Time Cat

Time Cat

By Lloyd Alexander

3 Out of 5 Covers

Time Cat was the first book published by Lloyd Alexander, who went on to have a long and distinguished career in children’s literature, including being awarded the Newberry.  The inspiration for the novel came from the observation that cats not only come and go at will, but can seem to disappear and reappear.  What if when the disappear, they actually travel through time?  One cat, Gareth, takes his owner, Jason, on a journey through history to visit places such as Egypt, Rome, Ireland, Japan, Italy, Peru, Germany and America.

In covering so much ground, each visit is very short; essentially this is a novel of short stories.  This brevity only allows for a taste of the history and culture of each location, and some interested the author more than others.  The particular stand out is Ireland, where the research that went in to that section later inspired Alexander’s Prydain Chronicles. 

These brief visits only allow for a quick set-up and resolution, resulting in a feeling that the reader has merely arrived at a new location before we are off again.  The rapidity is emphasized by the fact that the protagonists don’t change throughout.  There is no initial problem that led to the journey; it was the whim of that cat to take a human along.  And then they come back at the exact same time as pretty much the same people.  Having characters progress is an essential element of storytelling.  Not that there wasn’t any progression, it was merely isolated to the characters in each time period.

While I found the brevity to be a flaw, Alexander does bring each setting to life.  This is obviously well researched and meant to have a true educational aspect.

The prose does bear the marks of a beginner’s effort.  It takes a lot of work to become a publishable author, and from publishable to a great author.  It is interesting to see the initial steps of a writer’s journey and gives hope to this aspiring writer.