whatisanniedoing's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
mer88's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
sangloup's review
5.0
Extra Book #19 - Not part of the EBN Challenge.
Great artwork and a wonderful little read and a mystery too. I love the way Nick keeps you guessing about what is happening.
Great artwork and a wonderful little read and a mystery too. I love the way Nick keeps you guessing about what is happening.
hmuraski27's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sg911911's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
msmandrake's review
2.0
This review covers all three books in the second Griffin and Sabine trilogy.
I received the first trilogy as a gift, and I enjoyed it. When I was told there were three more books, I rushed to get them. But, although they had the same physical beauty and fun of the first set, the story sort of bogged down. I thought the magic spark and spooky intrigue pretty much vanished. I was just confused and that is annoying....is the author deliberately being obscure or am I just stupid? Either way, I didn't see the point of adding two new characters without explaining what really has happened with Sabine and Griffin. ( Although in posting this I have discovered that there is now a seventh book that takes place in between the trilogies and possibly does shed some light on what happened after the third book. Or maybe I'll just become MORE confused.) I really didn't mind that the original trilogy ended in mystery because it was such a simple tale. That was fine to let your own imagination end it as you wish. But when you start throwing in visions and Egyptian gods and ancient statues and stalking bad guys and arson and whatever you have a different kind of story and I need more sense made of it.
I received the first trilogy as a gift, and I enjoyed it. When I was told there were three more books, I rushed to get them. But, although they had the same physical beauty and fun of the first set, the story sort of bogged down. I thought the magic spark and spooky intrigue pretty much vanished. I was just confused and that is annoying....is the author deliberately being obscure or am I just stupid? Either way, I didn't see the point of adding two new characters without explaining what really has happened with Sabine and Griffin. ( Although in posting this I have discovered that there is now a seventh book that takes place in between the trilogies and possibly does shed some light on what happened after the third book. Or maybe I'll just become MORE confused.) I really didn't mind that the original trilogy ended in mystery because it was such a simple tale. That was fine to let your own imagination end it as you wish. But when you start throwing in visions and Egyptian gods and ancient statues and stalking bad guys and arson and whatever you have a different kind of story and I need more sense made of it.
cmfritzsplaine's review
5.0
the saga continues! two more characters enter the correspondence and a little more information is given, but sparsely. I am on the edge of my seat waiting to read the last two books.
avanders's review
3.0
(The same review is posted for all 3 books in the 2nd Griffin & Sabine trilogy -- the Morning Star trilogy.)
In this series, we meet Isabella and Matthew, whose lives seem to echo Griffin & Sabine's in some ways and who seem to be drawn into this sort of supernatural struggle with Griffin & Sabine and the sinister villain who is doing whatever he can to change the course of their lives.
I don't know why, I just didn't like these as much. I didn't like Isabella and Matthew's story as much as Griffin and Sabine's - I felt it was too contrived. And I didn't particularly enjoy Griffin & Sabine's involvement in Matthew & Isabella's story either. I just didn't.
But I will say, that if you're mushy gushy and like a little sex-talk in your postcards, this will probably appeal to you :) Other than that, I thought it was OK and I was eager to keep reading, but they weren't my favorites. If I were to recommend Bantock's books, I would probably recommend the original trilogy & the 7th book (The Pharos Gate).
This book - 3 and a half stars; the series as a whole, 3 stars.
In this series, we meet Isabella and Matthew, whose lives seem to echo Griffin & Sabine's in some ways and who seem to be drawn into this sort of supernatural struggle with Griffin & Sabine and the sinister villain who is doing whatever he can to change the course of their lives.
I don't know why, I just didn't like these as much. I didn't like Isabella and Matthew's story as much as Griffin and Sabine's - I felt it was too contrived. And I didn't particularly enjoy Griffin & Sabine's involvement in Matthew & Isabella's story either. I just didn't.
But I will say, that if you're mushy gushy and like a little sex-talk in your postcards, this will probably appeal to you :) Other than that, I thought it was OK and I was eager to keep reading, but they weren't my favorites. If I were to recommend Bantock's books, I would probably recommend the original trilogy & the 7th book (The Pharos Gate).
This book - 3 and a half stars; the series as a whole, 3 stars.
kateanable's review against another edition
4.0
The Gryphon: In Which the Extraordinary Correspondence of Griffin & Sabine Is Rediscovered by Nick Bantock (2001)