Life of Pi

The Life of Pi is a wonderful, fantastic and intense novel that won the Booker Prize in 2003. Part coming-of-age, part-survivor story, part-folktale adventure and part-examination of multiple religions, this is a very complex book told in a simple and engaging manner.

Piscine 'Pi' Patel is the son of a zookeeper in India. The first third of the book deals with Pi's early life and his exploration of Christian, Hindu and Islamic faith. He decides to adopt the facets he likes of each religion, much to the chagrin of his local religious leaders. This faith in a self-made form of faith belies a strength of character in the slight and unassuming Pi that foreshadows the traumatic journey that is to come.

Pi's father decides to sell his zoo and relocate the family to Canada. En route, the ship sinks. Pi finds himself on a lifeboat with some animals from the zoo... a hyena, a zebra, an orang-utan and a Tiger named Richard Parker. A battle of wills ensue between the various animals, with Pi desperately trying to stay alive amongst them. Eventually it is only himself and the tiger left, and he realises he must keep this animal healthy and happy in order to survive.

For a story so odd it's told fairly realistically up until this point, but after a fashion it veers into a different kind of territory. Pi and Richard Parker reach a very bizarre island inhabited by Meerkats and the events that transpire here will test your suspension of disbelief.

This is a brilliant book. Various animal behaviour theories are employed by both Pi and the author, to help keep both the book and the boat afloat respectively. The dark and disturbing undercurrent that colours some of the book is an achievement in subtlety, and the lack of anthropomorphism is impressive as well.

The events are told in flashback by Pi to the author (Yann Martel), and at the book's end we are given two scenarios for what may or may not have happened on the boat for the 227 days that Pi survived at sea. What version of events you choose to believe no doubt reflects on the sort of person you are. I choose to believe in the fantastic adventure shared by Pi and the tiger.