Thursday, March 3, 2011

Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel

Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel
224 pages
Published April 2010 by Random House Publishing
Source: the publisher and TLC Book Tours

Henry L'Hote's first novel was enormously successful.  But when he pitches a unique idea to his publisher, a flip book that combines a novel and essay about the Holocaust, he is so thoroughly shot down that he gives up on writing entirely.  He and his wife settle into a comfortable life in which Henry has found himself a pleasing job in a chocolate shop and has involved himself in a local theater.  But still the occasion letter from a fan reaches him and one day a letter arrives that so piques Henry's interest that he tracks down the address it came from.  This leads him to a taxidermist, also named Henry, who is asking for Henry's help with a play he is writing about a donkey named Beatrice and a howler monkey named Virgil. As Henry learns more and more about the play, he becomes convinced that the play is about victims of the Holocaust and finds himself sucked into the vortex that is Henry, the taxidermist.

When this book first came out, emotions really ran high.  In the book blogosphere, where Martel's Life of Pi is so beloved, expectations were high.  Reviewers really wanted to love this book.  But almost none of them did; in fact, the ending of this book even made some of them very angry.  So, of course, I had to read it.

Not having yet read Life of Pi, I had no great expectations for this book going in; I was just looking for a book that would make me think.  On that score, Beatrice and Virgil succeeds. Henry (a not-so-thinly veiled Martel) goes on at length about the capacity of fiction to be even more real than nonfiction and, in his defense of fiction, poses the idea that "if history doesn't become story, it dies to everyone except the historian." Martel also takes the opportunity here to explore the reasons that some books just don't get made.  In Henry's case, it's largely due to the fact that no one knows how to market the book.

Once Henry makes contact with the taxidermist, the book takes on an entirely different tone and much of the rest of the book is the taxidermist's play.  The play is not particularly interesting in the beginning and once it starts to pick up, Martel spends a lot of time explaining to the reader how cleverly he is telling the story of the Holocaust in fiction.  And yet the reader does begin to become attached to Beatrice and Virgil, just as Henry does.  And then, sure enough, the big twist.  It didn't so much make me angry as it made me think that Martel had gotten to a point where he just couldn't figure out any other way to go on, any other way to wrap things up.

Martel does write beautifully (although Publishers Weekly called the prose "amateurish").  So I'm taking that piece from this book and looking forward to finding the time to read Life of Pi with the hope of liking it so much more.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for including me on this tour. I find, in reading the reviews of the other hosts, that I'm not alone in my opinions about this book.  Was it interesting? Yes. Was it also flawed? Again, yes.

14 comments:

  1. Lisa, I'd heard so many bad things about this book that I just never thought to pick it up. But I do wonder if perhaps it would be worth reading to see what the fuss is about - both negative and positive. Although, I didn't really are much for Life of Pi, so I'm not sure if I should even give Martel another chance. Thanks for the honest post.

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  2. I can see why so many hated this one, but I loved it. I didn't love it in the way that you cherish a beloved classic, but I loved that it surprised me and shocked me at the same time. I'm not often caught off guard.

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  3. I have read ALOT of reviews on this book, but for some reason, yours was the most clear and informative on the subjects it handles. I had wanted to read this book, mostly because it sounded rather weird, and I love me some weird things, but it sounds as if this novel was trying to do a lot with itself, and managed to sort of collapse in on itself towards the end. I am not sure about reading it at this point, as it seems that it might not be what I had thought it was all along. Thanks for opening my eyes and being so perceptive. Thanks also for sharing your thoughts with us!

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  4. I did have expectations going in to this book... I thought it would be like Life of Pi. And, my other issue was that I had no idea about the Holocaust link. That hit me like a ton of bricks at the end. I do agree, it does make you think! It sounds to me like you mostly liked it! That's good. It'll be fun to see what you think of Life of Pi. As for me, I don't know if I mostly did or mostly didn't like it! I think I MOSTLY thought... this is just plain weird! :)

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  5. I couldn't finish Life of Pi and really have no desire to read anything else by him. Glad you got through it! Great review! But I won't be picking him up again ever!

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  6. I haven't read this one but I have heard a lot of not so good reviews on it. I'm going to start with Life of Pi and go from there.

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  7. Whenever there's great conflicting opinions, I'm also curious to read the boo myself :)

    Second books, especially after such a big success must not be easy to write (Harper Lee should know). Maybe the pressure will be off next time and he'll do better?

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  8. Thank you for the clear and concise review! I'm glad the book at least succeeded in making you think. Thanks so much for being on the tour.

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  9. I am so glad I read Life of Pi (if only to know what it is about) and yet I have little motivation or interest in reading this one.

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  10. I haven't read any Martel yet, but did read several lukewarm reviews of BEATRICE AND VIRGIL (and hope to read LIFE OF PI, eventually). LIFE OF PI was so well-recieved that Martel had a high mark to hit; from your review, it sounds like he tried too hard to be clever. I wonder what we'll see from him next ...

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  11. I resisted picking up Life of Pi for a long time but was blown away by how much I enjoyed it. I was especially impressed by Martel's writing so I am glad to see that stands out in this book too even though many seem to have not liked it. You review makes me think should give it a try!

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  12. The book definitely made me think, too. I was pretty mad at Martel after I finished reading the book - that ending! - but after spending some time digesting, I ended up really enjoying the book overall. For sure, it's a book that will stay with me for a long time. Your review is excellent!

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  13. Very interesting to read the perspective of someone who didn't read Life of Pi! I did read Life of Pi, and I must admit I wasn't impressed. It sounds like I won't be so impressed with this one either. Which is fine...I have plenty of other things to read!

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  14. Thanks for the thoughtful review. I received a copy of this unexpectedly when it first came out, but I've been hesitant to read it based on the reviews. But I am curious, so maybe I'll give it a try at some point.

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