Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Life of Pi is a fantasy novel that won the Booker Prize in 2002. The story follows the journey of Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel, an Indian boy from Pondicherry, India, who finds himself shipwrecked and lost at sea in a lifeboat with four wild animals: an orangutan, a zebra, a hyena, and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.
The novel explores issues of spirituality, religion, and self-perception as Pi struggles to survive through seemingly insurmountable odds.
The main themes of the book include the interdependence of all life, the power of storytelling and religious belief, and the struggle for survival. The novel is framed by a note from the author, Yann Martel, who describes how he first came to hear the fantastic tale of Pi.
Within the framework of Martel’s narration is Pi’s fantastical first-person account of life on the open sea, which forms the bulk of the book. At the end of the novel, a transcript taken from an interrogation of Pi reveals the possible “true” story within that story.
Useful takeaways from the book include treating everything, especially nature and wildlife, with kindness and grace, using religion as an essential tool in our lives, understanding the difference between being alone and being lonely, the importance of forgiveness, and never giving up. The book also teaches us that forgiveness is always the right choice, even in the face of extreme adversity.
Overall, Life of Pi is a rich and dynamic novel that explores the human condition and the power of the human spirit to overcome even the most challenging circumstances.
What I Liked
Brilliant, fun, weird novel. Good read.
What I Did Not Like
Not a whole lot – very solid read.
