Plot: Pi, a bookish and religious boy, suddenly finds himself trapped in a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. While such a situation daunts everyone, he discovers he must adjust to an additional problem. He has a shipmate. Richard Parker, the only other survivor of the shipwreck, is a young adult Bengal tiger. Pi must survive the harshness of the ocean while keeping the wildcat at bay. Yet, strangely, Richard Parker, the greatest threat to his life, may prove to be the only thing saving him.
Genre: Fiction, Animals
Reading Level: Aimed at young adults; some of the religious arguments and gory scenes may be unsuitable for younger readers.
Similar Titles: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time; Beatrice and Virgil: A Novel
Personal Thoughts: The book falls squarely in the trendy-dramatic category popular with book clubs, both in libraries and on talk shows. Still, it presents a good story, even if the religious arguments smack of political correctness.
As a side note, many schools now use this as required reading. I think this is a terrible thing to do with this type of novel. If a reader chooses to read it, it will be tolerable and even enjoyable (like I mentioned once, it is one of my favorite novels). However, its charm quickly disintegrates if forced on readers, particularly due to its complex and controversial side-topics (religion and animal-keeping).
No comments:
Post a Comment