Book Review:
"Basil, the Bionic Cat" by
Cathrine Garnell
You may be wondering what a book has to do with living with your cat?
Often we learn more from stories and literature than from any other source
of information. So a good story, even if it is fictional, can send us
messages of love and respect for animals that we would not otherwise absorb.
It is in this spirit that I am reviewing a wonderful book by Cathrine
Garnell, "Basil, the Bionic Cat"
About
the Book:
Basil, the Bionic Cat is sold as a children's book, but it is
actually much more than that. The writing style is sophisticated enough
to appeal to readers of any age, especially, of course, cat lovers.
If you think of the appeal of the Harry Potter series or the Tolkien saga,
you'll get the idea-- for this book is in the same class of timeless story
telling that makes for outstanding literature.
The story is part science fiction, part mystery and spy story, part action
adventure. There is something in it to appeal to every taste, and the
pace is quite good. I found it to be a real page turner and read the entire
book (328 pages) in one sitting. I could not put it down!
It is well produced in hardcover (no flimsy paperback here) with solid
paper thickness (no tissue paper) and the type is large set to make easy
reading without being so large that is looks silly. This is a nice change
from the "tiny type" rage that currently fills the publishing
industry. The layout of the book is easy on the eyes and facilitates
reading. This is a quality product, designed to last.
The Story:
The story concerns the adventures of the Pilkington family who live in
rural England in a place called Wildgust Manor near the village of Moff
Beck. If you are into rural English country settings, the scenery in this
book will delight you!
The head of the Pilkington clan is Sam (called "Mr. P"), an
inventor and industrial magnate who has made a number of high tech biological
discoveries, including the mysterious "SSS Bionic Formula".
Sam and his wife, Janet, have two lovely twin daughters, Suzy and Amber--
who are of primary school age (we never know their true ages, but I suspect
they are preteen). There is also their Aunty Elsie who has come to visit.
But of course, of main interest in the Pilkington household is Basil, their
tortoiseshell cat.
Basil, like any intelligent cat, is very interested in "Mr. P"s
experiments, and observes the inventor in his home laboratory, thus learning
what is going on. Because "Mr. P" has such a close relationship
with Basil, he talks to him like a colleague and explains everything he is
doing-- a clever plot device to get the reader on board as well!
But all is not well in rural England. Members of the Russian Syndicate,
and an industrial competitor, have got wind of "Mr. P"s discoveries
and have plans to steal them. To complicate matters more, one of "Mr.
P"s experiments (I won't tell you what it is and spoil the surprise)--
a "biologic"-- is not taking well to the SSS formula and
has developed a nasty temper and an attitude, putting everyone at potential
risk if it gets out of control!
As the adventure unfolds through numerous plot twists, Basil gets a dose
of the SSS formula (quite by accident) and becomes himself "organic-bionic".
But because Basil is such a noble and good cat, this turns out to be a really
good thing, for by the end of the story, he needs all his bionic powers to
save the Pilkington family from imminent disaster. Yes, as you might expect,
Basil is a hero.
As all this unfolds, we meet numerous "satellite characters",
Boris, Serg, Alexi of the Russian Syndicate, Huxley Blumpot, a fellow inventor
and something of a crackpot, Fred Bottner, the class bully and scourge of
the twins, Posie, a rescued cat who becomes Basil's sidekick, and seven delightful
white mice whom even a cat could not harm.
My description of the story is deliberately vague. The book is so well
written and so full of surprises that I dare not tell you more, lest I
spoil the fun!
Review:
This is one of the best "cat story" books I have ever read--
right up there with May Sarton's classic and much loved: "The Fur
Person". As an adventure and action book, it ranks with Tolkien and
Rowling. I thought (as have other readers of the book) that this would
make a GREAT movie, it has all the necessary ingredients. In fact, the
"feel" of the book, because of the numerous detailed characterizations
is akin to the famous movie "The World of Henry Orient" (starring
Peter Sellers), a delightful film that came out in the late 1960's.
The scenery in the book is a delight, along the lines of "A Year
in Provence", giving the reader a real "slice of life" look
at rural England, even in a fictional setting-- in fact, I thought there
actually was a village called Moff Beck.
The author takes us through details in the lives of her main characters,
especially the twins and their adventures at the local school. The school
scenes and the relationship between the twins and their nemesis, Fred,
are some of the best writing in a book that is filled with best writing!
These characters are fully developed and three dimensional, we feel they
are real and can easily see ourselves cavorting with them in our own lives.
They are a pure delight.
Other characters, especially the members of the Russian Syndicate, are
more complex-- and this is deliberate. They have strong motivations for
their actions, even if they are somewhat inept at carrying out their plans,
and they develop over time. One character in particular, Vlad Zworykov,
a chess master, deserves your close attention. There's more to him than
meets the eye.
But people aren't the only ones with character in this great novel. Basil,
his sidekick Posie, and the seven white mice who wind up living with them,
all have dialog and conversations in their mysterious animal ways. While
this may put off some who like "veritee" writing, considering
the goals of the book and its style, it is perfectly appropriate,
and also of great value, since through the animals, we learn something about
what the humans are doing.
Another feature of the book, especially in the beginning, is the wonderful
sense of humor of the author. She's quite clever and more than once twists
the plot to a humorous result that sometimes made me laugh out loud! She
gets her characters into extremely amusing situations. The school scenes
in particular are hysterical.
Something that adds to the charm of the book also is the author's use
of names for her characters and places. There is something so beautifully
English about names like "Elsie Twemblelock", "Huxley Blumpot"
and "Samuel Pilkington". And I must warn you-- there is
one character whose name will knock you on the floor laughing. I won't give
it away, I want you to read this book, but be prepared for an unexpected
side splitter!
The English charm is carried throughout the book as the characters drink
tea (how could we not have TEA!) called "a cuppa", deal with
car "boots" (trunks to Americans) and "bonnets" (hoods
to Americans) and the obvious, treacle. The use of English terminology
may be a bit confusing to some American readers, but it also serves a
purpose of demonstrating the differences of culture. We learn what life
is like in England from an English author who knows it well. This is akin
to the novels of George Eliot and her "Adam Bede". Garnell's
characters are not as serious as Eliot's, but they have equal attraction
and charm.
But lest you think the book is only filled with bucolic splendor and
charm, it is no gentle "Secret Garden". There is a dark side
to this book because it has more than one villain whose intent on destruction
and mayhem is quite profound. When these "baddies" go into
action, it is all seriousness and danger, instilling a real feeling of suspense
and urgency in the reader. The dangerous nature of the villains and their
alarming actions serves to enhance the heroics of the heroes in this story,
and there are several of those beyond just Basil the Bionic Cat!
Stylistically, the book reads like some of the best literature around.
The author is able to manage several simultaneous situations without knocking
the reader off track or resorting to "frame writing" (which
plagued Mary Shelly's "Frankenstein") and "flashback"
(which plagues just about everyone else!). She keeps the reader off center
almost constantly as the "expected outcome" of a situation is
rarely what we see. Instead, we get an eye opener of a revelation that
leaves us wondering "Wow, no wonder I didn't I see that coming!"
A prime example of this is how Basil gets his bionic powers. As I was
reading the book, I expected the usual cliché of exploding lab,
evil scientist, cat causes accident through curiosity type of approach.
In fact, NONE of these take place. The author avoids cliché,
and Basil gets his powers in the most unexpected way! (Obviously, I am not
going to spoil this for you!)
The book is also something of a mystery story. The reader is constantly
guessing WHO is doing what to whom and why? Like a good Sherlock Holmes mystery,
you have to assemble the clues and deduce the result. But be careful-- Garnell's
characters are sophisticated, and you may find yourself looking the wrong
way for a solution. As things heat up (in some cases literally) during the
progression of the story, there are several "red
herrings" the author throws at us to keep us off track and prevent
us from solving the mystery too early. In fact, I didn't get it at all! I
was completely surprised by the ending!
And with all this mystery, science fiction (which is kept rather low
key so the focus can stay on the characters), there is plenty of action
interspersed with calmness. But when things get going in this book (as
they do in many places), they get going! So get ready for a ride!
As I said in the beginning, this book is a real page turner. It is loaded
with humor, character, action and suspense which the author weaves together
in a literary tapestry of absolute delight. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book
for anyone's (child or adult alike) reading PLEASURE.
What This Has To Do With The Relationship With
Cats
Garnell's story is so expansive that it tends to go beyond the central
character, Basil the Bionic Cat. However, Basil is constantly "on
stage" and is integral to the entire plot. In fact, without
him, the ending would be a disaster.
It is the way Garnell treats Basil and has Basil interact with the humans
in his life that has relevance to this Journal. The characters in her book
treat Basil sometimes like a cat, more more often like a family member and
dear friend. Only "Mr. P" fully understands Basil, and he
treats the cat the way we cat lovers all find our feline friends
to be, as an intelligent companion who knows more about what is going on
in life than we might realize. Through Basil, we learn important lessons
about how cats manage their world, their senses (which are super without
the magical SSS formula) and their personalities.
More however comes from the way Basil and his animal friends "talk" to
each other. While Basil is definitely a cat, he shows the nobility of these
animals and their capacity for compassion and love, as well as the more usual
hunting instincts. Those instincts are more developed in his sidekick, Posie.
How Posie comes to live with the Pilkingtons is another matter. This
scene shows the need for compassion by humans towards their animal
friends, and the responsibility that we all have when we decide to adopt
a pet. Posie's original humans are "less than stellar" in their
treatment of her, a valuable lesson for ANYONE considering adopting an animal.
And there is a some "shock value" to the book about animal
abuse (of a sort). One scene is very hard to take, but required by
the plot. It is a real call to attention for the humane treatment of animals.
I dare not give it away, but you'll know it when you read it.
Summary:
If you love cats, children, England and a rollicking good tale, Basil,
the Bionic Cat is sure to please. It offers lessons and adventure for
young and old alike.
On a rating of 1 to 10 where 10 is the best, I give this book: 11
Buy the book, you'll love it.
Basil, the Bionic Cat
by Cathrine Garnell
Published by: The Book Guild, LTD, Sussex, England
Hardcover, 328 pages
Available at:
Amazon.com.UK
Placer
Valley Store
Read more about Basil at his
Web site:
Bionic
Basil
About the
Article Author:
Tim Thompson,
author of this article, has been living with cats for many years. As a student
of behavioral statistics, he has learned the importance of observation to
understanding behaviors in humans and animals. He has served as a member
of the Board of a local rescue shelter and worked with their foster care givers for 8 years. On the home front, he is the human companion of Gertrude
and Eddie, two tiger tabbies who are constantly teaching Tim new things about
living with cats.
