Beatrice and Virgil

A Novel

By: Yann Martel

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

Length: 6 hrs

Publisher's summary

Fate takes many forms.

When Henry receives a letter from an elderly taxidermist, it poses a puzzle that he cannot resist. As he is pulled further into the world of this strange and calculating man, Henry becomes increasingly involved with the lives of a donkey and a howler monkey named Beatrice and Virgil and the epic journey they undertake together.

With all the spirit and originality that made Life of Pi so beloved, this brilliant new novel takes the reader on a haunting odyssey. On the way, Martel asks profound questions about life and art, truth and deception, responsibility and complicity.

©2010 Yann Martel (P)2010 Random House

Critic reviews

"[A] fable-type story with iceberg-deep dimensions reaching far below the surface of its general premise." (Booklist)

Ever have one of those dreams.....

.... where what is happening seems provocative and the story is developing nicely just as the alarm clock sounds and you're jolted awake with that disappointing feeling that you'll never get back to it?That's the way I felt when this book ended. And, no, the conclusion was not thought-provoking or mysterious. Just disappointing. This book really missed the interplay between the good and evil in human nature that Life of Pi had and doesn't seem to succeed in conveying any of its grander themes.

Disappointing and Borderline Offensive

I have a policy on book reviews that I write. If I really dislike a book, I ponder why for a couple days before writing the review. Sometimes the dislike comes from an author's ability to evoke anger or disgust and that deserves high marks in spite of my 'feelings'. This book is disturbing but for the wrong reasons.

I liked PI. I wanted to like this book.

By the end I was disgusted by the shameless use of one history's great atrocities to sell a book. It doesn't work. The concept doesn't work. The story telling doesn't work. The manipulation of our feelings doesn't work in spite of killing off the family dog. The story's ending is contrived.

The only redeeming part of the book are the games at the end. They are, in the context of the holocaust, poignant.

The remaining 99.9% of the book falls under the emperor's new clothes category. If a reader thinks they see some great depth in this book, it's probably a result of wanting it to be there. I did. It wasn't. Skip it.

They say an author's first book comes from direct experience. An author might squeak through a second book with what she has left. The third book is the separator. That hopefully is not the case but it sure looks that way from here.

Not what I had expected

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I really liked this book. It definately wasnt what I was expecting, but I do love the symbolism and depth that this author writes with.

Any additional comments?

It made me really think more about how people are affected by situations and circumstances in their lives. amazing.

Sick, disturbing and depressing

I agree with the review above me a couple spots. If you enjoyed Life of Pi, this book is a polar shift. It was well written, but I made the mistake of listening to the last part at lunch, and had to stop eating. The images are haunting - but I'm not deep enough to get anything other than creeped out.

Excellent writing and reading, but...

This is the saddest book I have ever read! It struck my soul to its core. Because I read for pleasure as well as education I cannot recommend this book to anyone who does not want to be affected on such a level, however the writing and reading is undeniably excellent! It uncovers the horrors of the holocaust in a new and, at first, unrecognizable way. Then hits you with slow creeping revelations.

I expected more

The over all story was worth hearing the end result, but the story was really not all that intriguing.

Love and Death Await: Wake Up!

The negative listener reviews nearly convinced me not to listen. But my sister had read the book and was so affected that she called needing someone to talk to about it. Having been prepared for something awful to happen, I could let the book happen, to be carried along by the narrator whose voice and tone I liked very much. The book is deeply affecting and haunting--the contrast between the palpable love the narrator conveys in the voices of Beatrice and Virgil and the horror of the story increase its effect. I cannot say I completely understand the ending of the book; but I remember having the same feeling at the end of Life of Pi. The author almost lulls you into a feeling of safety and then springs a trap. There is no escape. Suddenly life is revealed for what it really is. You cannot pretend or sleep through it. To survive, you have to wake up. And even this may not be enough. But that is what is most true. It is, I think, the author's intention not to make things easy. And it is the nature of parables to reveal their meanings only over time. So I encourage anyone interested in Yann Martel's work to take a listen. Like the hero of the story, I miss Beatrice and Virgil. You may, too.

In the shadow of a best seller

After listening to The Life of Pi, I've decided to buy all the listenings avalaible from this author. Even though the topic is gloomy, the narrative is interesting. I had a lot of pleasure in imagining the taxidermist's shop and the choice of Beatrice and Virgil as metaphors helped me with the reading. Martel certainly chose a very difficult subject but it is done with respect and a total new point of view that made the story original and noteworthy.

Liked it!

I liked reading to this book. However I had it set to the second speed most of the time. While listening and reading at the same time at actual speed, I kept getting too far ahead of the reader!

Where to start

The book is no Life of Pi if u are loking for it turn away right now and get another book. It is a hard book to follow at times and during it i was like where in the world is this book taken me but in the end threw out the violence it still was a good read but a shocker coming from life of pi