by Sarah Winman
What a strange book indeed. I had mixed feelings about it really. There were times when it kept me engrossed and times when I lost interest a bit and skimmed. The title was what intrigued me but I didn't purchase it until it was on our book club list of reads so I gave it a go. The story is written in two parts, the first growing up and childhood experiences, the second about their adulthood which seemed doom and gloom for the most part. It's about friendships, relationships, tragedy, dreams, sexuality, love and of course starting over.
Elly loves her brother Joe dearly and this story tells their journey through life and bond that was so deep and so full of secrets that only the two of them knew. He was her protector and confidante. Her strange but best friend Jenny Penny was a sad case which I really felt for and wanted to pull her out of her troubled life, living with her mum and accompanying boyfriends. From Elly's aunt who is an actress and gay, her brother who is in love with his best friend, also gay, to eccentric elderly people coming in and out of her life, there really was too much happening and often seemed confusing.
Tying in 9/11 seemed a bit far fetched to me and don't think it was necessary to include this line of story with her brother missing, presumed dead, from the collapse of the twin towers. There was also a lot of language throughout the book which I didn't think really warranted it. At times I had to re-read pages to make sure I had actually read what I thought I had. Like I said it was a strange book and certainly wasn't uplifting at all
by Yann Martel
I wasn't expecting this book to be so strange. It is written in three sections, the first being a reflection of Piscine Molitor Patel's life (known as Pi), the second his amazing story of his survival from a devastating shipwreck which killed his family, and which he survived for 227 days drifting at sea with a Bengal tiger in his boat, and the third recounting his story to two Japenese officials who question him regarding the ship and any evidence he can give them of why it sunk.
Fourteen year old Pi, born a Hindu, is introduced to Christianity and Islam, and starts to follow all three religions as he "just wants to love god." He tries to understand God through the lens of each religion and comes to recognize benefits in each one.
Pi's father is a zoo keeper and when his family and several animals from the zoo are sailing to Canada a devastating thing happens. The ship sinks and everyone is killed except Pi and a Bengal tiger, named Richard Parker, a hyena, a orangutan and a zebra, which all end up in a small lifeboat with Pi. The story is fascinating, as the legistics of this combination of animals floating at sea with a small boy is recognised, and the description of carnage is at times gruesome. Pi's survival attempts are challenging and it made me think what I would do in the same situation.
The third part of his story is what had me questioning the whole book. When two officials from Japan hear of Pi's survival they are keen to see if he can shed any light on what reallly happened. He gives his account, which they cannot believe is true, so he gives them another more gruesome story of being on the lifeboat with humans and not animals and asks them which story they prefer. When they are given the option they chose the animals story, and I am left wondering what really happened!
