Timna by Lucille Travis (Herald Press, 2009) shares the story of the wife of Shem aboard the ark as the world is flooded. With supposed Biblical accuracy, this middle grade novel also captures the perspective of two dogs who “stowaway” to enter the ark along with the other animals. The dog’s developing faith echoes that of Timna and her sisters-in-law as they struggle to deal with the pressure of being stuck together in an isolated ark, knowing that all others on earth have perished. Truly, I agree that this would be a difficult trial of faith, which lasted for more than a year.
If the dogs’ growing religious understanding sounds ridiculous, that is because it was ridiculous. It’s one thing for humans to have a struggle of faith, but to watch two dogs likewise go through a conversion felt like too much immature fantasy. I highly doubt that many in the 9-14 year olds (as the audience is listed) would react positively to the concept of these ridiculous dogs. It much better fits a 7-10 year old reader.
Timna, too was not a convincing wife. She was written as a young woman, rather than an older woman such as the older Shem must have had. She mourns her family, who never approved of her marriage to the “religious fanatic” (not their words). But, since this is a novel written for children, there is nothing untoward in the text, which also means nothing even remarkably convincing of a husband-wife loving relationship. Timna and Shem are simply friends. The other women are likewise friends to their husbands but nothing loving is hinted at beyond that.
The writing is pithy and banal. There is nothing engaging about the writing style. With the awkward fantasy-mixed-with-real-people plot, there is nothing left to enjoy about Timna. What a huge disappointment! I’d love an original and engaging middle grade novel and I had hoped this was a fun perspective on the Biblical flood. It’s really not.
