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Catherine E. Chambers

Author of California Gold Rush: Search for Treasure

80+ Works 2,329 Members 18 Reviews

About the Author

Series

Works by Catherine E. Chambers

Wagons West: Off to Oregon (1984) 105 copies
The Keeping Days (1973) 91 copies
Glory in the Flower (1974) 57 copies
Guinever's Gift (1977) 55 copies
Louisa May (1750) 49 copies
A Mustard Seed of Magic (1977) 41 copies
The Sanctuary Tree (1977) 39 copies
A Nice Girl Like You (1980) 38 copies
Myself and I (1981) 28 copies
The Watcher in the Mist (1986) 27 copies
Carlisle's Hope (1986) 26 copies
My Grandma, the Witch (1985) 23 copies
Lotta's Progress (1997) 21 copies
Shadow of a Unicorn (1987) 20 copies
Carlisle's All (1977) 17 copies
Whisper of the Cat (1988) 16 copies
Ghost in the House (1985) 15 copies
The Image Game (1994) 13 copies
The Great Rip-Off (1984) 13 copies
The Medici ring (1975) 13 copies
Of time and of seasons (1975) 12 copies
Soaps in the Afternoon (1985) 11 copies
Gabriel's Girl (1983) 10 copies
Over Jordan (1999) 10 copies
The Potter's Wheel (1988) 10 copies
Cover Up (1985) 10 copies
The Delphic Choice (1989) 9 copies
Return to Morocco (1988) 9 copies
Wychwood (1976) 8 copies
Dreams and Memories (1983) 8 copies
The Swallow's Song (1978) 7 copies
A striving after wind (1976) 7 copies
The Crucible Year (1979) 7 copies
A Touch of Madness (1985) 6 copies
The Wishing Star (1963) 6 copies
Strangers dark and gold (1975) 6 copies
The time of the cranes (1990) 5 copies
If You Love Me, Let Me Go (1978) 5 copies
Danger in the Old Fort (1983) 5 copies
The Wider Heart (1964) 5 copies
Feather in the Wind (2001) 4 copies
The dragon's eye (1990) 4 copies
Timewarp Summer (1983) 4 copies
Riding Home (1988) 2 copies
Ready or Not 2 copies
The Bridge Between (1966) 2 copies
Secrets of Beacon Hill (1984) 2 copies
Mask for My Heart (1982) 1 copy

Associated Works

Essays in advocacy (2012) — Contributor — 3 copies

Tagged

Common Knowledge

Legal name
Norma Johnston
Gender
female
Nationality
USA
Country (for map)
USA
Birthplace
Ridgewood, New Jersey, USA
Education
Montclair State College

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Discussions

80s Era YA Novel About Making a Sci-Fi Film in Name that Book (June 2012)

Reviews

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)
… (more)
 
Flagged
lexilewords | Dec 28, 2023 |
 
Flagged
lcslibrarian | 1 other review | Aug 13, 2020 |

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Works
80
Also by
1
Members
2,329
Popularity
#11,016
Rating
4.0
Reviews
18
ISBNs
181
Languages
1

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