Praise and Five Pie Slices for 
Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones, Dial Press 2006 Paperback 2008, 256 pages
Shortlisted for the BOOKER Prize. Winner of the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize: BEST BOOK AWARD
MOTIVATION for READING: I signed up for the New Zealand Book Month Challenge and this was one book recommended. I checked this out from the library.
WHAT it’s ABOUT: When war comes to the island of Bouganville, one of the Solomon Islands in the 1990s, all the white people leave and no one comes back except soldiers, by helicopter. The villages are left to fend for themselves. A young girl named Matilda, approximately 14 years old introduces the reader to the only white man to stay on the island. This Mr. Watts, often called Pop-Eye, volunteers to continue operating the school and reads Great Expectations by Charles Dickens to the students. Matilda escapes into the strange world of London, Dickens and Pip and learns a lot: about people and life, love, and courage.
WHAT’s GOOD: The narrator’s voice is wonderful. The pacing of this careful and deliberate story pulls you in without you even noticing and then RIPS YOUR HEART OUT! It has hope, loss, tenderness, tragedy and terrific story-telling. I bawled hard; in case you like to cry with a good story.
My THOUGHTs: I really enjoyed this book! One of my favorites this year so far.
Now, I am not sure I’ve read Great Expectations but I did enjoy the movie starring Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow. I don’t think it necessary to know who Pip is and much about Dickens’ Great Expectations but I do believe that reading this first might add to an appreciation of it! So maybe, I should add GE to my classics must-read list…
So many pretty covers, too:
Please enjoy these thorough and excellent reviews:
Chartroose’s Bloody Hell, It’s a Book Barrage!
Litlove’s Tales From the Reading Room
FIVE PIE SLICES of Two Crust Mango and Pineapple Pie with Coconut Sorbet!
If you need a good recommendation for a quick thoroughly satisfying story for the Read-A-Thon, Mister Pip is perfect.
Pie ala mode? That’s high praise indeed!
Sometimes it is necessary to say what kind of pie a book deserves, mmmmm. do you agree?
I saw Chartroose’s review of this and thought it sounded wonderful. You’ve made me want to read it even more.
We must entice Char back to the fold! I want her to explain some of the symbolism? Do we need to schedule an intervention?!
It’s definitely working its way up my TBR pile!
I’d bet money you will like it.
I read a different book of his for this challenge, and really enjoyed it too! (Here at the End of the World We Learn to Dance) I thought this one was much LONGER than your page numbers say! I did not enjoy Great Expectations either time I read it, but *perhaps* I shall give it a go.
and don’t you love the name Lloyd? I might have to do a challenge of authors named Lloyd. LOVE that name. Would it be a good name for a dog? not that I’m getting another dog anytime soon. Where was I?
Yay! Oh, I love Mister Pip. And I HATE Great Expectations. Here at the End of the World We Learn to Dance is by Lloyd Jones as well, I think, although I haven’t read it.
I like the title Here at the End of the World We Learn to Dance. I sometimes find that long titles are more recognizable when I stumble upon them at the book store. Assuming, of course, that the book is OUT to be stumbled upon.
Well, now are you the brilliant one…anticipating my question as to whether I needed to have first read Great Expectations to appreciate this book. Sounds like a definite little gem of a book! You’re really the first person who has tempted me with this one.
Yep, that’s me: brilliant. Now, what were you saying?
I love all the book covers you posted!
I think this was a Twitter Book Club pick in August. I didn’t have time to get it read then, but it’s on my ever-growing list.
The higher the pile of books you must read, the longer you will live. Right? Has anyone done a study? How much with the govmint give me to do a study?
I’ve seen this around but didn’t know what to think of it. Must now go add it to the tbr list!
Lisa, it should be findable at the library. Tis where I found my copy. It’s a treat. It’s a solid lock for my top 5 of the year.
I am so delighted that you loved this book – so did I and I wasn’t expecting anything from it at all!
Litlove, I’m delighted your delighted because it’s just too delightful to see you silly. (Loved LOVED your latest post about the philosophy and you blogging while reading! awesome post!!
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sounds like an interesting book, and since Great Expectations is one of my favorites from Dickens, I will have to check this out.
Serena, I saw that you marked this to-be-read in goodreads. YIPPEE!!!
This book has been on my list for a while, as well as Great Expectations. Although I still have a copy of Bleak House gathering dust on my shelf that I feel I should get to first.
You know I just got this book in a sale really cheap. I didn’t know much about it. And now I’m so glad I bought it…yay.
I have the first cover but with a green tinge, I think
I loved this book, when I read it earlier this year. You’re so right about the book pulling you in and then ripping your heart out.
I love your cover – mine’s the first one in the row of four images! Love that one as well.
So good to see you loved this, Care! It’s been languoring in my TBR pile for months. Nice to know there’s that to look forward to.