Life of Pi

Author: Yann Martel

Genre: Fiction/Fantasy/Adventure
Language: English
Published: 2001, Harcourt Books

*Spoiler Alert* 

I chose this book for my first review because actually it was the reason I made this blog in the first place. I read this book two years after it was published in 2001. I remember I loved this book, but I hardly remember the story. Well, it was nice to re-read "Life of Pi". I think I should start re-reading all my collections :)

The story was divided into 3 parts and exactly 100 chapters. The first part told the early life of Piscine Molitor Patel or Pi Patel, the main character of this story. He was an Indian boy who was the son of a zoo owner. I enjoyed how Pi as the narrator in this book described his life in the zood, the animals behavior, and his point of view of the whole concept of a zoo. His stories were funny. In some parts I laughed out loud. In some chapters, the author described his 'interview' with grown up Pi in Toronto.

Pi Patel had a big curiosity in religions, as he practiced Hindu, Christian, and Islam. His multi religion made people around him raised their eye brows. They were questioning how could he pray in the temple, in the church, also in the mosque? 

I like Chapter 28.

"I loved my prayer rug. Ordinary in quality though it was, it glowed with beauty in my eyes. I'm sorry I lost it. Wherever I laid it I felt special affection for the patch of ground beneath it and the immediate surroundings, which to me is a clear indication that it was a good prayer rug because it made me remember that the earth is the creation of God and sacred the same all over."  

This simple passage reminded me of my own prayer rug. I use it minimum 5 times a day, but very few times I remember how thankful I am for having a prayer rug. I would like to thank you, my prayer rug.. for always accompanying me in my prayers. 

The second part told the adventure of Pi as a castaway in the Pacific Ocean with a 450-pound Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker. His surviving efforts made me think what if I were in his position? What would I do?

I was thrilled when Pi found a carnivorous island. That was beyond my imagination. His whole story was told in a funny way. Pi could distract himself from his grief of losing of his family by keeping his mind occupied. Well, how wouldn't he be occupied when he has to sail with a tiger, worrying about fresh water, food, and his life. And the most important thing in survival is adaptation. Pi Patel was a vegetarian. After he ran out of the emergency cookies, he could manage to survive by fishing, and if he's lucky, he could have delicious sea turtle. He mentioned how scary that human could get used to everything, even killing.

The last part of this book has the most interesting twisted ending. Pi finally landed in Mexico. His adventure was anti climax when Richard Parker left the boat, went straight to the jungle, without looking back, without meaningful eye sight to conclude their adventure together in Pacific Ocean. When the local people found Pi, they took care of him. Pi told his story to the Japanese men who investigated the why the Tsimtsum ship sank. I was surprised by the second version of his story. The story that didn't have animals in it. Until the end, I couldn't decide which  version was true. With or without animals in it. Well, I chose the story with animals in it.

Reading 100 chapters of "Life of Pi" has been a great adventure to me. It is simply enjoyable. 

The modern classics.