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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Beautiful prose, a little boring.
I've just started this book. A passage is one of the most beautiful I've read in a long time. "But he had a serenity that came with the coice of the life he wanted to live. And this serenity and certainty I have seen only among those who have the armour of books close by."
I put The Cat's Table on my TBR when I heard Ann Kingman discuss it on Books on the Nightstand, but it was a case of too many books, too little time. It became the December selection for one of my book groups (chosen by ssomeone else) and I am so glad I finally read it. It is an autobiographical novel about the author's sea voyage from Ceylon to England when he was 11. He befriends two other boys and they have a series of adventures as they are able to slip in and out of different parts of the ship which may or may not be off limits to them. The author, Michael Ondaatje writes very well about life on the Oronsay and the lives of some of the other passengers, especially those assigned to the Cat's table for meals. This is the table for those travelling alone who have no status to sit with others and fascinated the boys the most. Several of the members of the Cat's table had unusual responsibilities on the voyage, while others were very mysterious and private despite the boys best efforts to reveal them. Easily readable, this is a compelling story from an era when air travel was still limited, and Ondaatje captures the details as seen through his youthful eyes.
The narrator looks back on his journey as an 11 year old on a ship sailing in 1952 from Sri Lanka to London. This is a coming of age story, and the book is crammed with eccentric characters who impact Michael's life well into the future. Ondaatje uses the constricted confines of the Oronsay to heighten the intensity of both the characters' personalities and of the events that occur. Written beautifully, the novel has the same dreamlike, meandering quality that our memories do.
There is just something about the age of 11, isn't there?
In my life, it was a golden age, the last purely joyful year of childhood before adolescence messed everything up. With my own son, Owen, turning 11 this past week, it has brought back memories. Cat's Table is a lot cheaper than having an 11-year-old in the home, but it's just as effective.
Based loosely on Ondaatje's own experience, it follows Michael on a three-week journey from Sri Lanka to England. The boy comes of age and develops relationships that will follow him throughout his life.
There are some fascinating characters on the ship: the teacher, the theif, and the two friends, to be sure. Almost every character is told through the eyes of a boy, so they take on wondrous, almost mythical qualities.
This was the first Ondaatje novel I've read, and it was one I really enjoyed.
In my life, it was a golden age, the last purely joyful year of childhood before adolescence messed everything up. With my own son, Owen, turning 11 this past week, it has brought back memories. Cat's Table is a lot cheaper than having an 11-year-old in the home, but it's just as effective.
Based loosely on Ondaatje's own experience, it follows Michael on a three-week journey from Sri Lanka to England. The boy comes of age and develops relationships that will follow him throughout his life.
There are some fascinating characters on the ship: the teacher, the theif, and the two friends, to be sure. Almost every character is told through the eyes of a boy, so they take on wondrous, almost mythical qualities.
This was the first Ondaatje novel I've read, and it was one I really enjoyed.
I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this audiobook. I have not read anything else by Ondaatje, and I know little about him. However, the reviews for the audiobook were good and I decided to stretch a bit in my listening.
This is an excellent book, well-read by the author. Every time I got in my car, I felt as if I was getting back on the ship with the story-teller and his companions. The closed world of the voyage is fascinating and Ondaatje draws his readers into that world. I had a great time while I was there.
Ondaatje's protagonist is also named Michael. I wonder about all the connections that Ondaatje makes with that simple duplication. There is nothing extraneous in this tale so, is this connect as obvious as I think or is there something more?
I recommend this book to listeners who like to enter new worlds with their audiobooks and to readers who have not read Ondaatje before. I am looking forward to my next encounter with Ondaatje's novels.
This is an excellent book, well-read by the author. Every time I got in my car, I felt as if I was getting back on the ship with the story-teller and his companions. The closed world of the voyage is fascinating and Ondaatje draws his readers into that world. I had a great time while I was there.
Ondaatje's protagonist is also named Michael. I wonder about all the connections that Ondaatje makes with that simple duplication. There is nothing extraneous in this tale so, is this connect as obvious as I think or is there something more?
I recommend this book to listeners who like to enter new worlds with their audiobooks and to readers who have not read Ondaatje before. I am looking forward to my next encounter with Ondaatje's novels.
Beautifully written tale of an ocean voyage, populated with exotic characters, friendships & romance. It is labeled as fiction, but it reads like a memoir & there seem to be parallels to the author's life. I read this on my Kindle & it took me a while to finish it as I wanted to take my time to enjoy his writing.
This was a very fascinating book. Ondaatje's way of writing is so beautiful, very fluid and descriptive, and I was pulled in almost instantly. The story of Michael is great on its own, and the mystery that pops up right in the end of the book just makes the story complete. A great read whether you're looking for light narratives or deep insights.
Loved it. Beautiful, poetic, interesting characters and yes, even a bit of a plot (not always this author's strong suit). This is my favourite by Ondaatje so far.