What a breath of fresh air this book was after the last! Although I’ve got to admit when trying to recount the story to my mum and sister they were practically rolling around laughing at the seemingly ludicrous storyline, however, the power of the writing by Martel was so intense and deep-reaching that it totally swept me up.
The protagonist Piscine’s (aka Pi) world is established proficiently with humour and insight into this experience of living in close proximity to animals as his father is a zookeeper. There is a good argument made for the role of zoos and messages about how humans are the most dangerous animals on the planet, in addition to an openness to the practice of Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. The book has a wide-ranging scope touching on philosophical points and their applications to life, but happily avoids preaching any particular message.
Then comes the drama, as Pi’s family decides to emigrate to Canada with an assortment of their traded zoo’s animals on board a cargo ship en route to various destinations, the ship sinks with a select band of castaways surviving in a lifeboat. The subsequent tale is fascinating and the storytelling maintains a tense and enthralling atmosphere conveying the desperation of the situation. But really it’s the internal battles played out in the loneliness of Pi’s mind that explores the depths of what it means to be alive. There is an excellent description of how fear can overwhelm a person, which is most articulate in its perceptive analysis of what anybody has experienced, despite the extraordinary setting of the story.
This book works on so many levels it is magnificent and you think you are challenging your mind throughout, but in the last few pages it still manages to expertly snatch the rug from under your feet! It was such an insight into human survival and what happens when people are pushed to their limits, which transforms what could have been a monotonous, harrowing story into one of thrilling originality and compassion.
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