From the Archives: Book 16: "Beatrice and Virgil" by Yann Martel

 

"Beatrice and Virgil" by Yann Martel
Verdict: Like irony? Read it.

I really liked this book. I can't compare it to Martel's previous book, The Life of Pi,  as I have not read it; but after reading this, I definitely will. The book is really intricate, so the plot is hard to explain. It focuses on an author who is trying to write about the Holocaust in a new way and fails. He then meets a man who is doing what he couldn't with the storyline of Beatrice and Virgil, a donkey and an ape. This man is a taxidermist and asks for help from the main character. The majority of the book follows them working on pieces of the taxidermist's novel- who will not show them to anyone in their chronological order. The ending is disturbing and offers a classic, but still awesome, twist. 

I really loved this book, but it is not one you can just read- it requires active reading and thinking. A great book to pick apart if you are in the mood; if not, I wouldn't suggest this to you!