Piscine Molitor Patel, or “Pi” for short, is the 16-year-old son of a zookeeper in Pondicherry, India. Through growing up at the zoo, Pi learns how the animals live by habit. His father also teaches him that animals are ferocious, but by providing for their needs and establishing dominance, circus trainers can tame animals. Although Pi’s parents are secular, he is raised as a Hindu and eventually begins practicing Christianity and Islam as well, just wanting to love God no matter the religion. When his father decides to move to Canada, they close the zoo and board the Japanese Cargo ship Tsimtsum, bringing the animals along to North America to be sold. A few days after their departure however, the Tsimtsum sinks and Pi ends up stranded on a lifeboat with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a tiger named Richard Parker in the middle of the Pacific.
I loved this book because of how thought-provoking it was. Pi’s journey was a mystical coming-of-age story that was interesting enough on its own, but the ending ties the story together in an incredible way that was genuinely shocking when I read it for the first time. I thought the book’s story and theme were handled beautifully by Yann Martel, and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an interesting read.
Written by Aedan, Teen Volunteer
CBPL Reviews 