Catherine E. Chambers

On the one hand this did hold up decently well.

On the other I'm...of two minds about Mark's secrets.

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I mentioned this in my updates, but I first read this book when I was about 11, the same copy that I have in my hands in fact. I had at that point gone through my local library in a fervor to read all of the Sweet Valley High, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Baby Sitter's Club I could find. I was still making my way through Fear Street and the Point Horror books, but I wanted something a little less creepy and bit more atmospheric. Thus did I buy WHISPER OF THE CAT at my local used bookstore.

I remember how much I loved this book; I loved Tracy, I loved Mark, I loved Dorr Island and how very different it was from my own small town suburb life. The South to me was a magical place at that point in my life - somewhere I had barely been (a week in North Carolina) and knew no one from. Dorr Island captivated me in the same way Pern and Valdemar and Narnia did.

I fully admit some of that is definitely the "otherness" of the Island. Johnston explains in an Author Note at the beginning that many of the Islanders speak Gullah, a language with roots in Creole, english, the pidgin english of slaver ships and West/south Africa. She wrote it basically to forestall people commenting on how "wrong" their English is. Its not wrong, its just not European English. Plus the gothic overtones to this book had me enthralled. Was it supernatural? Was it really the curse of the Silver cat? Can Tracy escape it?

Mark was the sort of hero that was so intriguing too. Mysterious, a little older, arrogant, but soft towards Tracy. It was easy to see why Tracy both wanted to trust him and couldn't find it in herself to truly believe him.

The mystery is mundane at the end - motivated by very earthly reasons. The book also glosses over the very real world consequences that Mark would have to face despite the extraordinary circumstances.

Still, its easy to see why I reread it as often as I did (and why I put it aside as an adult). Tracy isn't annoying or cloying or in any manner off putting, she really down to earth and mature. This would be somewhat surprising if not for the fact she seems to have had a really steady childhood despite the fact her father was absent through most of it. I do wonder somewhat at the relationship dynamic ("Mother" and "Dad", you would think it would be opposite since she never saw her dad), but appreciated the fact that Tracy approached everything without drama.

The story itself though, once you know the end, is full of red herrings that go nowhere and make little sense.

As far as teen pulp novels of the late 80's/early 90's this is a recommendation and one folk should pick up for the nostalgia kick (a telegram! her father sent her a telegram so she could have an answer quickly)
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