Life of Pi - Yann Martel

Now for this year's batch of modern novel reviews. First up is Yann Martel's 2001 Manner Booker Prize winner, Life of Pi. I received my copy as a Christmas present from a work colleague, but had to leave it on the back burner for seven months whilst I finished other literary commitments. I regret not squeezing it in sooner, for it was a truly vivacious page turner, written in a refreshingly lively and engaging style. Since the novel is marketed as a fantasy adventure, I didn't expect much from it. The first chapter begins with a quirky description of three-toed sloths, and being a wildlife enthusiast, I was inevitably hooked in. Once began, it became increasingly difficult to put down and I stormed through in a minimal number of sittings. Personal zoological interests aside, the premise of the tale is appealing enough for a wide audience to enjoy, which no doubt inspired the numerous editions and recent film adaptation.

The viewpoint alternates between an unnamed Canadian writer, and Indian born, Piscine Molitor Patel (Pi for short), who is telling his story to the former. Growing up in his parent's family run zoo in Pondicherry, Pi describes how he became a Hindu, Catholic, and Muslim all at once. His faith in God will be tested to its extreme, following a tragic shipwreck whilst sailing to a new life in Canada. Losing his family and most of the zoo's menagerie, Pi is stranded on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific ocean with a broken-legged zebra, an orang-utan called Orange Juice, a vicious spotted hyena, and a 450 pound Royal Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker. What follows is a harrowing account of survival and suffering in the face of nature's relentless indifference. The plot shares many tropes of the castaway genre, including starvation, cannibalism, unlikely allies, and the gradual overcoming of seemingly insurmountable odds. Being made privy to the lifeboat's exact inventory and sharing the dwindling supplies with Pi was eerily immersive.

Another major theme of the book is the relativity of truth. Narrators may be unreliable, metaphors unstated, and fantastical elements fabricated. The novel's end 'twist' has been much debated by fans, with readers given the choice to believe whichever version of events they prefer. (Perhaps this is somewhat overstated in the film, but there's no accounting for the decisions of Hollywood.) Yann Martel's research is sometimes a little too obvious. He seems overeager to share the fruits of his internet searches, often presenting unreliable or incomplete facts. Despite this, he raises an impassioned, if flawed, defence of zoos as an institution, highlighting the dangers of anthropomorphism and questioning the concept of freedom. If not for a particularly contrived chapter later in the book which broke my suspension of disbelief, Life of Pi would have received a perfect score. Nonetheless, highly recommended as a light summer read.

Rating: 4/5