Life of Pi

I bought a copy of Life of Pi a couple of years ago from a charity shop and am ashamed to say I have only decided to read it now because of the forthcoming film. It is a brilliant story of adventure with a dark twist with a brave and unforgettable protagonist.

Pi is a young boy growing up in his father's zoo in India. The story begins with some facts about zoology which are really interesting and his father has some novel ways of warning Pi about the dangers of the animals in captivity. Pi also humorously decides to become a Muslim, a Hindu and a Christian and can't understand why family and tutors are saying that he has to choose one religion!

But his faith keeps him alive when the ship he is travelling on with his family towards a new life in Canada is destroyed. He is the only survivor along with some familiar faces from the zoo - a zebra with a broken leg, an orangutan, a hyena and a huge tiger called Richard Parker.

Eventually, Pi and Richard Parker are the sole survivors and they learn how to share a small lifeboat together and earn each other's respect. What follows is a magical tale of adventure...

I loved this book and the delicate relationship between Pi and the tiger. The imagery of the sea is beautiful, but the reality of being stranded is devastating. There are some gory moments which some readers may not enjoy!

The Ang Lee film film seems to have followed the magical adventure part of the story which I wished to believe, so I am really looking forward to seeing it on the big screen. I have seen one clip when Pi first encounters flying fish, which is exactly the same as the book, so I have high hopes!