Life of Pi   by Yann Martel

March, 2006     A Christmas gift from my loving, book-addict Mother.

Oh goodness me. That was an addictive Novel. (I finished it in one and a half days. about 28 hours. -and that's Including sleeping, working and eating.) It's not that the style was nirvana inspiringly good. It wasn't that the revelations about human nature were so profound. It was just... that I Had to read what happened next. I had the greatest difficulty putting it down.

What else is there to say though? The writing style Was good. And fully enjoyable. I found myself laughing within the first paragraph of the introduction, and there were many places that I found... great fun to read. What really got me though, was the ending.

We get presented with an incredible tale of a boy in a lifeboat with a Tiger. And it's all believable, though astounding. And it all makes sense to us. But then, right at the end, the boy tells his story to some officials. And they can't believe him. They ask for the REAL story. And the boy thinks, then tells them a -variation, of the tale, but only with People in it. So, I was left at the end, wondering if he was really in the lifeboat with a huge animal, or only with people. Both variations could be so possible. And it would say a great deal about the boy himself. It would be a fascinating way to look at his personality. (I'm feel a powerful, possibly evil temptation right now to start reading it again, thinking that each animal is a person. -but I must resist: there are too many other things for me to do today.)

However, we are still left with the freedom to choose which way we think the real story was; Mundane, or fantastic. Both stories cover some points nicely, but seem unlikely in other points. I personally have to believe that he spent his time in the boat with a real Tiger.

I must do a certain amount more thinking about the book though; At the beginning, the author said that he was told this was a tale that made him believe in God. But I can't see how or why. I thought that the protagonist was sure to have revelations, (even if only of a small, personal type,) while in the lifeboat. He did not seem to though; As far as I could tell, he had made up his mind about religion, and God(s) before he ever left land. None of his views subsequently changed in the book though. And it seemed to me, that his religious views, and principles, had no effect much on his behavior, or the outcome of events anyhow. There are still occasions where events in his life make him reflect on his religious feelings. But it is very seldom, (if it happens at all,) that his religious thoughts make any effect on the events.

Be that as it may though, I still enjoyed the religious element that was in this book. It was pleasingly presented, and unbiassed, (In such a wonderful way.)

Delightful book. (Also a little odd, that's true. But delightful none the less.)