by 
Title and Author: Life of Pi
by Yann Martel
Print Length: 449 Pages
Publication Date: Canongate Books (May 9, 2002)
Language: English
Genre: Action & Adventure, Booker Prize Winner
Book Review:
Publication Date: Canongate Books (May 9, 2002)
Language: English
Genre: Action & Adventure, Booker Prize Winner
Book Review:
Set in the picturesque city of Pondicherry, this is the
story of Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel, a Tamil boy whose father runs a zoo and
his family includes his mother and an elder brother. Pi is inquisitive and
explores the issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age. On a
voyage to foreign lands, the ship he and his family are on sinks with only Pi
surviving. The story describes Pi’s days on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean
where he struggles to survive for 227 days with only a Bengal tiger named
Richard Parker for company, after his ship is wrecked and his family lost.
story of Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel, a Tamil boy whose father runs a zoo and
his family includes his mother and an elder brother. Pi is inquisitive and
explores the issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age. On a
voyage to foreign lands, the ship he and his family are on sinks with only Pi
surviving. The story describes Pi’s days on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean
where he struggles to survive for 227 days with only a Bengal tiger named
Richard Parker for company, after his ship is wrecked and his family lost.
First published in 2001, this is a fantasy adventure novel by Yann
Martel. The book won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction in 2002 and sold more
than ten million copies. It is interesting to note that this book was rejected
by at least five publishers before it got selected for publishing. It won
numerous awards apart from the Man Booker Prize for Fiction and was also
adapted into an award winning movie in 2012. The book explores the man –animal
relationship and also the tenacity of living beings to survive. Pi, a
vegetarian is forced to eat all sorts of things and learn new things like
fishing, storing water etc. to survive. The tiger is his only companion and Pi
trains and keeps it safe despite the danger to his life from the tiger.
Martel. The book won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction in 2002 and sold more
than ten million copies. It is interesting to note that this book was rejected
by at least five publishers before it got selected for publishing. It won
numerous awards apart from the Man Booker Prize for Fiction and was also
adapted into an award winning movie in 2012. The book explores the man –animal
relationship and also the tenacity of living beings to survive. Pi, a
vegetarian is forced to eat all sorts of things and learn new things like
fishing, storing water etc. to survive. The tiger is his only companion and Pi
trains and keeps it safe despite the danger to his life from the tiger.
Yann
Martel narrates the story in simple language with the help of short sentences
to give more intimacy and genuineness to Pi’s struggles for survival where he
journals his everyday activities. Pi doesn’t philosophize as he doesn’t have
time to do so. All his efforts are aimed at surviving until he gets help or
finds a hospitable land. Martel knows the urgency and demand of the situation
and so he describes the events accordingly. The story is narrated to give the
reader a feel of the troubles and struggles of a boy stuck on a lifeboat with
no food and no support. The author succeeds in connecting the reader and making
him feel the sadness, hopelessness and then the determination of the
protagonist as he tries to find hospitable land. The plot is well developed and
Martel has planned and executed all the events beautifully.
Martel narrates the story in simple language with the help of short sentences
to give more intimacy and genuineness to Pi’s struggles for survival where he
journals his everyday activities. Pi doesn’t philosophize as he doesn’t have
time to do so. All his efforts are aimed at surviving until he gets help or
finds a hospitable land. Martel knows the urgency and demand of the situation
and so he describes the events accordingly. The story is narrated to give the
reader a feel of the troubles and struggles of a boy stuck on a lifeboat with
no food and no support. The author succeeds in connecting the reader and making
him feel the sadness, hopelessness and then the determination of the
protagonist as he tries to find hospitable land. The plot is well developed and
Martel has planned and executed all the events beautifully.
This is a book that I read after watching the movie and I was amazed at the fact that having watched the movie didn’t lessen my interest in the book. This is the beauty of this book. It entertains and shocks the reader every time that he reads it. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and could empathize with Pi. I was impressed by his strength and his determination to survive. I
thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and could empathize with Pi. I was
impressed by his strength and his determination to survive.
“I was giving up. I would have given up – if a voice hadn’t made itself
heard in my heart. The voice said “I will not die. I refuse it. I
will make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as
they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now I will turn
miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen everyday. I will put in
all the hard work necessary. Yes, so long as God is with me, I will
not die. Amen.”
The plot is
beautifully executed and I loved the unconventional bond between Richard Parker
and Pi. His remorse at not parting properly with Richard Parker and his confusion at the thought that Richard Parker could leave him so suddenly even after so much had happened to them together was touching and makes one wonder at the uncertainty of people’s behavior in life. We can never guarantee that someone will behave the same way in a similar situation like we do in them.
“It’s important in life to conclude things properly. Only then can you
let go. Otherwise you are left with words you should have said but never
did, and your heart is heavy with remorse.”
“Dare I say I miss him? I do. I miss him. I still see him in my dreams.
They are nightmares mostly, but nightmares tinged with love. I
still cannot understand how he could abandon me so unceremoniously,
without any sort of goodbye, without looking back even once. That pain
is like an axe that chops at my heart.”
Martel is able to hook the reader and he pulled me in the story where I
could feel each and every event like it was happening to me. A great book that
thrilled me as well as inspired me, I loved just about everything about the
book and can read it any number of times. Filled with valuable lessons of life, great quotes and an inspiring adventure of a boy who braved all difficulties and came out a winner, Life of Pi gets a well deserved 4 out of 5 from me. Go read this book. You will love it. 🙂
thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and could empathize with Pi. I was
impressed by his strength and his determination to survive.
“I was giving up. I would have given up – if a voice hadn’t made itself
heard in my heart. The voice said “I will not die. I refuse it. I
will make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as
they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now I will turn
miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen everyday. I will put in
all the hard work necessary. Yes, so long as God is with me, I will
not die. Amen.”
The plot is
beautifully executed and I loved the unconventional bond between Richard Parker
and Pi. His remorse at not parting properly with Richard Parker and his confusion at the thought that Richard Parker could leave him so suddenly even after so much had happened to them together was touching and makes one wonder at the uncertainty of people’s behavior in life. We can never guarantee that someone will behave the same way in a similar situation like we do in them.
“It’s important in life to conclude things properly. Only then can you
let go. Otherwise you are left with words you should have said but never
did, and your heart is heavy with remorse.”
“Dare I say I miss him? I do. I miss him. I still see him in my dreams.
They are nightmares mostly, but nightmares tinged with love. I
still cannot understand how he could abandon me so unceremoniously,
without any sort of goodbye, without looking back even once. That pain
is like an axe that chops at my heart.”
Martel is able to hook the reader and he pulled me in the story where I
could feel each and every event like it was happening to me. A great book that
thrilled me as well as inspired me, I loved just about everything about the
book and can read it any number of times. Filled with valuable lessons of life, great quotes and an inspiring adventure of a boy who braved all difficulties and came out a winner, Life of Pi gets a well deserved 4 out of 5 from me.
Go read this book. You will love it. 🙂
“You must take life the way it comes at you and make the best of it.”
Buy From:
Amazon.com: Hardcover
Amazon.in: Hardcover
Kindle Ebook
Flipkart.com: Paperback | EBook
Nice review.. 🙂
Thanks Mani..:)
Can you believe it Nikita I have not yet read the book. Everytime I get this book,something or the other comes up. Your review makes me want to pick it up again. Thanks for this lovely review 🙂
I can totally believe it Rubina.. I have faced a similar situation with The Shiva Trilogy and haven't read it till date inspite of having bought it long back..:) 🙂