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The original idea of The Sisters Book Challenge was that my sister, Kati, and I would compile a list of ten books for each other. Then each of us would choose five from the list we were given and blog our thoughts. This year, many of the books on the list intrigued me and I made it a personal mission to read more than five and to choose one a month.
The original idea of The Sisters Book Challenge was that my sister, Kati, and I would compile a list of ten books for each other. Then each of us would choose five from the list we were given and blog our thoughts. This year, many of the books on the list intrigued me and I made it a personal mission to read more than five and to choose one a month.
I got a little behind on my June selection and didn't finish it until the first week of July, but I decided to go ahead with my July selection as planned. I chose Life of Pi
by Yann Martel which I knew almost nothing about. I knew it was a survival story of a boy who had lived on board a boat with a wild tiger and that the book had been adapted into an award-winning movie. I also knew Brian enjoyed the movie when he watched it last year. It was tough going at the beginning. I will stop short of saying I hated the book, but I strongly disliked it and after the first few chapters, I dreaded picking it up. I considered quitting and pretending I never started it. Part 1 of the book delves into the main character's back story, about his family life and his religious choices. The chapters were short (which is usually a big plus for me!), but I felt as though the book wandered with no purpose.
I mentioned to Brian how I was dragging through the book and how boring I was finding it and he seemed surprised. He said, "It was such an interesting movie," to which I replied, "But I'm 80 pages in and I've yet to see a tiger or a boat!" In uncharacteristic fashion, I flipped ahead and discovered that Part 2 took place on the Pacific Ocean. As soon as I could wade through the rest of Part 1, I would get to the heart of the story.
I persevered and when I reached Part 2 and then Part 3, the plot captured me. By the time I was nearing the end, I was propped up in bed when I should have been sleeping, reading another few pages to see what was going to happen.
I persevered and when I reached Part 2 and then Part 3, the plot captured me. By the time I was nearing the end, I was propped up in bed when I should have been sleeping, reading another few pages to see what was going to happen.
I love a book that makes me think about it even after I finish. (Read Still Aliceand see if it doesn't have you pondering for months afterward.) In the last few pages of Life of Pi, there is a twist that totally flummoxed me and made me rethink everything I had read in the previous chapters.
Have you ever read Life of Pi? What did you think and did the ending make you wonder?
I've never read the book, but from what I remember the movie started out slow too. So much so, that Tim and I only watched about 15 minutes before shutting it off. I guess we should have watched longer :)
ReplyDeleteI found it hard to get through the first part of the book, too. But the story really intrigued me so I wanted to read it all even if it was hard all the way through. But then, just like you, I couldn't put it down and I finished it really quickly.
ReplyDeleteI quit several chapters into it because I could not get interested in the story. This was back in the days of young babies, so maybe I should try again.
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