Reception
According to Book Marks, the book received a "rave" consensus, based on sixteen critics: twelve "rave", three "positive", and one "mixed". [2] Prosenotes gave it a "B" (83%) from critic reviews. The consensus says: "The author somewhat leaves his traditional form in this ‘The Cat’s Table’, but it works for him, and he writes an exceptionally detailed novel with economical prose". [3] Culture Critic assessed it an aggregated critic score of 89% based on British press. [4] On The Omnivore, an aggregator of British press, the book received an "omniscore" of 3.5 out of 5. [5] The BookScore assessed it an aggregated critic score of 8.7 out of 10 from British and American press. [6] In the January/February 2012 issue of Bookmarks , the book was scored four out of five. The magazine's critical summary reads: "But critics said that the subtle interplay between adult Michael's narrative voice and the happenings on the ship--a story that blurs the lines between memoir and fiction--brings out more fundamental themes of human memory and the ways in which we grow up, rarely all at once". [7]
Liesl Schillinger for The New York Times , while noting Ondaatje's appended disclaimer that The Cat's Table is a work of fiction, stated, "So convincing is Ondaatje’s evocation of his narrator’s experience that the reader could easily mistake it for the author’s own". [8] Philip Hensher for The Telegraph was largely positive, writing, "Michael Ondaatje’s impressive new novel, containing dreams and fantasy between a ship’s flanks. It is, in the most etymological way, a wonderful novel: one full of wonders." [9] Adam Mars-Jones was less impressed, writing in his review in The Observer , "Perhaps The Cat's Table aspires to a … doubleness of texture and meaning, the yarn of adventure story backed with the deeper colours of adult experience, but on the level of craftsmanship it doesn't measure up." [10] Jess Row, writing for New York Magazine, described The Cat's Table as being unlike Ondaatje's earlier works, as it allows the reader to experience what's going on in the characters' heads, not strictly focusing on the setting of the world. [11]
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