What can I say about this book that hasn't already been said. I'm sorry I waited so long to listen to it. Bought it years ago and couldn't bring myself to pick it up. Purchased this in a $5 sale and held onto it for months. Delighted I finally gave this book the time. Incredible tale of a boy who sets upon a multi-categorical religious quest. One of my top 10 favorites of all time.

I found every moment of this book to be pure gold. I agree that the audio version is perhaps even more perfect than the hard copy because the reader captures so brilliantly the comic timing and philosophic profundity with his subtle Indian accent and dry wit. I will certainly listen to this book again and again and again. And so should you.

I waited more than a month to write this review to see if I would still feel the same...I do. This book is destined to be a classic, and the audio version is possibly better than the printed one. The reader does a perfect job of bringing Pi to life. This book will make you ponder life, religion, and truth. When you are finished with this fictional novel, you'll undoubtedly have a fresh perspective on reality. I recommend it whole-heartedly. Listen...you'll not regret it.

An Indian Boy grows up as the son of a zookeeper. Heads off on a boat to Canada, where the story takes off... Very funny at times, drags (just a bit) early on. The narrator is Indian and tells the story from the viewpoint of the boy. Fantastically told! For a story so outrageous, the narrator makes it believable. Leaves you feeling good and believing that anything is possible. Highly Recommended.

Unlike some audiobooks that you feel are being read to you, the reader of this, Jeff Woodman, really has you believing he is the person telling the story, and he's telling it straight to you! No work of fiction is going to capture everyone's fancy, but for me this was a remarkable work that I've recommended to many friends already, and will share with my boys soon.

I earlier gave this book a very critical review. I could not stomach the first part that was heavily religious. However, after reading another review, I decided to give it a second chance, and happy am I that I did so.
What an incredible story. It is engrossing, charming, pure of heart, shocking, and revitalizing. The protagonist is a wonderful character that never lets go of his will to give his life meaning through telling a good story.
In the end, it is not at all about religion, or faith in religion. The protagonist pities those who reject religion not because they reject the truth, but because they miss out on the best story. And the same can be said for this book, which I think you shouldn't miss.
And, importantly, the narration is very nicely done

This book is not for the faint of heart (or for the 'short-attention-span'). Although some may have found it overly tedious, I would have to challenge that this is a brilliant unity of effect, recreating for the reader the long and thoughtful journey the characters went through. It is a simulation, of sorts, of those lazy summer afternoon stories with grandpa out on the veranda, that is, a reward for those with the patience and stillness of mind and imagination to appreciate it. In our high octane society, this book is a welcome change of pace.

I can understand why this book won the Booker prize. The story is at times grotesque and yet is always oddly compelling. It is improbable yet realistic, horrific yet uplifting. The book also inspires reflection, which I suppose is the hallmark of "literature". There were points in this book that I almost stopped listening, it was too gory, too improbable, and yet I had to know what happened next, where will this story take me? The first part is, as many other reviewers have noted, somewhat slow. Furthermore I was wondering where is this lifeboat with a tiger that I was promised by the story blurb? However, once I got to that lifeboat I found that the prestory was quite helpful, filling out the character and making some of the earlier remarks that seemed out of place, meaningful.

The narration of this book was quite good, capturing well the matter of fact yet hallucinatory tone of the story. At first the story was difficult to follow and I had to back to the book to ensure that I hadn't somehow skipped a section. My brother in law said it was cheating to listen to this book, but I disagree. I think that the act of listening slowed down the experience and made it more poignant and forceful than reading it on paper. It is easy to skip or skim sections while reading when they first make you uncomfortble but more difficult to do while listening and so I at least absorbed the story more fully hearing it rather than reading it.

If you are looking for literature this is it. It has a well developed theme, well employed literary devices and plenty of meat for analysis. If you are looking for an easy to follow story for entertainment you may be disappointed.

I have an audible library of over 300 books, and this is my first 5 star, truly perfect review. I thought this book was incredibly moving, spiritual without being "churchy" and inspiring in every manner. The audible performance is also fantastic. The production, ennunciation, and word usage is just flawless.

A big, huge, HUGE, thumbs up !!

One of the best books I've read this year. Yann Martel manages to take a relatively simple premise (a boy stuck on a life boat with a tiger) and turn it into both an engaging story and a compelling reflection on spirituality, loss, nature (human and animal), and the will to survive. The main character, Pi Patel, speaks with such sincerity, eloquence, and gentle humor that I felt emotionally connected to him within a few pages, and found his thoughts throughout the book as interesting as his deeds.

Though it's hard to imagine, at first, that a story about being stranded at sea wouldn't wear thin after a while, the plot contains enough turns and twists as to be enthralling from start to finish. Granted, Martel does ask the reader to suspend his or her sense of the plausible at times, but he does so with such a light touch that I never minded. Each part of the book flows naturally to the next part, and even the sections that seem tangential to the main story still feel connected in an important way to it.

In short, this is one of those remarkable books that is both entertaining and genuinely moving.

Also, since this is an audiobook, I will add that whoever provided Pi's voice did a great job. The Indian accent definitely adds something to the telling, and makes a few descriptions a touch more humorous. The other characters are good, too.