Life of Pi

Review by Jane
Joel recommended this book. At first it took awhile to figure out who Pi was. Then, this novel soon became a page turner. As time went on it became clear what the author was setting up. Pi was the kind of young person who lived at the very edge of life, and this, coupled with his symbiotic friendship with Richard Parker, allowed for his survival through a tragic accident. Whether the events and coincidences in this story ring true is up to the reader to decide.

This book requires of the reader the ability to have his or her imagination stretched. If the reader can buy into the story at all, then Pi seems to be an incredible hero exposed to the absolute edge of humanity, under fantastic circumstances that go beyond description except through his fictional diary. I found myself contemplating if some of these things could possibly happen, and with the next bit of reading, instead of doubting, I was believing. I believed in Richard Parker most of all.

Fear of giving too much of the story prevents me from providing very many details here. But I will describe Pi a little bit. He was a boy from India of about 15 or so, who to the horror of his parents actively practiced three religions, finding God to be accessible in that way. His father was a zookeeper and taught Pi and his brother at a young age a cruel lesson by making them watch as a lion attacked a goat. His reasoning was to teach the boys to respect the animals, that although they may look docile at times, they are forever dangerous. This event, along with the fact that Pi is a strict vegetarian, significantly came into play in the main body of the story, which kept me turning the pages. His father decided to pack up and take his family to Canada; and then things happened that changed Pi’s life forever. I would think this book would draw a young adult or teen audience. I enjoyed this book and intend to pick it up again sometime.

Jane.