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Liz

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    Life of Pi by Yann Martel

    in Previous Reading Circle Books

    Posted

    I am afraid I was very disappointed with Life of Pi. I was really looking forward to reading this after all of the praise and prizes it has been given over the past few years, but on finishing the final page I realised that this was not the book for me.

     

    Part One seemed to be a bit of a slow start, but I stuck with it with the assumption that it would pick up pace and interest along the way. Sadly, or rather, annoyingly, it never really picked up at all.

     

    I did not like any of the characters, especially Pi. I did not feel any sympathy for him, nor did I even care about him in the situation he was in or....

    whether he would survive at all (even though I knew he did from the beginning, although I wish he hadn't as it would have saved time)

    . I found the whole story to be rather tedious, especially......

    the numerous descriptions of him catching fish and page after page of repeated examples of the limited number of things that Pi could do or see whilst on the boat/raft

    . The ending was not too bad when compared to the 300 pages I had just read. Even so, it did not turn the book into an enjoyable read, nor did those last few pages make all of the lifeless story I had spent time reading particularly worthwhile.

     

    In a way, I am glad I have read it, as I probably would have gone along with all the hype it has received and assumed it to be a terrific piece of writing, and not have known that (in my opinion) it was a load of tripe. As I said in another thread, it may be one of those book that I will appreciate and enjoy more on a second read of it, but I will not be in a hurry to do that, nor will I be rushing to read another book by Martel.

     

    I am looking forward to hearing the thoughts from those who enjoyed the book, though, as I know lots of people have.

    Liz's 2008 List

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    Currently Reading:

     

    20) MURDER ON THE LINKS - Agatha Christie

     

    Read in 2008:

     

    01) INTERESTING TIMES - Terry Pratchett

    02) CHRONICLES: VOLUME ONE - Bob Dylan

    03) AND IT'S GOODNIGHT FROM HIM - Ronnie Corbett

    04) THE JEWEL THAT WAS OURS - Colin Dexter

    05) CHRISTIAN HEROES: ERIC LIDDELL - J. & G. Benge (re-read)

    06) ARCHANGEL - Robert Harris

    07) THE REMAINS OF THE DAY - Kazuo Ishiguro

    08) THE VIRGIN SUICIDES - Jeffrey Eugenides

    09) MISERY - Stephen King

    10) ONE FOR THE MONEY - Janet Evanovich

    11) TWO FOR THE DOUGH - Janet Evanovich

    12) MASKERADE - Terry Pratchett

    13) THE WAY THROUGH THE WOODS - Colin Dexter

    14) THE WICKER MAN - R. Hardy & A. Shaffer

    15) THE BIG OVER EASY - Jasper Fforde

    16) THE FOURTH BEAR - Jasper Fforde

    17) FEET OF CLAY - Terry Pratchett

    18) STARTER FOR TEN - David Nicholls

    19) THREE TO GET DEADLY - Janet Evanovich

    Liz's 2007 Book List

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    Life of Pi - I did not get on with this book at all and it was a very disappointing read. I found the majority of it to be quite dull, especially......

    the frequent descriptions of how Pi caught fish to feed himself and the tiger

    . I found it very hard to even like the main character, so it made reading about him very dull. The ending only just saved it from being a complete load of rubbish, but generally speaking, I found it to be a rather tedious story. If it was any longer, I think I would have given up on it. It may be a book that I will appreciate and enjoy more on a second read of it, but I do not think I will be doing that anytime soon.

     

    To Serve Them All My Days - Reading this was such a contrast to the previos book I had read as I absolutely adored this book. I enjoy stories that are set in and around schools, and this one did not disappoint at all. It is a fairly long book (approx. 600 pages), but I found it to be well paced and did not become tired of the story (which follows a teacher over a period of 25 years). This was an excellent book to end the year with.

     

    =======================

     

    Wow, it's the end of 2007 already. I am very pleased with the books that I have managed to read over the past 12 months. There has not really been that many disappointing books, only a couple here and there. I am now looking forward to the next 12 months of reading. :lol:;)

    Liz's 2007 Book List

    in Past Book Logs

    Posted

    Tideland was an unusual book but brilliant. It's pace is fairly slow and easy-going, which really suits the story and the characters well. I'm looking forward to watching Terry Gilliam's film of it again, now that I have read it.

     

    The Day of the Triffids - I found this to be a really enjoyable science fiction tale. I loved the descriptions of a deserted London which has slowly begun to collapse and has been left to turn to ruin. I also found Wyndham's characters and the behaviour of the sighted and blind to be an excellent example of human behaviour in a time of crisis.

     

     

    Next....................

     

    Life of Pi

    Yann Martel

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