I started to read this book because it was picked for a book club a friend of mine had just started up. To be honest I only kept reading the book because I wanted to be able to contribute to the book club discussion.

Typically when I read I become the main character or a close friend of the character. The story comes to life in my head and I feel a deep connection with the main character. This has lead to many, many interesting dreams following an evening of reading. This is also why I cannot watch any movie when I have already read the book, I get upset when the characters to not match what I have created in my head.

This book was different. While I did become attached to Pi through the first part of the book, as soon as he was in the lifeboat I had to walk away. I kept reading but I made it a point not to be connected. I did not want to feel his suffering. I did not want to be the one who had to kill a turtle or a fish or clean up after a Tiger.

Since I no longer had that connection the author's great detail sometimes annoyed me. When I was connected to Pi, all the detail was tolerable and I often assumed it would be useful information later in the book. When I disconnected, it was annoying and trite.

As soon as Pi was off the boat I reconnected. I read the last section intently and I felt like my friend was back. And the ending was very thought provoking.

I feel the book was well written but was not a book for me, someone with a great love for animals and a weak heart when it comes to their suffering. If you can handle that, then I think you will really enjoy this epic tale of triumph over tragedy and the will to survive in even the direst of circumstances.