Book Review: Life of Pi

Back when I was traveling the world in 2003, I saw several fellow travellers, mostly English, reading this book. I never got my hands on one until now. The book has received great reviews and awards, and for good reason. I found the initial chapters to be slow but by the second section, I could not put the book down. Canadian author Yann Martel tells in the book a story about an Indian boy, Piscine, who survives 227 days at sea on a lifeboat after a shipwreck. Saved on the lifeboat along with Piscine is a Bengal tiger. Piscine must face the challenges of surviving in the face of nature and predator. Intertwined in this story about animals and survival is religion. Interesting perspectives are introduced to make you go hmm.... Anyways, even though it is fiction, I found motivation in the boy's courage and strength to survive. There are some talks about making a film based on the book, so be sure to read it before the movie comes out.