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Griffin & Sabine #2
Sabine's Notebook
Griffin
Foolish man. You cannot turn me into a phantom because you are frightened. You do not dismiss a muse at a whim. If you will not join me—then I will come to you.
Sabine
Sabine was supposed to be imaginary, a friend and lover that Griffin had created to soothe his loneliness. But she threatens to become embodied—to appear on his doorstep, in fact. So he runs.
Faced with the terrifying prospect of meeting his own fictional character, Griffin runs. His journey begins conventionally—tracing a course through Europe and the Mediterranean—but slowly Griffin begins to realize that he is traveling backward in time, drifting through layers of dead civilizations and his own soul. His precarious link to reality is the possibly unreal Sabine, who is living in his house in London and keeping a notebook of his letters and her responses.
Once again, the story is told in strangely beautiful postcards and richly decorated letters that must actually be removed from their envelopes to be read. But Sabine's Notebook is also a sketchbook and a diary, filled with her delicately macabre drawings and notations, adding yet another layer to the visual intrigue that haunted readers of Griffin & Sabine and welcoming new readers to an even more complex and mysterious world.
Foolish man. You cannot turn me into a phantom because you are frightened. You do not dismiss a muse at a whim. If you will not join me—then I will come to you.
Sabine
Sabine was supposed to be imaginary, a friend and lover that Griffin had created to soothe his loneliness. But she threatens to become embodied—to appear on his doorstep, in fact. So he runs.
Faced with the terrifying prospect of meeting his own fictional character, Griffin runs. His journey begins conventionally—tracing a course through Europe and the Mediterranean—but slowly Griffin begins to realize that he is traveling backward in time, drifting through layers of dead civilizations and his own soul. His precarious link to reality is the possibly unreal Sabine, who is living in his house in London and keeping a notebook of his letters and her responses.
Once again, the story is told in strangely beautiful postcards and richly decorated letters that must actually be removed from their envelopes to be read. But Sabine's Notebook is also a sketchbook and a diary, filled with her delicately macabre drawings and notations, adding yet another layer to the visual intrigue that haunted readers of Griffin & Sabine and welcoming new readers to an even more complex and mysterious world.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1992
55 people are currently reading
3631 people want to read
About the author
Nick Bantock
67 books761 followersNick was schooled in England and has a BA in Fine Art (painting). He has authored 25 books, 11 of which have appeared on the best seller lists, including 3 books on The New York Times top ten at one time. Griffin & Sabine stayed on that list for over two years. His works have been translated into 13 languages and over 5 million have been sold worldwide. Once named by the classic SF magazine Weird Tales as one of the best 85 storytellers of the century. He has written articles and stories for numerous international newspapers and magazines. His Wasnick blogs are much followed on Facebook and Twitter. His paintings, drawings, sculptures, collages and prints have been exhibited in shows in UK, France and North America. In 2010 Nick's major retrospective exhibition opened at the MOA in Denver. His works are in private collections throughout the world. Nick has a lifetime BAFTA (British Oscar) for the CD-ROM game Ceremony of Innocence, created with Peter Gabriel's Real World, featuring Isabella Rossolini and Ben Kingsley. He has two iPad apps, Sage and The Venetian and is working on a third. Three of his books have been optioned for film and his stage play based on the Griffin & Sabine double trilogy premiered in Vancouver in 2006.
Produced artwork for more than 300 book covers (including works by Roth and Updike), illustrated Viking Penguin's new translation of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. He's designed theater posters for the London plays of Tom Stoppard and Alec Guinness.
For 20 years Bantock has spoken and read to audiences throughout North America, Europe and Australia. Given keynote and motivational speeches to corporations and teachers state conferences. He's given dramatic readings on the radio and the stage and has been interviewed (way too many times) for TV, radio and print.
Bantock has worked in a betting shop in the East End of London, trained as a psychotherapist, designed and built a house that combined an Indonesian temple and a Russian orthodox church with an English cricket pavilion and a New Orleans bordello. Between 2007 and 2010 was one of the twelve committee members responsible for selecting Canada's postage stamps.
Among the things Bantock can't do: Can't swim, never ridden a horse, his spelling is dreadful and his singing voice is flat as a pancake.
Source: Nick Bantock - profile
Produced artwork for more than 300 book covers (including works by Roth and Updike), illustrated Viking Penguin's new translation of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. He's designed theater posters for the London plays of Tom Stoppard and Alec Guinness.
For 20 years Bantock has spoken and read to audiences throughout North America, Europe and Australia. Given keynote and motivational speeches to corporations and teachers state conferences. He's given dramatic readings on the radio and the stage and has been interviewed (way too many times) for TV, radio and print.
Bantock has worked in a betting shop in the East End of London, trained as a psychotherapist, designed and built a house that combined an Indonesian temple and a Russian orthodox church with an English cricket pavilion and a New Orleans bordello. Between 2007 and 2010 was one of the twelve committee members responsible for selecting Canada's postage stamps.
Among the things Bantock can't do: Can't swim, never ridden a horse, his spelling is dreadful and his singing voice is flat as a pancake.
Source: Nick Bantock - profile
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January 31, 2023
Following directly where Nick Bantock’s beautiful and engaging Griffin and Sabine left off, Sabine’s Notebook returns with more thrilling art and story that invites the reader to participate. Bantock’s art seems to have gotten even better, with the images on the postcards tending to portray the emotional undercurrents in the on-going epistolary narrative in a gorgeously abstract way. The writing is also stronger, bordering on pure poetry and many of the declarations of love found tucked away in these gorgeously designed envelopes are quite moving. This second chapter isn’t as strong but concludes by adding in an unexpected mystery that will make the ready begging for the third act.
The previous volume ends abruptly with Sabine traveling to meet Griffin but he, in fear she may not be real coupled with deep-seated emotional issues and wavering self-confidence, has fled his home. In this volume we follow Griffin as he attempts to “find himself” in great cities on a meandering journey to the island of Katie where Sabine is from. ‘My journey is an exercise in walking backwards,’ he writes in a card sent to her from Egypt. Sabine is now living in his home and spending her days making art in museums while awaiting a meeting with her publisher.
These books are delightful and make one consider how romantic letter writing is, but also seems just as relevant in a digital era. Relationships frequently begin online now, with people writing to each other before ever meeting. These books capture that sort of magic, which is charming to consider how through writing you are meeting a person in a very unique way with attraction being drawn through your words and less through physicality. These books will likely speak quite well to those who have experienced or are in a long-distance relationship as well. They are just adorable.
This volume spends most of it’s energy delving into Griffin’s struggles with self-worth and, while he is a very empathetic character and his struggles are relatable, it unfortunately relegates Sabine to the fringes having her character only present as his therapist. While she is also a great, strong character and the story of unconditional love is touching, it is unfortunate that the strong woman with magical powers seems to only function as one-way emotional labor. Luckily this doesn’t last too long and a more thrilling and productive narrative begin to unfold as soon as Griffin gains his self-confidence and is assured that she loves him unconditionally (I’ll spare you the lengthy discussion on this but this is such a male ego-centric book that I nearly put it down after a few eye rolls, though I’m glad I didn’t).
Two volumes in and I’m still charmed by the art and the voyeuristic aspect of these works. They are fun and work as a collectors item, a fanciful curio to bring out around fellow book lovers. The ending of this is just as abrupt as the first but brings in a new element that serves as a delicious cliff-hanger. Can’t wait to read the third volume.
3 / 5
Continue with Vol 3: The Golden Mean
The previous volume ends abruptly with Sabine traveling to meet Griffin but he, in fear she may not be real coupled with deep-seated emotional issues and wavering self-confidence, has fled his home. In this volume we follow Griffin as he attempts to “find himself” in great cities on a meandering journey to the island of Katie where Sabine is from. ‘My journey is an exercise in walking backwards,’ he writes in a card sent to her from Egypt. Sabine is now living in his home and spending her days making art in museums while awaiting a meeting with her publisher.
These books are delightful and make one consider how romantic letter writing is, but also seems just as relevant in a digital era. Relationships frequently begin online now, with people writing to each other before ever meeting. These books capture that sort of magic, which is charming to consider how through writing you are meeting a person in a very unique way with attraction being drawn through your words and less through physicality. These books will likely speak quite well to those who have experienced or are in a long-distance relationship as well. They are just adorable.
This volume spends most of it’s energy delving into Griffin’s struggles with self-worth and, while he is a very empathetic character and his struggles are relatable, it unfortunately relegates Sabine to the fringes having her character only present as his therapist. While she is also a great, strong character and the story of unconditional love is touching, it is unfortunate that the strong woman with magical powers seems to only function as one-way emotional labor. Luckily this doesn’t last too long and a more thrilling and productive narrative begin to unfold as soon as Griffin gains his self-confidence and is assured that she loves him unconditionally (I’ll spare you the lengthy discussion on this but this is such a male ego-centric book that I nearly put it down after a few eye rolls, though I’m glad I didn’t).
Two volumes in and I’m still charmed by the art and the voyeuristic aspect of these works. They are fun and work as a collectors item, a fanciful curio to bring out around fellow book lovers. The ending of this is just as abrupt as the first but brings in a new element that serves as a delicious cliff-hanger. Can’t wait to read the third volume.
3 / 5
Continue with Vol 3: The Golden Mean
August 25, 2016
In which the story of Griffin and Sabine takes an odd turn. The use of postcards and letters is no less entrancing than it was in the first book of the series. One of the subtle charms of Sabine's Notebook is the care given to describing architecture in evocative ways with use of few words: Cold marble. Smoky walls. Silent stones.
[The church] was a dark place, steeped in death. As I stood looking at it, I felt its roots running below the city like a black twin to the underground.
The museum is cozy. The dust and the narrow shafts of sunlight remind me of my father's study.
As if the story weren't enough, the stylistic artwork keeps the pages turning. The conclusion leaves the reader hungry for more.
[The church] was a dark place, steeped in death. As I stood looking at it, I felt its roots running below the city like a black twin to the underground.
The museum is cozy. The dust and the narrow shafts of sunlight remind me of my father's study.
As if the story weren't enough, the stylistic artwork keeps the pages turning. The conclusion leaves the reader hungry for more.
September 17, 2015
True Rating: 4.5 Stars
What do I have to say when it comes to a book series, filled with postcards and letters, and yet we are right back to square one with this book? I really enjoyed it but I felt disconnected overall when it came to this particular book.
In the previous book, Sabine finally travels to London to meet Griffin but unfortunately he magically disappeared from the face of the world leaving his studio empty with only his postcards and letters from Sabine. We do not know if Sabine is an actual woman or just a figment of Griffin's imagination and rest assured the beginning of this book remedies that issue.
Sabine is currently in London and is going to stay there until July when she will fly back home. She receives a letter from Griffin apologizing for the whole event and still questions if she is still a fictional person. If she is fictional then why does she keep writing letters to him? Griffin tells her that right now he needs to begin a journey by crossing different countries and continents hoping he can figure out what is the issues that he is currently dealing and at the same time trying to gather courage to one day face Sabine in person.
Since his place is currently vacant, Sabine lives in his place and she gets a better insight to his life and personality. She is completely fine with this journey and believes it will do him some good. By the end of the book it leaves us once again confused about what is the fate of Griffin and Sabine.
The postcards were stunning as always but I didn't believe this book reached up to par with the first book and I believe it is because this book has a sadder tone. In the beginning they were excited about meeting each other through letters and wanted their love to blossom. Now in this book, Griffin is fighting his demons and Sabine is hopelessly waiting for the day that he will comeback home.
I still want to continue this series but I am slowly losing my patience with Griffin and Sabine. The dialogue that they wrote to each other wasn't as amusing as before and after a while I could careless where Griffin was going. You may ask why this book is getting high markings? Well I believe this story is a journey that cannot be told in one book and between the illustrations and the idea of reading letters still gets my blessing to be a great book and I highly recommend everyone to read it.
I do not know what is going to happen next but I am curious how this will play out in the end. Will Sabine and Griffin finally consummate their love? We will find out in the next book so until next time...
What do I have to say when it comes to a book series, filled with postcards and letters, and yet we are right back to square one with this book? I really enjoyed it but I felt disconnected overall when it came to this particular book.
In the previous book, Sabine finally travels to London to meet Griffin but unfortunately he magically disappeared from the face of the world leaving his studio empty with only his postcards and letters from Sabine. We do not know if Sabine is an actual woman or just a figment of Griffin's imagination and rest assured the beginning of this book remedies that issue.
Sabine is currently in London and is going to stay there until July when she will fly back home. She receives a letter from Griffin apologizing for the whole event and still questions if she is still a fictional person. If she is fictional then why does she keep writing letters to him? Griffin tells her that right now he needs to begin a journey by crossing different countries and continents hoping he can figure out what is the issues that he is currently dealing and at the same time trying to gather courage to one day face Sabine in person.
Since his place is currently vacant, Sabine lives in his place and she gets a better insight to his life and personality. She is completely fine with this journey and believes it will do him some good. By the end of the book it leaves us once again confused about what is the fate of Griffin and Sabine.
The postcards were stunning as always but I didn't believe this book reached up to par with the first book and I believe it is because this book has a sadder tone. In the beginning they were excited about meeting each other through letters and wanted their love to blossom. Now in this book, Griffin is fighting his demons and Sabine is hopelessly waiting for the day that he will comeback home.
I still want to continue this series but I am slowly losing my patience with Griffin and Sabine. The dialogue that they wrote to each other wasn't as amusing as before and after a while I could careless where Griffin was going. You may ask why this book is getting high markings? Well I believe this story is a journey that cannot be told in one book and between the illustrations and the idea of reading letters still gets my blessing to be a great book and I highly recommend everyone to read it.
I do not know what is going to happen next but I am curious how this will play out in the end. Will Sabine and Griffin finally consummate their love? We will find out in the next book so until next time...
June 17, 2007
I'm probably going to get flamed for this but I read this book and I was really not all that impressed. Since I was working selling books at the time, I realize that there are some people who are passionate about the entire Griffin & Sabine series. That's fine - you are welcome to your opinion but honestly, I did not find this book engaging enough to even attempt any of the other books in the series. It was a mildly entertaining read but not something that I would repeat or something that I would recommend. Not "bad" but not all that good, either.
August 22, 2025
A bit of a disappointment after the very impressive first book. It includes the same great artwork, creative use of postcards and letters, and overall unique premise — but that's just the problem; it includes exactly the same devices that made the first book so much fun, without adding anything new. Yes, it reverses the action — Sabine is now in London, and Griffin is avoiding her by impractically wandering the world — but that's about it. And it also frankly paints Griffin as a self-indulgent, self-pitying whiner — not the strongest model for a protagonist, and certainly no one I can see Sabine falling head-over-heels in love with, (a further argument for her being a figment of Griffin's imagination).
Let's hope this is just suffering from the same "middle child syndrome" as so many second parts of a trilogy. I'm still intrigued to see how this all ends, but this really only works as a place holder between the first book and a hopefully-satisfying conclusion, because Sabine's Notebook really doesn't work at all as a stand-alone book. (And why is it called a "notebook" in the first place? It's not; it's an exchange of correspondences...ooh, unless this is a clue to the big reveal to come!!)
Let's hope this is just suffering from the same "middle child syndrome" as so many second parts of a trilogy. I'm still intrigued to see how this all ends, but this really only works as a place holder between the first book and a hopefully-satisfying conclusion, because Sabine's Notebook really doesn't work at all as a stand-alone book. (And why is it called a "notebook" in the first place? It's not; it's an exchange of correspondences...ooh, unless this is a clue to the big reveal to come!!)
October 28, 2024
Finally got around to reading this one. A pristine copy from Blanchard library in Santa Paula, a reliable source of hard-to-find books. Artwork is exquisite. Story-line is not. Griffin invites his dream-GF to visit him in London. She accepts -- and he runs away! And embarks on a madcap round-the-world trip, including to Sabine's home in Guadalcanal. Finally, he returns to London -- and [minor SPOILER alert] finds no sign that Sabine had ever visited! Despite all the notes she had written him, supposedly from his home. The book ends with a cryptic note from her, wondering why he never came home....
Very odd and not very plausible. But the artwork and letters are great.
So. Not sorry I read it -- but what a comedown from the first. Oh, well. For me, a weak 3 stars.
Very odd and not very plausible. But the artwork and letters are great.
So. Not sorry I read it -- but what a comedown from the first. Oh, well. For me, a weak 3 stars.
February 18, 2016
This sequel to Griffin and Sabine is more of what I loved about the first book: beautiful art and the fun of reading an imaginary correspondence. I can't call it a successful romance because I didn't fall in love with the characters the way they fell in love with each other, but the ending was intriguing enough to make me want to continue to the next book.
October 21, 2018
Queste parole
erano appena
state scritte
quando…
… quando, ormai da tanti anni, sul finire dell’estate, ricevo una cartolina-madeleine (magnificamente illustrata da una mia cara amica anobiiana, che chiamerò, con un nome di fantasia, Lucia), riassaporo antiche emozioni di una vita precedente.
Questo diario contiene riproduzioni di cartoline e lettere (rigorosamente contenute nella loro busta) scritte a mano, e magnifiche (e inquietanti) illustrazioni.
Griffin è in viaggio per l’Europa e il Mediterraneo. Sabine è nella sua (di lui) casa di Londra. La lettura di questo intrigante diario ci farà penetrare nell’universo dei due personaggi, usciti dalle chine di questo originalissimo autore.
erano appena
state scritte
quando…
… quando, ormai da tanti anni, sul finire dell’estate, ricevo una cartolina-madeleine (magnificamente illustrata da una mia cara amica anobiiana, che chiamerò, con un nome di fantasia, Lucia), riassaporo antiche emozioni di una vita precedente.
Questo diario contiene riproduzioni di cartoline e lettere (rigorosamente contenute nella loro busta) scritte a mano, e magnifiche (e inquietanti) illustrazioni.
Griffin è in viaggio per l’Europa e il Mediterraneo. Sabine è nella sua (di lui) casa di Londra. La lettura di questo intrigante diario ci farà penetrare nell’universo dei due personaggi, usciti dalle chine di questo originalissimo autore.
August 6, 2007
love "opening" mails with fake-nation stamps on it - or "peeking" into other people's mail - it's feeding on this fantasy of having such fabulous painting as your country's postage - amidst streams of meaningless emails we get at work ;-( this suppressed mail-envy is feeding nick's fan into book hysteria.
August 21, 2013
I didn't feel like this book took the story of G&S any further along. All the traveling to different places seemed like an excuse to create postcard art with different themes. The postcard art was wonderful, but the book felt like filler.
February 10, 2013
Now it's Sabines turn, it's like a treasure hunt, across the universe, to find the answer to the ultimate question, or maybe to even find the question it's self. But these artistically beautiful poetic declarations of love are worth reading over and over again. Each is a beautiful treasure all in its own. Collage, watercolor, print, script, you name it; any and every medium is used to its finest and fullest potential.
I can't really say much mor it's just pure EYECANDY!
Yeah I know I usually write terrible things about the books I read, but I can't do that about these books. You will fall in total love with Griffin and Sabine and salivate fir the next in the series... " Just you wait" it's worth it kiddies!
I can't really say much mor it's just pure EYECANDY!
Yeah I know I usually write terrible things about the books I read, but I can't do that about these books. You will fall in total love with Griffin and Sabine and salivate fir the next in the series... " Just you wait" it's worth it kiddies!
September 25, 2013
This is the second book in the Griffin and Sabine trilogy, and I would highly recommend reading all three of these visual novels back to back. There are clues all over the place people, so don't rush through. My love affair with mail art continued as I poured over the postcards and letters. I think the less you know about the story the better it unfolds, so quit reading this review and just dive in.
June 13, 2007
I suppose the story is alright, it's a bit melodramatic for my taste, but the artwork is absolutely amazing - a mix of surreal and still life impossible to resist. Which is why I'll be checking out all the other books in this series too, certainly not for the overblown "love" story.
January 21, 2021
Sabine's Notebook more or less immediately follows Griffin & Sabine, and has the same format. Though they were so close to meeting in the first book, Griffin gets scared at the last minute: can he have imagined Sabine? Is it possible that he's invented her somehow? So he runs, and his letters to Sabine come from all over the world as he tries to figure things out, travelling to Florence, to Greece, to Japan... and attempts to visit Sabine's home island.
Sabine, meanwhile, stays in Griffin's flat in London, giving him the time to get things figured out. And then -- well, I'll let you discover it for yourselves, but suffice it to say that I loved this one as well. The ending is another kick in the gut, same as the ending of the first, and the letters between the two of them are tender and hopeful amidst the fear. And of course, the illustrations are beautiful, and the format with the envelopes and postcards remains really engaging.
I'm keen to see what the last book will do. In a way, the plot of this book is kind of demanded by the format. Once they meet, the conceit kind of falls away. So I'll be interested to see how that gets resolved...
Sabine, meanwhile, stays in Griffin's flat in London, giving him the time to get things figured out. And then -- well, I'll let you discover it for yourselves, but suffice it to say that I loved this one as well. The ending is another kick in the gut, same as the ending of the first, and the letters between the two of them are tender and hopeful amidst the fear. And of course, the illustrations are beautiful, and the format with the envelopes and postcards remains really engaging.
I'm keen to see what the last book will do. In a way, the plot of this book is kind of demanded by the format. Once they meet, the conceit kind of falls away. So I'll be interested to see how that gets resolved...
December 18, 2021
Once again, the last page of the book got me really excited for the next one! I suppose that's the goal of most books in a series, but it's particularly noticeable here since, ngl, this book was a little bit dull. I still enjoyed it, but mainly because the art was beautiful and the format was really interesting. I'm excited to see where the next book goes!
May 12, 2025
3.5/5
December 27, 2011
The second book in the Griffin and Sabine trilogy (that eventually spawned a second trilogy) sees Sabine come to London, only to find that Griffin has fled. The letters between them continue, Sabine being the supportive friend and love as Griffin tries to figure himself out. Of all of the books in this series, this is the one that explores change and acceptance more than any of the others.
As with the first book, Sabine's Notebook has beautiful, sometimes disturbing artwork that only adds to the postcard and letters that have been written between the pair. I could spend hours just looking at the artwork, finding something new with each glance. It's that wonderful.
Bantock also proved, once again, that he is a master at leaving the reader shocked and anxious to read the next book. I don't want to talk about the ending here... it would be too much of a spoiler. But prepare yourself for things not being quite what they seem.
In many ways, I enjoyed this book even more than the first. It brought the relationship of Griffin and Sabine to deeper levels, taught the reader more about each of them as individuals and the pair as a couple, without either having met the other. It takes a long time to digest everything in it.
Most series, I don't worry about reading in order. But this series... You really do need to read them in order. You need to take the journey along with Griffin and Sabine because you'll lose so much if you don't.
As with the first book, Sabine's Notebook has beautiful, sometimes disturbing artwork that only adds to the postcard and letters that have been written between the pair. I could spend hours just looking at the artwork, finding something new with each glance. It's that wonderful.
Bantock also proved, once again, that he is a master at leaving the reader shocked and anxious to read the next book. I don't want to talk about the ending here... it would be too much of a spoiler. But prepare yourself for things not being quite what they seem.
In many ways, I enjoyed this book even more than the first. It brought the relationship of Griffin and Sabine to deeper levels, taught the reader more about each of them as individuals and the pair as a couple, without either having met the other. It takes a long time to digest everything in it.
Most series, I don't worry about reading in order. But this series... You really do need to read them in order. You need to take the journey along with Griffin and Sabine because you'll lose so much if you don't.
February 5, 2017
I adored the first book in this series (read it for sheer creativity inspiration!): the art was not an art style that moved my emotions, but the presentation and narration of the story was unique, fascinating, mysterious, and inspired my curiosity. I was itching to get this second book.
It goes nowhere! I was incredibly bored! Griffin waffles on and on about his unbelievable world tour (how does he support himself?). The whole thing seems unreal, summarized into deadened nothingness, in a pessimistic, indulgent and annoying way. Sabine writes like an all-knowing goddess... whom you wanna punch. Their continued claims of love start to irk with their continued avoidance.
The cliff hanger end of this book is the Exact Same as the end of the first! I was angry at the author for wasting my time. When something is novel, but that very novel-ness is capitalized on again and again, it becomes diluted and grey.
I'll try the third book, but there had better be some gosh darn development that isn't odiously pretentious.
It goes nowhere! I was incredibly bored! Griffin waffles on and on about his unbelievable world tour (how does he support himself?). The whole thing seems unreal, summarized into deadened nothingness, in a pessimistic, indulgent and annoying way. Sabine writes like an all-knowing goddess... whom you wanna punch. Their continued claims of love start to irk with their continued avoidance.
The cliff hanger end of this book is the Exact Same as the end of the first! I was angry at the author for wasting my time. When something is novel, but that very novel-ness is capitalized on again and again, it becomes diluted and grey.
I'll try the third book, but there had better be some gosh darn development that isn't odiously pretentious.
May 23, 2007
Not sure that I really understood what was going on but the pictures were very special. I think what I liked the most about these books was sensation of reading personal letters, cards, and postcards.
October 30, 2019
The correspondence continues...
Not half as good as the first one. The ending brought it up to three stars but Griffin was too whiny and not believable in this one. There is still mystery and of course wanting them to meet but some of the magic was missing in this book.
Not half as good as the first one. The ending brought it up to three stars but Griffin was too whiny and not believable in this one. There is still mystery and of course wanting them to meet but some of the magic was missing in this book.
May 6, 2019
If its predecessor reminded me of David Levithan's "The Lovers Dictionary", then the sequel reminded me of Paolo Coehlo's "The Alchemist". Lovestruck Griffin Moss begins a world-crossing journey of self-discovery and introspection, while his loyal correspondent, Sabine, writes faithfully and encourages his quest. I was really struck by how accepting she was, for a "familiar" stranger, and by how Bantock made no excuses or prettying-up of Griffin's mental unraveling. There's a lot of difficulty in being with someone who is depressed or has ailing mental health, but Sabine was very tolerant and patient, and I respected that she didn't try to put Griffin down or guilt him for his antics, even though the romance-reader part of me wanted a first meeting to happen stat. Seriously, this series is delightfully whimsical, and it's addicting. I feel like I'm on a treasure hunt, but really I'm just invested in the protagonists.
March 27, 2017
This one is even more curious and enticing than the first, because now I'm invested in finding out what happens to the characters. I would like to know who has the time and money though for such travels as these two take, how I wish I could do that!
Two quotes I loved:
"Griffin - your preparations for 'crossing into no-man's land' have the sound of a death wish. Why not try to view the next stage of your journey as a transition? Choose reassuring thoughts. Remember, I'm holding the string end, and I won't allow you to disappear into oblivion." (Written by Sabine)
"If I could draw the way I feel about you, I would." (Written by Griffin)
Whatever else this book is, it's a very beautiful love story!
Two quotes I loved:
"Griffin - your preparations for 'crossing into no-man's land' have the sound of a death wish. Why not try to view the next stage of your journey as a transition? Choose reassuring thoughts. Remember, I'm holding the string end, and I won't allow you to disappear into oblivion." (Written by Sabine)
"If I could draw the way I feel about you, I would." (Written by Griffin)
Whatever else this book is, it's a very beautiful love story!
October 13, 2021
The epistolary correspondence continues but takes on a mysterious turn as we are faced with the question, is Sabine real or just a creation of Griffin's imagination? It may seem like Sabine is Griffin's underlying subconcious, pulling him as he struggle to find himself and his roots. The letters and artwork continue to be woven beautifully. I love the quality of Sabine's handwritten letters and all the postcard artwork and enveloped notes were a breeze to get to.
P.S. I only found out that Nick Bantock authored "There was an old lady" a childhood classic I grew up with. Not exactly super kid friendly, but the artwork and the storytelling is one so absurd it's stayed with me all these years.
P.S. I only found out that Nick Bantock authored "There was an old lady" a childhood classic I grew up with. Not exactly super kid friendly, but the artwork and the storytelling is one so absurd it's stayed with me all these years.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2021
Well, one good thing about my epic quest through children's literature, it is leading me to read books I never would have otherwise read.
Take this one for instance, I told my boss that I was reading children's books and she gave me all of the ones from her childhood and added this trilogy on top.
This trilogy is weird. It's a love story between two artists writing each other letters, but there's some twist. Are they both dead? Is just she dead? Is she from the past and he from the future? I don't know.
I still don't like the art. I don't like how they've opened up to each other so much, I think it's unrealistic. They are talking about love, and sexual passion, and muses, and all sorts of odd things. Maybe it's just because I'm not an artist and why would you want to talk about those kinds of things?
Take this one for instance, I told my boss that I was reading children's books and she gave me all of the ones from her childhood and added this trilogy on top.
This trilogy is weird. It's a love story between two artists writing each other letters, but there's some twist. Are they both dead? Is just she dead? Is she from the past and he from the future? I don't know.
I still don't like the art. I don't like how they've opened up to each other so much, I think it's unrealistic. They are talking about love, and sexual passion, and muses, and all sorts of odd things. Maybe it's just because I'm not an artist and why would you want to talk about those kinds of things?
December 20, 2018
This is still a great book. Like the first it exudes charm, the art is great, the tactile mixed media nature of it is a lot of fun and adds more than you would expect.
At the heart of it all though, the story doesn’t live up to the first book. It kind of sticks in the end of the first book, spins around a bit, then ends on an odd little cliffhanger mystery that the cynic in me feels was stuck in to make a third book viable
I feel like I’m eating this harshly, it was after all very similar to the first book, it just didn’t have the heart of that first one, and that’s really what made all the fancy frilly bits so good.
At the heart of it all though, the story doesn’t live up to the first book. It kind of sticks in the end of the first book, spins around a bit, then ends on an odd little cliffhanger mystery that the cynic in me feels was stuck in to make a third book viable
I feel like I’m eating this harshly, it was after all very similar to the first book, it just didn’t have the heart of that first one, and that’s really what made all the fancy frilly bits so good.
July 17, 2024
The book has left me restless and with some trepidation. Sabine and Griffin are wanting to be with each other but seems to tryin to set themselves apart even more. I scratch my head. The only redeeming factor here is the art. So many beautiful things to see.
June 6, 2017
Love this book series. interactive and imaginative.
September 13, 2017
SO intriguing!
July 13, 2018
so enchanting
October 9, 2018
Yup, this keeps getting weirder and I'm mainly reading these for the 3D/letter opening aspect of it and not the strange art, but darn it, this had to end with an EVEN WORSE cliffhanger.
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