Self

I really enjoyed Life of Pi by Yann Martel so I decided to read Self by the same author.  For me, the book is difficult to review without giving away some of the surprise.  Reading this book shares some parallels and some “perpendiculars” with my experience watching the movie Usual Suspects.  This movie was recommended to my father by the movie store clerk.  He brought it home for the family to watch.  I knew nothing about it and was expecting a mediocre film.  I was extremely surprised by the ending and loved that it exceeded my expectations.  

Self contained a number of twists that made it a very interesting read.  I enjoyed reading it up until the final twists, where it became disturbing.  I am still unsure in my mind whether this change made or ruined the novel.  I would have definitely recommended it up until then…I had a list of people that I wanted to read it so that we could discuss it.  I was expecting a good book due to my experience with Life of Pi and that is what I was getting right up until the end, at which point it became emotionally taxing.  I was not ready for that change of involvement in the novel.  

So to conclude….I do not recommend it…or maybe I do…either way if you read it I’d like to know what you thought.  I hope that I did not ruin the emotional kidnapping that, in the end, defined this book….actually maybe I hope I did protect you from it.