21 of 35 members found this review helpful
“A Series of Disappointments
I think my negative reactions are all to do with disappointed expectations. LOP is a Booker prize winner and I was led to believe it was a realistic exciting tale of adventure and survival with a dash of philosophy. It is not.
LOP is about a boy Pi who has a very traumatic experience and makes up a fantasy to help him cope.
Disappointment 1. The book starts with a long and boring description of Pi's troubled childhood growing up in a zoo. In what is meant to be a key episode, Pi plays at practicing each of three religions simultaneously. As a child, he only skims the deep truths of each religion and is unable to make up his mind about which is true. The reader, in turn, learns nothing of depth either about Pi or religion.
Disappointment 2. The second part of the book concerns the traumatic event, a ship wreck and survival. It is immediately apparent that this is a fantasy as it includes a number of strange animal characters and is totally unrealistic and implausible. This story is developed in a long and boring fashion with no clear direction.
Disappointment 3. The third part of the story reveals the allegory of Part 2 by explaining the true course of events. This part is better written (it is compact, taught and pacy) and is a much better version of the shipwreck story. But then the author turns preachy on us and suggests that his fanciful allegory is actually the better story as it has God in it. Why we should think this is not clear and, what is more, I find the association of a fanciful allegory with belief in God as vaguely insulting.”
RRP wrote this review Thursday, August 14, 2008.
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MrChrisWalker
I wholeheartedly agree with your review. I dont look for 'action packed' novels I go for different novels and yes ones that have won awards usually because there is reason for the award. This book took me sooo long to read, was sooo boring and there was just nothing, simply nothing. I was quite irate in fact! Especially as an atheist! Lol! Good review!
posted 4 years ago.
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Tash
I totally agree in every way with you, gosh it was just so long and boring. I keep all my friends away from it, I consider me reading it taking one for the team.
posted 4 years ago.
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Joel B
I agree, too! I had several people tell me "You've got to read the ending! It makes the whole book worthwhile." Nope, I couldn't make it through, and life is to short for me to read books that are 80% frustrating and 20% thought-provoking. Had Pi been a likable character, it might have helped me stick with the story, but I found him pretentious and arrogant ("I'm more religious than everyone else!"). Bleh.
posted 3 years ago.
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Caitlin N
Agree! I had to read this book for school. I actually enjoyed the first part more than the other two. After that it got incredibly boring. And the way Martel writes is... frustrating. I really don't like his style at all
posted 3 years ago.
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Axel
You must be one of the chinese men at the end. lol. I'm sorry it didn't explain why the ship sank.
posted 2 years ago.
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Serena S
I completely agree with you and I'm so glad I found this review! I was so disappointed with this book on so many levels and your reviews summed up everything in a much better way than mine! Thank you!
posted 1 year ago.
