My mum has just gotten herself a new amazonkindle - the digital book - and like any respectable teenager before me i immediately asked if i could borrow *cough*steal*cough* it for a while on my quest of classical book reading. Feeling somewhat in a mood for a light-hearted book and an easy read, i've opted for THE LIFE OF PI. I remember trying to read this book when I was younger and give up very quickly, so hopefully my reading skills have somewhat improved and i'll enjoy it more. It wouldn't be on the best book list for nothing right?
Oh and a quick note about the Kindle....The screen's awfully dark! And there's no brightness option. So for all our technology and wisdom of having a million books in one small gadget is flawed by the fact that it's hard to even blooming see it. So i've currently got a desk lamp balanced precariously next to me on the sofa...So if you're getting a kindle don't get the 6 inch get the other one. :P
Book Review -Warning may contain spoilers!
If I had to imagine a gripping way to start a book it certainly wouldn't be the line 'My suffering left me sad a gloomy' followed by a description of this characters' academic life of zoology and religious studies, his essay focusing on three-toed sloths... >.> and this is page one....
How do you find out what page number you're on on this thing? It says what percentage - 3% and it's still talking about sloths - but oh well...
I'm getting the feeling that although well written and vaguely interesting, there has yet to be a point...Is this us trying to get into the mind of the character? Must keep reading, not everything delves straight into the plot..
BLAST THIS LAMP! ARGH!
It would be nicer if the kindle had a page flicking thing to make it more realistic, instead of making your eyes hurt as the colours invert, change, and then disappear...
Chapter 3 and am still waiting for anything other than this person's -who i'm guessing is Pi but it hasn't said yet - Life story. Is my impatience due to the fact i'm used to reading quicker books or am I completely missing the point...!? Speaking of Paris - yes it has now finished with sloths and gone onto swimming, with a seemingly more interesting character called Mamaji - has anyone read Perfume? Loved that book. I'm drifting, this book hasn't grabbed me yet will keep reading. End of Chapter three, yes the person who has been talking is Pi...And he's none too interesting yet.
Blah, blah, blah, blah, BLAH! Get on with it! I don't care about swimming pools and sloths and dates and ARGH! I'm waiting for this blooming tiger and a boat!
Okay i'm going to start skim reading. I usually read at a normal pace because I enjoy taking in the book and really remembering each part, but this is just so dull i think a brief overview will do. I'm not skipping; i'm skimming to make it clear.
Creatures of the zoo...might do some sketching down there at some point...Going off book again, argh focus!
Okay it's talking about animals and the way we perceive them... Is the boat coming soon? I was promised a boat damn it!
OMG the book has made a wild stab at humour! Listen to this: 'I couldn't bear to have yet another French speaker guffawing at my name, so when the man on the phone asked, "Can I 'ave your name?" I said, "I am who I am." Half an hour later two pizzas arrived for "Ian Hoolihan"'
Okay don't cough up a lung, this book is priceless right? I mean I know it's called "the life of Pi", but from the cover and the blurb and everything i heard, i sounded like an adventure story of this man who gets stranded in the middle of the ocean with a group of animals, who later find some exotic island and spend the rest of their happy days! What have I gotten myself in for!? I might as well be reading about Steven Fry, at least that would be more interesting, but hilarious and have a point!
Okay, i've ranted now... On with the book.
(To be continued)
(continuing....)
Okay, so far I’m on Chapter 9 and an apparent 13% through the book. It’s just gotten a tad more interesting in that the boy’s father has just taught them a lesson they’ll never forget about the animals. It’s the first time I’ve actually woken up in reading this book...
Chapter 14 now, and I’ve been kept amused by some cool facts about the dominance needed in a ring, and the alpha/omega psychological situation that lions find themselves in. O.o ... So yeah, interesting but why? For what purpose? Does this relate to anything!? The only running theme in this book so far seems the need to talk about animals. Why did Yann Martel not just write a bok on animals!? I’d love to read that book, as long as I knew what I was expecting it’d be great. But what does this have to do with anything here? Even if you’re building up the fact about dominance and animal behaviour and so on and so forth, why do we need so much detail? Chapters and chapters devoted to this – 14 chapters and not a credible storyline so far!!?! ARGH! How long does this book take to get going?
(to be continued)
