I am not sure if this book would be classified as fantasy, or magic realism. The protagonist is the oddly named teenager Piscine Molitor Patel, or just “Pi” Patel for short. His family owns a zoo in Pondicherry in South India and he has always known how to care for animals and how to take care of himself around animals.
He is deeply interested in both zoology and religion and is a staunch vegetarian. At some point, his family decides to sell off the zoo, re-home the animals and emigrate to Canada. The set sail upon a Japanese flagged ship, along with several of the animals in the hold, which they continue to care for.
Somewhere in the Pacific, they are ship-wrecked, and Pi finds himself adrift on a small lifeboat, along with a royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Together, they face the challenges of the open sea, forging a remarkable bond between human and beast. Pi’s ingenuity and resilience are tested as days turn into months, prompting him to draw upon his religious beliefs and inner strength.
The first thing that struck me was the vivid and detailed descriptions by the author. It was like he was painting with words. The whole story is framed as an interview of an adult Pi by the author, so we know all along that Pi survives his tribulations.
Fantastical as the story was, there seemed to be one underlying concept that the author, framing it in the context of this fascinating story. Religion! Early on in the book, the author rejects the concept of atheism, and says that even the staunchest atheist will remember God on his deathbed. This was uncalled for.
He then goes on to do some half-hearted comparative religious study, and has Christianity win out, just because. The sad part is, the story now just seems like some biblical allegory to being lost in the desert or something… thankfully, despite that, the book remains charming and a page-turner. A good read, on the whole.