Review of "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH"

"But the fact is, we aren't rats any more."

     In 1971, author Robert C. O'Brien wrote a story that will change the way his readers look at rats. Entitled Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, this two hundred thirty-three-page-long novel documents the desperate attempts of Mrs. Frisby, a widowed field mouse, to save her youngest son from pneumonia. Spring is fast approaching, and Mr. Ages, the local doctor, insists that little Timothy cannot be exposed to cold air for long. But the farmer who owns this field is prepping his tractor and will tear up the land, and her house, in five days. Mrs. Frisby's only option is to go to the rats--a hive of secretive, highly intelligent creatures with a mysterious past. While the other rats prepare to save her family, their leader, Nicodemus, sits Mrs. Frisby down and explains just why they are helping her. In doing so, he reveals a side of her late husband she could never have expected--and a history that will make her reconsider everything she ever thought she knew.

     The rats of NIMH are startling in their relateability. Although they are rats and boast rat-like habits and mannerisms, they're set apart from their kind by their sense of logic, skepticism, and morality. They don't want to steal from the Fitzgibbon farm--food, electricity, or anything else. In fact, they are in the middle of implementing a Plan that will soon release them from such a life forever--if NIMH doesn't find them first. This human side allows readers to connect with each rat on a fundamental level. On top of this, the rats are all unique and dynamic, with their own distinctive personalities, desires, and hopes.

     O'Brien's story may be meant for children, but that doesn't mean the prose is simplified. Rather, he writes as though addressing an adult, utilizing the semi-formal writing style common to fantasy books. He even uses the occasional "big" word when simpler ones won't do, which can be gratifying for a kid who yearns for an author who writes the way well-read children speak. Although the writing style does have its occasional "why would you phrase it this way" moment, it's well-suited to the story and adds a sense of weight to this otherwise light narrative.

     It's a real shame that so much of the plot is centered on their history, and Mrs. Frisby's troubles, rather than what happens after this problem is solved. Mrs. Frisby is a stereotypical mother, with a mother's instincts and a determination to keep her children safe. She and her children are relatively flat characters, as is her crotchety old neighbor, a shrew who provides more comic relief than anything. The characters are clean-mouthed and far from violent, although there is a scene that results in two deaths. There is little action, but what action there is works marvelously. Interestingly enough, despite the role they play in the story, humans are not portrayed in a bad light. If anything, they're looked up to--for their civilization, and for their innovation.

     I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a story about field mice, rats, and a daring escape from a laboratory. Although some of the characters are flat, the majority are dynamic and fascinating, each one a full-blown person in his own right. What appears, at first, to be the primary plot is, in fact, secondary to Nicodemus' tale, and though it would be nice to see this expanded upon, the presentation is such that it can hardly be criticized. Anyone interested in a fantasy story told from a side character's point of view will find themselves very satisfied with Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. It deserves four shining stars.