Life of Pi

The teaser in the introduction, "I have a story that will make you believe in God," is an audacious one, especially for an atheistic reader. However, it is well payed off. Without spoiling the events and journey of the protagonist, I will say that this is one of those books that contains scenarios that are severely unsettling, months after finishing the novel. Topmost of which is the ramifications contained in the story of the "island" near the end, which is analogical to the most fundamental justification for belief in something greater for many modern believers. While it may not fulfill the introductory remark above, you will certainly understand why it may be feasible. The author is brilliant and is in top form throughout.

Knowing only that this novel has been incredibly popular and that some have claimed that it is proof of God’s existence, it has been on my “must read” list for a number of years. And so I finally read it. I was prepared to read a rousing adventure story of an Indian boy’s survival in the Pacific Ocean aboard a life boat he shares with a Bengal tiger. And in this respect, the book supplies abundant rewards. Martel is a magnificent storyteller. He creates remarkably genuine characters, and he relates events in seamlessly beautiful, artistic prose that is at once clear, stunning, and sublime. What I was not prepared for, however, was the postmodern metafictional nature of this narrative. Although it may not become apparent until show more the very end of the novel, when Pi tells his incredible story of survival to a couple of Japanese government employees, Martel’s novel is all about the creation of story—about the ability of language to construct “truth” from mere words:

Isn’t telling about something—using words, English or Japanese—already something of an invention? Isn’t looking upon this world already something of an invention? (p. 302)

As Martel implies, nothing is true or real until language legitimizes it. The novel itself is a construction of embedded narratives—it begins with Martel (or a Martel-like narrator) telling of his encounter with a man who directs him to Pi, who then tells his story to the narrator—who in turn relates it to the reader. For a portion of the novel (the first quarter of it), the narrator weaves his voice together with Pi’s and tells the story of how Pi told him his story. And the novel ends with the Japanese agents’ rendition of their meeting with Pi, during which he tells them two vastly different versions of his story.

All of this meditation on the nature of narrative and story prompts me to reflect on the way in which I read this novel—as I read it, I was looking for evidence that this novel was about the existence of God, the meaning of faith, etc. What I found instead was a very well-written and entertaining adventure story that—like the subject of religion (which is surely present in the novel)—serves as an extended metaphor for a much broader theme: the eternal question of epistemological uncertainty and the various ways we choose to cope with that uncertainty. show less

I found this book incredibly tedious. So much so, I couldn't finish it. I made it through chapter 7, then started skimming to get to the actual shipwreck, which doesn't happen until half-way through the book. Then I simply skipped to the last few chapters.

One of my biggest problems was the whole zoo lecture. Although set in a previous time (the 1970s), I found his attitude towards animals in zoos a bit barbaric and that's really the part where he lost me. The author spends too much time defending zoos in a condescending tone. Trying to equate the illusion of human freedom to a wild animal needing confinement for the same reasons doesn't cut it. Plus, he goes overboard with the argument as if expecting the reader to start debating the show more issue. Is it fine for a character to have a controversial opinion? Certainly. Just don't have the character start preaching as Pi did about zoos.

Then the whole religious aspect was tiring. First, twist endings are difficult things to get right without falling apart. Sadly, Life of Pi really falls apart here when asking the reader to decide if it's better to believe the cold hard facts or a good story. Basically, Pi goes from secular to Hindi/Christian/Muslim. (Had he included Judaism, he would have had a nice quartet of major world religions.) Yet, he ends by basically saying God doesn't exist, but is a nice story. Really? That's all ya got? Atheism is the cold hard truth, religion is the good story, and agnosticism is bad.

Overall, I couldn't make it through every chapter because the narration was disjointed and rambling, the character development was poor, the structure was awkward, the allegory cliche-ish, and to be quite frank, I found the whole thing over-hyped. I really don't understand all the accolades and awards. Just because a book *attempts* to be deep, philosophical, and intellectual doesn't make it actually deep, philosophical, or intellectual. I found this book extremely disappointing and a waste of time. show less

Then the elderly man said, "I have a story that will make you believe in God."

It did not..any of the three times I've read it. Nor did it make my 11- and 13-year-old sons when I read it to them. But it is an entertaining and thought-provoking story, with sly humor throughout.

(Also, Yann Martel really, really, really likes lists. Luckily, so do I.)

Pi Patel ends up in a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific with three other creatures aboard with him: a 450 pound Bengal tiger, a zebra with a broken leg, a hyena, and a Borneo orangutan named Orange Juice. The son of a zookeeper in Pondicherry, India, Pi ends up leaving his homeland along with some of the animals in the zoo to board a big boat to North America. The family is leaving India in the pursuit of a new life in Canada, but when their ship sinks, Pi must survive on his own in the middle of the ocean.
Part 1 of this novel is all about the main character, Pi Patel, and his self-exploration with different religions. He “attracts religion the way a dog attracts fleas” according to his father, a modern Indian man who tries not show more to concern himself with the specifics of religion. Pi wishes to love God in the broadest sense: he discovers Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam and wishes to take part in all three. His journey of self-discovery through religion is an interesting one. It makes the reader notice the point of all religion, rather than why one may be “better” than another or why one may be more “correct.” Pi just wants to know and love God the best he can. His search leads him to the blurry lines that separate, or in Pi’s case, connect the three religions, making him a Christian, Hindu, and a Muslim.
I can honestly say that I feel in love with every page of this novel. Yann Martel, the author, has been added to my green list. The list I keep of who I am most jealous of as an author and wish to be like. This is an exclusive list in my mind. So far, I have only three authors on it: John Steinbeck, Cormac McCarthy, and now Yann Martel. While all three authors are masters of their own craft, I find that Yann Martel is the hero of great fiction writing. I never though an author could create such an amazing story while weaving in hidden details and exploring religion at the same time. You have to read this book. You will be selling yourself short if you decide not to. Martel’s writing is not only addicting, but also enchanting. Read this quote if you don’t believe me: it’s one of my favorites.
“The reason death sticks so closely to life isn’t biological necessity--it’s envy. Life is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it, a jealous, possessive love that grabs at what it can. But life leaps over oblivion lightly, losing only a thing or two of no importance, and gloom is but the passing shadow of a cloud.” --Yann Martel show less

I loved, loved, LOVED this book. I disagree that the novel is a lecture on religion. I'm an atheist myself, but religion is fundamental to those of us that do believe. Pi is in a ridiculously difficult position and is trying to make it out alive. It's not crazy that his religious beliefs would be strengthened by the triumph of his survival. I don't agree that there are no atheists in foxholes, but Pi began his journey as a religious person and the suffering he was put through solidified that belief. Me, I would become even more convinced that there is no god, if I were in Pi's place. Frankly, there are lots of believers in the world and an inability or unwillingness to read about characters who believe in god when you yourself don't- in show more other words, people who aren't like you- is just silly. Pi's beliefs are part of what make him a realistic and fully fleshed-out character, just as much as his nickname. It helps describe who he is and explain his actions, just like any other character trait.

That said, the writing is just beautiful and the story is paced perfectly. I agree with the other reviewers who think the last several chapters are what make it a masterpiece. I am fascinated by Pi's story. I'm writing this review a few months after reading the book, and I've been turning Pi's experiences over in my mind ever since. Wow. My copy now lives on The Shelf of Earth-Shattering and Important Reads.

The movie adaptation is fantastic, too, by the way. show less

Piscine Molitor Patel, son of a zookeeper from Pondicherry, India, moves with his family by boat to Canada in search of a better life. The boat sinks and Piscine (aka Pi) finds himself stranded on a lifeboat with a few animals and limited provisions. Among the most noteworthy of the animals is Richard Parker, a ferocious Bengal tiger. Pi sees no human survivors, spies no land, and is aware of only limited provisions on the lifeboat.

Absent any religious dogma, this is a book about religion. It’s about what individuals believe and how those beliefs make for a fuller, richer existence. It captures wonderful insight into animal psychology, particularly of large cats. Well written, this novel does not have its full effect until after the show more book ends. Then is the time to reflect on what was presented, ask more questions, think about the subject matter, decide one’s own personal theology, and provoke others into discussion. Don’t miss the chapter about the skies, seas, and winds. Outstanding! One caution: there are some very graphic descriptions of animal and human cruelty. Brace yourselves. show less