REVIEW: BEATRICE AND VIRGIL- Yann Martel

I've literally just put this book down, and had to write about it straight away. Like the novel itself, I'm going to keep this review short and sweet. There's actually not much I can say without giving the plot away.

As soon I saw this book on the shelves, I just had to buy it. If this book was even half as good as Life of Pi, Martel's debut novel, then I was in for a treat. Sure enough, the Canadian author did not disappoint! It does not have any chapters, yet never feels laborious; I was hooked on Henry's tale from the very beginning.

In a nutshell, Henry, a one time novelist, decides to abandon the idea for his second novel after much discouragement. After this bad experience, he struggles to rekindle his inspiration, until he receives a parcel from a reader, containing a short story by Flaubert, and the reader's own written play, Beatrice and Virgil. As Henry pursues the reader's plea for help with his play, he discovers that the reader is a strange, aloof taxidermist that only reveals himself through his play. Despite everything and ignoring all warnings from others, Henry is drawn back to the chilling atmosphere of the taxidermy to hear more from Beatrice and Virgil, and from the taxidermist himself. If you will excuse my unoriginality, I'm going to steal the blurb at the back of the book, because I cannot think of a better way to describe the essence of the novel:

'This is the story of a donkey named Beatrice and a monkey named Virgil.


It also the story of an extraordinary journey undertaken by a man named Henry.


It begins with a mysterious parcel, and it ends in a place that will make you think again about one of the most significant events of the twentieth century.


Once you have finished reading it, it is impossible to forget.'

What's best of all, I thought I knew where the story was going, congratulating myself prematurely, before Martel yanked me sharply in the opposite direction. Another fantastic book from a fantastic writer. There are some that don't agree with me (see this link). That's his opinion; my impression was of a subtly written novel which conveyed a significant twentieth century event in a completely unique manner. Considering the nature of the event (I don't want to reveal which event it is for fear of spoiling the book!), an original stance is very difficult to achieve. I had no idea what I'd be reading about when I first started out; then again, I love delving into a book not quite knowing what you're getting yourself into! By the end of the novel, I think it's made crystal clear why Martel has chosen to expand on some aspects and not others. Anyway, enough harping- I'd love to know what you think!