Max and the Cats

I believe Yann Martel when he says he didn't read this book, just borrowed the lifeboat idea from it. On the surface it seems very similar because of the cat theme and everything, but this book is about Nazis and Brazil and the cats seem to be much more of a straightforward metaphor, symbolizing the main character's psychology through the years. It is similar to Life of Pi, but each should be read as its own novel. They're both very deep and thought-provoking.

Filled with history, magical realism, humour and psychology, this was a captivating novella that encourages the reader to contemplate. Scliar has a masterful talent of portraying the protagonists different thought processes through id, ego and superego.

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This book appeared in the mail yesterday. I had several choices: add it to Mt TBR, and the pile would collapse and possibly pin me to the floor never to be found again; and add it to those that have fallen off Mt TBR over time under the bed, but there's not much room there what with the books, the dust bunnies and Merlin, the huge Monstercat; or put aside the three other half finished books and read it. I chose what seemed to be the safest path and read it - it is a relatively small book and was quite easy to get through.

Looking for a strong tale of adventure, courage and imagination? Then give this one a miss.

It actually starts out as an interesting concept: a young German man, Max, is learning things about himself, his beliefs and so show more on. It is the 1930s and Max is forced to flee Germany because of a glancing involvement with a mean Nazi. (He was having an affair with Mrs Nazi and they got caught out.) He travels on a ship headed for Brazil, along with some seedy characters and a hold-full of zoo animals. The ship is scuttled by the captain and the zoo owner for the insurance. Max is stranded in a lifeboat with a few supplies and a jaguar.

The thesis of the jaguar and the boy alone in a lifeboat has so much potential. However, the author fails to connect and make the characters or the book interesting and engaging to me.

I felt the same way about Life of Pi, the Booker Prize winner by Yann Martel. Martel admitted that he took the general premise (kid in boat with exotic cat) for his book from Max and the Cats. Despite all the hype about that, I would include it without question in my ‘Ten Worst Books of All Time’ list.

Perhaps I'm not as "deep" as some others who have read these books and experienced a life changing epiphany.

I could not suspend disbelief enough to feel at all involved with Max and the Cats. How did the cat survive the sinking in a box that sank minutes after it was opened? How would either Max or the cat survive without water? What happened to the cat – was it real or an allegory of some sort?

Um... lest I sound too disparaging let me say that – unlike Life of Pi - I did enjoy reading Max and the Cats ... it is well written... just, ultimately, what am I left with in terms of meaning? I don't know, and I'm not sure there is anything here to know.

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Filled with history, magical realism, humour and psychology, this was a captivating novella that encourages the reader to contemplate. Scliar has a masterful talent of portraying the protagonists different thought processes through id, ego and superego.

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I discovered this book because of the plagiarism case with Life of Pi. I guess whoever claimed it didn't read beyond the summary of this book. There is a shripweck and a survivor in a boat, but in this book it is just a very brief moment and just one of the multiple adventures of the character.

Easy words and fable story, this was a enjoyable reading that let me with the feeling that more/deeper readings are possible.

I read this mainly because it was cited as an inspiration by the author of Life of Pi. It was interesting, but rambled on in various directions without a coherent purpose or plot line.

Something was lost in translation for me; I'm not really a fable-type person. And this book had nothing to do with LIFE OF PI. Glad I got to see it for myself, though.