The Life Of Pi (Cont…)

Observation - There is an extremely liberal use of commas in this book. Annoying.

Finally… the ship wreck. :)

• Chapter 43 - Too many details that don't seem to be adding anything to the plot. Towards the end of the chapter - A somewhat disgusting (and completely unnecessary) detailed description of a hyena's general behaviour.
• Chapter 46 - More disgusting details.
• Chapter 47 - Must you include every detail? Why can't it just be and the hyena killed / devoured the orangutan?? One simple sentence.

I don't have a problem reading about human mutilation or watching Tarantino flicks laced with blood/gore/amputation/dismemberment - That's all fine. BUT, wild animals maiming / feasting on other animals is just horrid / disgusting (for me).

• Chapter 48 - This… I like (Page 62)

To cope with a hyena seemed remotely possible - WTF?! (not the first WTF moment in the book, but just felt like highlighting this one).

The only reason I didn’t stand up and beat it off the lifeboat with a stick was lack of strength and stick, not lack of heart - Ahem… Sure! Whatever helps you sleep at night.

• Chapter 50 - Yawn… Perhaps the details do have some significance later on in the book. It would make sense to put them THERE. Right now it's just MORE irrelevant text.

My feelings can perhaps be imagined, but they can hardly be described - Then STOP describing it and lets move on to the talking tiger!!

A masala dosa with a coconut chutney-hmmmmm! Even better: oothappam! HMMMMM! Oh! I brought my hands to my mouth-IDLI! - Bloody irritating Madrasi. Could we please move on with the tiger?

• Chapter 52 - I really don't see the need of printing the inventory list but since it IS included in the book, I HAVE to ask:

10 or so orange life jackets, each with an orange, beadless whistle attached by a string - Why was it difficult to get the exact number of life jackets? You bothered to count everything else, why couldn't you count the exact number of life jackets? I think it's a fair enough question, given that the list includes 1 solid lifebuoy with an inner diameter of 40 centimetres and an outer diameter of 80 centimetres, and an attached rope AND 1 notebook with 98 lined pages.

Perhaps the life jackets were too close to Richard Parker. But didn't you count them later or was this the time when basic arithmetic failed you? OR did you feel THIS was irrelevant to your detailed account of events (rolls eyes)?

• Chapter 53 - We fight and fight and fight - And you talk and talk and talk!

all the while cursing my stupidity - Trust me, laddie - you aren't the only one cursing your stupidity.

At the sight, in shock and surprise, my legs gave way beneath me and I practically fell into the locker - Hang on! So… you were fine with the hyena and the tiger but your legs gave way when you saw a rat?!

• Chapter 54 - Fire off a rocket flare in his face? Go at him with a hatchet in each hand and a knife between my teeth? Finish him off with straight and curving sewing needles

Your stupidity shines even more brightly in your stupid plans. Why would you want to finish him off with the sewing needles? That knife between your teeth is not for you to floss with. From your inventory list: 1 large hunting knife with a solid handle, a pointed end and one edge a sharp blade and the other a saw toothed blade. Definitely a better option than sewing needles, don't you think?

• Page 73 - The tiger is yet to speak!
• Page 88 - The Tiger hasn't said a word. I am losing patience.

Ok… I have had enough of this bullshit. Just scanned through (advantages of an ebook) and the tiger doesn't speak until Page 109 - 110 or such (the book is only 146 pages). I have put up with 88 pages of absolute nonsense to find out that the tiger chat will last for only 37 pages (at best) interrupted by ramblings of the crazy boy.

Right now, I don't care if the bloody tiger is going to recite Ghalib!

Not wasting anymore time on this. Will go home and re-read Wilbur Smith.