josefineisreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Violence, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Body horror, Blood, Animal death, Death, and Vomit
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Child death and Suicidal thoughts
jeanne05's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Death of parent and Cannibalism
Minor: Animal death and Suicidal thoughts
wet_towlette's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Animal death, Body horror, Cannibalism, Grief, Physical abuse, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Gore, Murder, Blood, and Violence
sskalon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence and Death
lilyemmaaa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Excrement, Death, Grief, Violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Cannibalism, Blood, War, and Vomit
abbruzzese's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
i get it. i understand it now, the hype around this book, the reason it's touched the shelves of white women in book clubs everywhere, why it's shown up on every list of "100 books to read before you die" i've ever looked at.
the writing was high-quality. the plot was enthralling. the philosophical and religious bits were so beautifully communicated that, not only did i not mind reading them, i actually enjoyed them. before i started reading, i was worried i'd grow bored of reading about a monotonous struggle, but this wasn't the case at all; the story is structured in such a way that the events of pi's journey are, yes, told in regards to particular days, but also largely in chapters that focus on types of events or certain themes, rather than repetitive day-by-day recaps. this book has my most favourite element of any kind of story: a character facing the most bleak and unlikely odds of survival, yet doing so with grit and determination and an unrelenting refusal to die. call me old fashioned, but a human hellbent on surviving is my favourite kind of human.
i have nothing but praise of the highest order for this book. i can't even express in words how moved i am by it, how grateful i am that i decided to read it.
Graphic: Animal death and Blood
Moderate: Excrement, Cannibalism, Child death, Violence, and Death of parent
the middle of chapter 99 has graphic descriptions of death, violence, blood, cannibalism, murder, and death. skipping that part does not (in my opinion) affect your experience or understanding of the story.gabrielleclarke05's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, Medical trauma, Body horror, Confinement, Mental illness, Vomit, Death, Religious bigotry, Dysphoria, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Animal cruelty, Excrement, Murder, Violence, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal death, Blood, Cannibalism, and Self harm
kirstinbuchan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Animal death, Body horror, Torture, Vomit, Cannibalism, Animal cruelty, Blood, Excrement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
frankieclc's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Violence, Gore, and Cannibalism
jennifer_vars's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
"These people fail to realize that it is on the inside that God must be defended, not on the outside. They should direct their anger at themselves. For evil in the open is but evil from within that has been let out. The main battlefield for good is not the open ground of the public arena but the small clearing of each heart."
I listened to the audio version of this book (haven't seen the movie yet) and I really enjoyed it. It was incredibly long (100 chapters) but a great story to follow.
Because of the philosophical slant, it's pretty hard to say there is just one interpretation here. Depending on each individual reader, I can see a variety of themes readers may take away.
Personally, I've lived most of my life with a bad taste in my mouth for organized religions.In my experience, it's been a show of a lot of hypocrisy and judgement from people with the effect of dividing rather than uniting people.
However, as I've read more and reflected on the various allegories found in different religious teachings I've come to appreciate the value and beauty of some of the stories.
And that's what I took away here. It's not necessarily about believing in God. Pi believed in three different religions. It's about what it takes to believe in something. Whether that's God, yourself, the world, goodness or some other way to strive towards ideal. Reality in itself is a story, we in some ways can choose our own story. Pi's faith, connections and his creativity saved him.
Graphic: Animal death, Cannibalism, Gore, and Violence