The Cay is a book about a boy named Phillip Enright living in the time of a world war II (1942). When German U-boats surround the island of Curacao, his mother who is frightened wants to go back to the Netherlands and take her son with her. Her husband who has to work was not able to leave, Phillips mother complained and eventually won the argument. Phillip and his mother say goodbye to Phillips father and they sail away on a ship. The ship becomes shipwrecked and Phillip and his mother get thrown off the boat. A black man named Timothy rescues Philip. At first Phillip doesn’t like Timothy because of what his mother always says about black people, but as they are stranded together for a while he grows onto him and learns about him, and at last starts to like him. The main character is Phillip who doesn’t want to leave his home, his school, and his father, just because of the fact that his mother is scared something bad might happen to them. He is eleven years old and has brown hair and brown eyes. Phillip at first is excited about the fact that there is a war going on because he has always heard of them but never seen one. He doesn’t know what consequences lay ahead and doesn’t know why his mother wants them to move somewhere until the war is over. He is stubborn at first, but through the book he changes and becomes more responsible and obeys commands he is given. tThis book tells us that, people grow up and when the time comes, they understand what may happen, and that’s what changes them. It’s a story of friendship, and trust and faithfulness. Timothy didn’t have to save Phillip, he could have saved himself and left Phillip to die, but he didn’t and that’s what counts the most. Another example is when Phillip became blind. Timothy was Phillips eyes, and again, he didn’t have to be if he didn’t want to be, but he cared for Phillip and helped him through his times of need. I think this novel is interesting because Philip seems like a real boy with real situations, but I didn’t think that it was really realistic when, with all the bad things happening at once, Phillip turns blind. I know that can happen when you stair at the sun, but you would think that that would just be the worst of luck. I think that this would be a worst care scenario and I think that it’s almost exaggerating the story a little too much.tI like the book a lot because even though the plot wasn’t so realistic, sometimes people want something like that, once in a while. It just happened to be that time when I was craving for imagination, and that’s what I got from the book. I can be stubborn sometimes and not want to do something that I don’t have to do or do something that I’m not supposed to do. But I change with the help of the people that care for me .I would definitely recommend this book to people who like adventure and creativity.
This one was a life changer for me. . . This is one of those rare stories that feels so complete it 's rolled around and around in my thoughts since we've finished it. Read it on a rainy day when you might be feeling sorry for yourself. I LOVED the development of Philip throughout the story; lots of authors strive to create a dynamic character that matures throughout the story, but this authors really does accomplish it, and brilliantly. It's the line in the story when Phillip hollers, "They've finally come for us Timothy!" that I think my heart actually broke. That was the moment I knew Phillip had finally made it; he'd finally learned to really love Timothy (a character so GRAND that I can't even begin to do him justice.) We listened to this on CD and loved the experience of hearing Timothy's musical Caribbean accent. It's a wonderful adventure story for anyone, (but especially if you need a great read for boys.) It's the next gift I'm purchasing for my husband's 14-year old brother, and I'll surely be adding it to our library. (Just a note: my girls' favorite chapter books to read individually are ones they have heard on CD. They choose to read really challenging books this way.) So glad to have this recommended on goodreads!!! (Thanks Missy!)
What do You think about The Cay (2003)?
Positive PointsThis book has an interesting, unique plot. A boy becomes blind after getting stranded on an island with an old man called Timothy and a cat. Their friendship grows based on their need to survive in the wild.I really loved the old man's personality. Instead of pitying the blind boy, he challenged him to overcome his situation and take charge of himself. Both characters were believable and unique in many ways.Negative PointsThe beginning didn't really hook me. I was about to put the book down and stop reading, but I continued for a few more chapters. I'm glad I did. The rest of the story was a lot more engaging. Maybe I'm too used to reading newer books that are action-packed right from the start.The man's dialect was a bit hard to understand at first. I don't like to work that hard when I read. It didn't always flow smoothly.What makes this book uniqueThe fact that the boy is blind adds an extra challenge to the usual survival story where they face the elements and animals. I'll probably never be blind nor stranded *knock on wood* so this gave me the experience of both situations combined, from the comfort of my living room.Overall ImpressionThis book reminded me of Uncle Tom's Cabin and Huckleberry Finn, mainly because of the preconceived ideas the boy had about this black man that was with him at the beginning of the story, and how his views changed as he got to know him better.
—Annie McMahon
This was another of those that sat on my childhood bookshelf. I loved the cover photo (which was of Timothy) but never read it until 5-10 years ago. I just finished audiobooking it and really loved it. Powerfully told, the author was a sailor, so he really knows his background. He is interviewed at the end of the audiobook and talks about his inspiration. It was great to hear him talk about the three weeks it took him to write the book (or as he puts it 3 weeks for the book to write itself) and
—Jill
D'Ette had to read this book for school and she loved it. She asked me if I would also read it.It's a children's book, so it doesn't take long to read. I read the whole thing in about two hours.It's easy to see why the book won literary awards and was made into a movie. It's a great story, told from the point-of-view of 12-year-old Philip, who gets lost at sea with a black man after the boat he is traveling in with his mother is attacked by Germans. Philip loses his sight and is forced to learn how to live on a small island without his sight. It's a great story for older kids or adults looking for an adventure to read in an afternoon.
—Jen
