What I’m Reading: The Life of Pi
My book club tackled “The Life of Pi” by Yann Martel for December, and it was quite the experience. We’ve read a novel where children were killed (“The Hunger Games”) and yet, “The Life of Pi” was disturbing in a whole new way.
The brutality of the animal kingdom comes through these pages, as a 15-year-old boy is stranded on a large lifeboat with a 450-pound Bengal tiger. At first, there are a few other animals on the boat, which the tiger picks off one at a time.
While the gory descriptions and detail didn’t bother me, it made me sad and my book club and I were surprised to realize how the animal deaths were more disheartening than the deaths of “The Hunger Games.”
It could be how the author handles each scenario. But in war movies, why is it we are more disturbed when animals are slaughtered than throngs of warriors?
In “The Life of Pi,” the main character forms an interesting relationship with this tiger, which comes to a strange conclusion that I won’t give away. This conclusion, however, was one of the most unfulfilling parts of the whole book, meaning the author succeeded in getting the reader to empathize for the protagonist.
In this ultimate “Survivor” meets “Castaway” book, Pi must do anything he can to survive, catching and eating fish, turtles and anything else he can find. Its unrestrained realism and in-depth explanations left me feeling a little seasick myself.
An interesting book with a unique writing style and execution, “The Life of Pi” is not for the faint of heart. Still, it is a noteworthy piece of literature. It is being turned into a movie directed by Ang Lee set to be released in 2011.
Read MoreThe Challenge
In Michael Hyatt’s blog post on Wednesday (Thomas Nelson), he wrote something that really resonated with me:
“Embrace the challenge. Getting published is not easy. Instant success is not the norm. And even if you got it, it wouldn’t be good for your character development. What happens to you in the process is as important as what ultimately happens to your book. You will need this same tenacity again and again.”
This is so true and something I’ve come to realize in the past year.
I’ve never been afraid of a challenge. I’ve loved to ride the more temperamental, unpredictable horses and learned so much in doing so. In college, I enjoyed the higher-level classes. In my journalism and freelancing, I took on the difficult topics that required digging deeper or talking to hard-to-reach sources.
When I took on my fiction writing, I figured it would all be similar: I’d take the rough road but come out on top like I had so many other areas. But God had a different plan. When I entered my manuscript into a contest without putting it through a critique group or really learning the ins and outs of CBA fiction writing, I got back a “grade” I’d never seen on one of my papers. Surely, the judges were mistaken.
Nope. Looking back now, after learning and growing in my fiction writing this past year, I realize how far I’ve come. And how much I’ve enjoyed the journey! This has taken more perseverance than I’ve ever known and I will have to keep at it.
I wouldn’t trade this past year of growth for anything, not even my manuscript in print (especially as it was a year ago!). I’m continually tweaking it and improving it. That’s the key to the publication process, and though it is disheartening and sometimes seemingly impossible, it’s unavoidable. So all you fellow unpublished writers, let’s rally, pick up our pens and face the challenge. After all, this is the fun part, right? 
Review: Thicker than Blood
Synopsis:
Christy Williams finally has her life on track. She’s putting her past behind her and working hard to build a career as an antiquarian book buyer. But things begin to unravel when a stolen Hemingway first edition is found in her possession, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. With no one to turn to, she yearns for her estranged younger sister, May, whom she abandoned after their parents’ untimely deaths. Soon, Christy’s fleeing from her shattered dreams, her ex-boyfriend, and God. Could May’s Triple Cross Ranch be the safe haven she’s searching for? Will the sisters realize that each possesses what the other desperately needs before it’s too late?
Review:
CJ Darlington’s Thicker than Blood (Tyndale, 2009) is an artfully crafted tale that sucks you in from the very first page. Christy Williams is a complex character that you can connect to as a reader. With each page, I wanted to know more about her.
The secondary characters are all intriguing and well developed. Christy’s sister, May, is a very compassionate person and as a country girl myself, I approve of her choice of career. J
Darlington gives the villain more than just one face and enough information to make him more than just the “bad guy.” He is a classic example of the way all antagonists should have a sliver of redeeming qualities.
Darlington’s breadth of knowledge about antique books comes through the text and fascinated me. I still feel the urge to go to an old bookstore now to do some book scouting. The plot was full of excitement and twists and turns that were never overdone or unbelievable.
The story and tie between the two sisters truly touched my heart and made me so thankful for my own relationship with my little sister. This book kept me hooked all the way through and I even woke up early on my day off to keep reading! I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a story of forgiveness and hope.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
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