Alaskan Tigers in Bombay
I've been reading many novels lately -- much to the dismay, I'm sure, of my neglected Netflix and iTunes accounts. And as I am a man of projects (as well as freakish injuries), I've been trying to focus on prize-worthy novels from the past few years. Here's some of what I've read:
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Life of Pi by Yann Martel
PLOT: Young boy is trapped on a oceanic lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. Wacky hijinks do NOT ensue (as this is not a UPN sitcom). Instead, the keys to both survival and religious identity are sought.
MY REVIEW: Aside from the bizarre carnivorous island subplot, I liked this quite a lot. Not only did it cue into my childhood adventure-seeking side, but it had much to say about many of the religious questions I've pondered over the past several years.
LESSONS LEARNED: Religion is important, but the capital-T Truth of many religious stories may not be as important as the impact they have on us.
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The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx
PLOT: After a traumatic incident, our troubled hero flees to Alaska with his daughters and aunt. Blah, blah, blah. I eventually invoked the 100-page stop-the-novel rule.
MY REVIEW: I kind of liked the bitchy wife, but [SPOILER ALERT!] she died early. My interest waned.
LESSONS LEARNED: Don't move to Alaska. It seems dull.
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Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry
PLOT: Well, there's this kid called Urkel... just kidding, of course. Family in Bombay. Elder in the family breaks his ankle. Difficulties arise.
MY REVIEW: Very enjoyable, at times, but I was much more interested in the familial strife caused by one particularly terrible aunt than I was in the tales of political corruption in Bombay. Hm... I guess if there's a theme to be found in this post, it is that I tend to relish the bitchy, trouble-making characters (see also: Uriah Heep, Delores Umbridge) over the earnest, heroic characters. I guess I'm not surprised.
LESSONS LEARNED: Take care of your parents when they get old. Even if it involves some really g-nasty stuff.
Also read: The Hours, Brick Lane, and Waiting.
**********
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
PLOT: Young boy is trapped on a oceanic lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. Wacky hijinks do NOT ensue (as this is not a UPN sitcom). Instead, the keys to both survival and religious identity are sought.
MY REVIEW: Aside from the bizarre carnivorous island subplot, I liked this quite a lot. Not only did it cue into my childhood adventure-seeking side, but it had much to say about many of the religious questions I've pondered over the past several years.
LESSONS LEARNED: Religion is important, but the capital-T Truth of many religious stories may not be as important as the impact they have on us.
**********
The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx
PLOT: After a traumatic incident, our troubled hero flees to Alaska with his daughters and aunt. Blah, blah, blah. I eventually invoked the 100-page stop-the-novel rule.
MY REVIEW: I kind of liked the bitchy wife, but [SPOILER ALERT!] she died early. My interest waned.
LESSONS LEARNED: Don't move to Alaska. It seems dull.
**********
Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry
PLOT: Well, there's this kid called Urkel... just kidding, of course. Family in Bombay. Elder in the family breaks his ankle. Difficulties arise.
MY REVIEW: Very enjoyable, at times, but I was much more interested in the familial strife caused by one particularly terrible aunt than I was in the tales of political corruption in Bombay. Hm... I guess if there's a theme to be found in this post, it is that I tend to relish the bitchy, trouble-making characters (see also: Uriah Heep, Delores Umbridge) over the earnest, heroic characters. I guess I'm not surprised.
LESSONS LEARNED: Take care of your parents when they get old. Even if it involves some really g-nasty stuff.
Also read: The Hours, Brick Lane, and Waiting.
posted by OleNelson at 4:02 PM
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