vic_the_postie's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
taural41's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
I enjoyed the writing style and the reflective, slow-paced nature of this book. I love a good, slow, character-driven story thick with description and glimpses into characters’ interior lives, so I was expecting to love this book. I did really enjoy it most of the way through but for me the alternative reading of Pi’s journey at sea offered at the end essentially ruined the whole book for me. I am grateful for the reading experience because it helped me learn that I HATE an ambiguous ending, especially one that reveals an unreliable narrator. I enjoy twists in books in other respects, but this one came so late in the story that it just left me feeling like I had been lied to throughout the entire book. Sometimes the last few pages of a book are powerful enough to color my entire experience of reading it, and that was definitely the case for me with this one. I can see why some people love it, but this was very much not for me. In fact, it’s hard to think of a book that I’ve felt more betrayed by. The low star is not reflective of the objective merit of the book, just my experience of reading and really disliking, maybe even hating it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Cannibalism, Animal death, and Death
siah_2013's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
lexiken's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
A decade after i first watched the movie, i have read the book finally. I remember the movie was so majestic and it is one of my favorite movies back then.
I actually found just recently that it was based on a book so i made sure to get a copy and read asap. To be honest, it's hard to get through at first because all you read is all about religion and animals in the zoo. But it will make sense because these were essential to the survival of Pi after the shipwreck.
Still a very inspiring, and no wonder they made it into a movie.
I actually found just recently that it was based on a book so i made sure to get a copy and read asap. To be honest, it's hard to get through at first because all you read is all about religion and animals in the zoo. But it will make sense because these were essential to the survival of Pi after the shipwreck.
Still a very inspiring, and no wonder they made it into a movie.
oponyo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0