This fantasy novel (written in 1997) is set in a fictional boarding school called Nexhoath. A boy named Jai Kala is a new student at the school. His parent have to return to India because their visas have expired but because he was born in the country he was allowed to remain. As Jai is being taken to the college, his father nearly runs over a boy and a girl with his car. The girl drops an unusual bracelet and Jai hold on to it for safekeeping. When Jai arrives he is introduced to the headmaster, Mr Drake. Jai soon gets the feeling that not everything is as it seems at the school. There is a maid named Kitty and a garden-hand named Roughly who both seem very interested in Jai. Jai feels that these two are always watching him.
Jai meets and befriends the two children from the road incident. Their names are Seal and Hugo. These children behave like rebels, refusing to wear school uniform and being suspicious of everything going on around them. They are convinced that the staff and students of the school have been taken over by some mystical power and that Mr Drake is controlling this power. In trying to prove this the children embark on a bizarre journey that takes them to parallel worlds through a magical gateway, brings visitations from animals with extraordinary powers and opens their eyes to the fact that reality is not what it seems.
belonging
friendship and loyalty
dedication
reality
adventure
Characters
Jai Kala, Seal, Hugo, Mr Drake, Kitty, Roughly (and others)
Review of Under the Cat's Eye
biographical info and link info for Gillian Rubinstein
OzLit site on Rubinstein
Biographical on author and text info (very useful links)
An interview with the author discussing her life and works
Chapters 1-4
1. What was the school called?
2. What did Jai do when he was nervous?
3. What did the girl drop on the road?
4. What is Jai’s first impression of Mr Drake?
5. Describe Mr Drake.
6. Describe what Jai sees when he goes through the foyer.
7. How does Kitty react when he shows her the ring?
8. Describe the room Kitty takes him to
9. What are the names of the children who visit Jai?
10. What do these children think of Mr Drake? (p19)
11. How does Seal describe herself and Hugo?
12. In its early days, what did the school used to be?
13. Is Jai treated the same way as all the other children? If not, how is he treated?
14. Who did Seal used to live with?
15. Describe the school uniform.
16. How does Jai describe Roughly (p29)?
17. What were the ‘Nexhoath words’?
18. Who says she is not proud to belong?
19. Summarize the first four chapters in ½ a page
20. Define: gothic, laughing, parapet, familiar, fluently, disagree, matron, bureaucrat, chandelier, dormitory, movement, pleasant, devour, disturbing, amazement, embarrassed, gesture
