86 pages • 2 hours read
Yann MartelLife of Pi
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2001A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Life of Pi by Yann Martel is a philosophical novel that follows Pi Patel, a young boy from Pondicherry, India, who survives a shipwreck and is stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. As Pi battles the elements and grapples with his understanding of faith and science, he recounts his harrowing journey and eventual rescue in Mexico to skeptical officials.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Yann Martel's Life of Pi captivates with its imaginative storytelling and profound themes, achieving a compelling narrative blend of adventure and spirituality. The protagonist’s survival tale with a tiger fascinates and provokes thought, though some critics find its philosophical ponderings heavy-handed. The book's imaginative scope and emotional depth largely win praise, despite occasional pacing issues.
Who Should Read Life of Pi?
A reader who enjoys Life of Pi by Yann Martel is typically drawn to captivating survival tales and philosophical musings. They would also appreciate the magic realism found in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude and the spiritual journeys in Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist.