I just finished Life of Pi (yes, I was a tad belated in getting to this book), and the verdict is yes, it does live up to the hype. It didn't make me believe in God, but except for the occasional mention of spiders (not entirely gratuitous, but unnecessary to the plot, and non-panic inducing and non-nightmare inducing but still mildly icky) I have no complaints. However, I don't have anything productive to say either, except that I really enjoyed the book. I'm sure it stands up to all kinds of analysis and symbolism and shit, but that's not my department. Good book, quite enjoyable, made me chuckle out loud on occasion, and made me produce a gamut of facial expressions that I'm sure amused my fellow subway passengers.