Review of Life of Pi

Assignment 1: Book Review

Sara Starkey

Sara O’Leary

Due date: October 1, 2009

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Publisher: Vintage Canada

Pages: 368

Price: $21.00 Canadian

Life of Pi is a story of faith, adventure, and the life and death struggle one boy faces. Pi’s

tale is one of a journey previously unexplored in fiction; being lost at sea with a deadly

competitor. This coming-of-age story outlines the incredible strength of one person and the

spirituality that compels him to push forward in the face of death. As the author describes, this

is a “story that will make you believe in God.”

Life of Pi is a detailed account of protagonist Pi Patel, a boy lost at sea in the Pacific

Ocean. Pi is a sixteen-year-old from India, whose family owns a zoo. Bright and inquisitive by

nature, Pi lives his life among the animals, learning as much about anything he can, especially

religion and humanity. Pi’s happy and comfortable life changes abruptly, however, when his

family decides to immigrate to Canada in order to avoid political turmoil in India. The family

closes the zoo, sells their animals and together they set off towards North America. Sadly, just

days into the journey, their ship sinks, and Pi just barely manages to escape onto a life raft.

However, he is not alone. His fellow companions include a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena, and a

tiger.

Pi’s journey across the Pacific Ocean is one of horror, as he sees sights that should not

be seen, struggles with the loss of his family, and begins the process of taming the tiger.

Throughout his journey, Pi has difficulty distinguishing between reality and delusion as his own
insane visions take over, due to starvation, illness and heat exhaustion. Pi stays alive on the

seven-month, constant struggle for his life, by his faith and his resourcefulness. The question of

reality ultimately creates the final twist in the plot; that officials do not believe Pi’s story. This

makes sense to Pi, for he says to them, “You want a story that won’t surprise you. That will

confirm what you already know. That won’t make you see higher or further or differently.” This

passage reflects Pi’s insight into human nature, and cements the theme of pushing

psychological boundaries.

Unparalleled in his writing abilities, Martel has produced a piece of fiction to be read by

young and old alike. His detailed descriptions of the protagonist’s journey encourage a reader’s

imagination for it is a story alive with vivid colours and imagery. As the winner of several

prominent awards such as the Man Booker Prize and the Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction, Life

of Pi both elevated and exceeded my expectations. Specifically, Martel’s writing inspired

imaginings unprecedented since my voyage alongside Prince Caspian, my travels into another

world with Lyra Belacqua, or my journey downriver with Huck Finn. With spirituality as one of

the main themes in the novel, Martel’s style is one that will go down in history alongside other

writers with a fantastical tone such as Lewis and Pullman.

In conclusion, Yann Martel’s novel, Life of Pi, is an ingenious work of art. His words

express a sort of poetry that contributes to the overall air of fantasy in this tale; full of mystery

with both magical and spiritual elements. With this novel, he has created a parable pertaining

to the importance of both faith in a higher power, as well as faith in oneself. Indeed, this is a

story that could make someone believe in God.