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Life of Pi (Paperback)

by Yann Martel (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (325 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
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Life of Pi + The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time + The Time Traveler's Wife
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Product details

  • Paperback: 348 pages
  • Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd; New Edition edition (17 May 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 184195392X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1841953922
  • Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.8 x 2.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (325 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,133 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #2 in  Books > Fiction > World > Indian

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Some books defy categorisation: Life of Pi, the second novel from Canadian writer Yann Martel, is a case in point: just about the only thing you can say for certain about it is that it is fiercely and admirably unique. The plot, if that’s the right word, concerns the oceanic wanderings of a lost boy, the young and eager Piscine Patel of the title (Pi). After a colourful and loving upbringing in gorgeously-hued India, the Muslim-Christian-animistic Pi sets off for a fresh start in Canada. His blissful voyage is rudely interrupted when his boat is scuppered halfway across the Pacific, and he is forced to rough it in a lifeboat with a hyena, a monkey, a whingeing zebra and a tiger called Richard. That would be bad enough, but from here on things get weirder: the animals start slaughtering each other in a veritable frenzy of allegorical bloodlust, until Richard the tiger and Pi are left alone to wander the wastes of ocean, with plenty of time to ponder their fate, the cruelty of the gods, the best way to handle storms and the various different recipes for oothappam, scrapple and coconut yam kootu. The denouement is pleasantly neat. According to the blurb, thirtysomething Yann Martel spent long years in Alaska, India, Mexico, France, Costa Rica, Turkey and Iran, before settling in Canada. All those cultures and more have been poured into this spicy, vivacious, kinetic and very entertaining fiction. --Sean Thomas --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

'Extraordinary...Life of Pi could renew your faith in the ability of novelists to invest even the most outrageous scenario with plausible life.' New York Times Book Review
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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Life of Pi
90% buy the item featured on this page:
Life of Pi 4.2 out of 5 stars (325)
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
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Customer Reviews

325 Reviews
5 star:
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4 star:
 (64)
3 star:
 (34)
2 star:
 (18)
1 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (325 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read!, 17 Nov 2006
By R. Blain (France) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
What a wonderful book! A sublime piece of story-telling - beautiful prose, a superb flight of fancy, and written well enough to allow the reader complete acceptance of what is after all, a hugely unlikely premise.
I seem to be the only one of my friends who loved the ending, but, love it or loathe it - it certainly provides material for discussion. This is probably THE book of its year for reading clubs throughout the English speaking world!
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible story, 3 Oct 2006
By Michael (Raleigh, North Carolina) - See all my reviews
The sheer number of views posted on this title and the publicity it has generated tells a lot about what should be expected from the story. It is catching. This with THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES is one of the best works of fiction that my eyes have roved through and which my mind has appreciated. I like Martel's poetic style of writing, his plot and the vivid descriptions he gave of things , characters and events results the story, which is similar to the style in DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE. I was so caught up by the book that I was unable to put it down until the last page. In the end, I saw The Life of Pi become so popular. Any reader who knows a good story may think he/or she is starting this book at a stroll but would be surprised to end it at a compelling rush. Like THE USURPER AND OTHERS, and THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN, the story is completely captivating, fast-paced, thrilling, inspiring, shocking and hilarious. I smiled, sighed, laughed and even wiped a tear while reading this book.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Nothing a pandit, an imam and a priest couldn't have told me, 12 Dec 2003
This review is from: Life of Pi (Audio CD)
This is a great, well structured novel...

I'm surprised that some people feel the early chapters dragged, as I felt these offered some of the most entertaining moments of the entire novel. Moreover it gives a strong foundation for Piscine's unfaltering faith and resolve; much better to have a myriad of Gods and faiths looking after you and providing company when you finf yourself in such dire straits as he.

I've read the last 30 pages this morning in about 15minutes - the 3rd and final part of the book is an intriguing look at the man behind the book and lets you make your own judgement on just how much of what has passed is truth and how much is fantasy. Like all great experiences (not just books) it leaves you not only wanting more but thinking more too.

Well done Yann Martel.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Persevere...
Like a few people who left reviews on here i also found it a really hard book to start and actually started it and left it 3 or 4 times before i managed to get into it. Read more
Published 8 days ago by Lozza

4.0 out of 5 stars Tiger Taming for Sailors
Great book. Not only is it a pleasure to read, an original tale, an unusual setting, an intriguing mish mash of zoology, religion and sea faring, it also includes a lot of handy... Read more
Published 23 days ago by Mr Smith

5.0 out of 5 stars Life of Pi
It is important that before you begin reading this novel, you have an open mind. Put scepticism aside and let yourself become amazed and inspired. Read more
Published 27 days ago by J. Oldershaw

5.0 out of 5 stars What a read!
It's not an average life to find yourself lost at sea as a vegetarian forced to cannibalise, accompanied by a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger, otherwise known as Richard Parker. Read more
Published 29 days ago by Josh Salisbury

4.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful tale of love, death, religion and fantasy.
`The Life of Pi' by Mantal is an exquisite tale about the exploration of different cultures, ideologies and influences, and the effect they have on the protagonist, Pi. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Chloe Curme

4.0 out of 5 stars Original and thoughtful
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have only read this book recently so although I was aware of the initial hype, I was also aware that some people flat out hated it. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Little Miss Average

5.0 out of 5 stars Life of Pi
I like the service from Amazon and from the store, thank you for the best services!
Published 1 month ago by Raquel Baracat Tosi Silva

5.0 out of 5 stars In my top 5 books!
This book stayed on my bookshelf for a long time before I read it. Despite recommendations I couldn't quite comprehend how a whole book about a boy and some animals in a boat... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Clare Mccann

1.0 out of 5 stars Hateful
`A story that will make you believe in God.' Really? I entirely failed to see any trace of kindness and compassion in this clumsy, self-conscious allegory, this thoroughly... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Book Critic

3.0 out of 5 stars Love the twist at the end
I thought it took a bit too long to get to the voyage but it was an easy read, quite an individual book ... Read more
Published 1 month ago by emm

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