User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
This isn't a novel; in fact, it's a book that can probably be read by most people in less than an hour. It is more of an artistic expression of both love and desire in written form, as explored via a mysterious correspondence, in which the reader can participate.
Rating: really liked it
‘
Pain and beauty, our constant bedfellows.’
I have a huge soft spot for art that incorporates the audience in the work, or where the act of viewing becomes part of the overall performance. Nick Bantock’s
Griffin and Sabine is a stunning and provocative multimedia literary performance with an epistolary narrative enhanced through Bantock’s engaging artwork. Artist Giffin receives a postcard in the mail one day from a woman he has never met, telling him details of his art nobody should be able to know. Thus sets off ‘an extraordinary correspondence’ between him and Sabine, a mysterious woman who is able to witness in her mind's eye his artwork as he paints it thousands of miles away. The book itself is quite literally just the letters between the pair, sometimes the post cards upon which they write or envelopes the reader gets to open, unfold and read in their hands as the characters themselves would do. While this initial book is short, it is only the first chapter in an epic narrative between the two characters that unfolds with plenty of intrigue and mystery that the artistic elements are a welcome bonus and not a gimmick without which the story would fall flat. While the love story does pose a few problematic issues, this is a magical work and such a delight to flip through and enjoy.
Nick Bantock is a British artist who certainly has a gift for finding inventive uses for his art. Written into the narrative is that Griffin creates postcards and Sabine is an artist for postage stamps, which allows open opportunity to show his unique art in a way to visually adorn the story. He’s used two distinct artistic styles and the images are quickly identifiable to their corresponding character, Griffin often using a fairly surrealist technique such as mixing two different stamps to create a composite image or haunting, dreamlike paintings whereas Sabine’s has a bit of a flair similar to Peter Sís. As the book is framed as found documents, the tactile aspects of rummaging through envelopes and postcards leans into the voyeuristic nature that is also thematic to the story. It draws you in as both reader and participant, fully immersed in the magical world Bantock has created.
There have been other similar works--S., conceived by director J.J. Abrams and written by Doug Dorst immediately comes to mind--but what makes this work is the simplicity rather than the elaborate conceits of S. There is nothing outside what is written in the letters, which, especially as they turn from mysteriously rummaging around to learn about each other and blossom into love letters and emotional confessions, become more like poetry than anything else. Another clever aspect that keeps you drawn into the world is that Bantock uses a different handwriting for each (and often a typewriter for Griffin) and adds little flourishes such as misspellings, crossed out words and other minor flaws individually characteristic of each writer. It is the small details that really make this work and the book--and ultimately the full collection of books--amalgamates to be greater than the sum of its parts. Admittedly, taken individually or for each element it is just okay, but the overall performance is impressive.
Initially, Griffin takes their correspondence to be either a hoax or some threat, though he quickly eases up and believes in the magic professed by Sabine. He quickly opens up about intimate details in his life and is the first to--rather quickly--begin to write that he loves the other. There are strong themes of loneliness and yearning to be understood, which vibes well with them each being solitary artists, but also a theme of mental health. He constantly fears Sabine might just be his imagination and mental illness playing with his one heart, but then also fears the connection forming between them when he accepts that she may be real. As learned in the final responses before the end of this first act, we see Griffin as sad, tormented but also his longing for love not unlike a dog chasing a car where, were they to catch it, wouldn’t know what to do with it.
Which is, unfortunately, where there are some problematic issues to be addressed. The entirety of this story is a woman of color with magical abilities who’s entire role is to be a comfort and understanding to the white English male suffering from self-doubt and depression. While we do learn her past in brief, much of the work is centered on his struggles with his own past. While she is the first to initiate contact, she lacks much agency beyond being a figure caring for him. Being from a small island in the Pacific and he living in London it practically screams imperialism and evokes the long history of European colonialism in the region. Unfortunately this only gets stronger in the second act. While he is fickle with his love, she is open, warm and endlessly giving, and to be honest I’m sort of done with that cliche. That said, the book is still lovely and cute, and the actual performance aspects of it are what kept me reading the entire series but these issues were never too far from my mind.
I came to this series quite by accident, really. I work at a library and was pulling our Holds for the day when I grabbed the book directly next to these and noticed the spines. In keeping with the ‘found art’ aspect of the performance, it was like I’d just stumbled upon some hidden treasure. I grabbed the whole series and read them over a few short days. To be honest, I haven’t returned them and am on my third and final renewal, I just enjoy flipping through them so much. These are short--the pacing feels a bit rushed, to be honest--but rewarding and a great little piece of art on its own. It’s something fun to pull off your shelf and show other people for its uniqueness. The art is quite wonderful and embodies aesthetics of antiquated and found objects, travel, and mystery, a style I tend to enjoy as it is. If you are someone that ever owned a typewriter for aesthetic purposes instead of practical, this book is for you. In an era where many relationships begin online, this book seems extra relevant, with the magical touches only making it more adorable. A clever and charming little adventure, made all the better by being able to take part in the adventure yourself. It is a really unique and fun experience.
3.5/5
Follow along in the series.
Vol 2: Sabine's Notebook
and
Vol 3: The Golden Mean
Rating: really liked it
I believe the illustrations alone are worth ten (10) stars. However, the story is a bit weird.
This is a story told through a series of correspondence. A young woman on an island in the South Pacific starts by sending a postcard to a young man in London. Based on the postcards and letters exchanged both are very talented artists. Sabine sometime gets visions or dreams of the illustrations by Griffin as he works on them. She writes him about things that no one should know except him. They develop some type of romance through their communications.
The book actually shows the postcards and letters (nineteen (19)). The book even actually has envelopes with the letters enclosed. The book is a great presentation. Very well done!!!
I really liked this book and plan to read the other books in this trilogy.
Rating: really liked it
A little fictional bon bon for the discerning palate. Just 46 pages long. A small package of strange and delightful images, and a storyline with a mystery.
This was recommended to me by a friend who sends me flying letters - and the book is full of illustrated envelopes and postcards. I can see why she liked it on another level too - her art and the art in the book have the same lovely sense of playfulness. Bantock's work is inspiring, weird, charming......and sometimes a bit gruesome. I am not alone in admiring it - it was on the New York Times bestseller list for over two years.
Rating: really liked it
Equal parts Romantic (in the Byron on a windswept moor sense), Impressionist and Surrealist,
Griffin and Sabine is a memorable experience. I finished this in the wee small hours of the morning, and immediately drifted off to sleep. I highly recommend that all readers choose the same time to move through this piece. I can't imagine a better time to have wrapped myself up in this charming, intriguing, simple yet incredibly layered piece of art.
There are many things that can be analyzed here- from the straight mystery of the identity or representative status of Sabine and the fate of Griffin (Is she real? Is she an overly dramatic justification for self-debasement, the Muse? Is she a symptom of a lonely, diseased mind? Does it matter?), the stylistic influences (Magritte, Monet's garden and light studies, fauvism, Romantic cult of death, deconstructionism), the questionable psychology of both characters (Griffin's doubtful sanity, the evolution of Sabine- whether it is in his mind or not, what each means to the other), or one can look at things through a postcolonial lens (the exotic dreams of the Other, the European dispora and their various reasons for escaping the Old World, Sabine's possibly mythical marginalized country in a colonized area that makes money (ostensibly) off of rich world stamp collectors- if real, one thing, if Griffin created it on his own, a fascinating other, etc...).
However what I really took away from it was a beautiful, sad statement on the capacity of people to dream a world, a love, a passion into their own reality, and some absolutely gorgeous, subtly created art that you could stare at and read into nearly endlessly. This book can be read in half an hour if you really desire to, but I don't know why you would desire that.
Rating: really liked it
I have read this beautiful trilogy of books many times since it was first published in 1991. A friend in college had kindly gifted the set to me, perhaps knowing how much I would treasure them.
"Griffin and Sabine" is the story of an unusual love affair between two artists. If you haven't read this charming series, I won't spoil any details, but they fall in love while writing letters back and forth. Each page of the book is a treasure, with notes sometimes tucked in envelopes, and incredible artwork throughout.
I have always loved pretty postcards and writing letters to friends, and I think this book's appreciation of artful correspondence is partly why I have such a sizable collection of handsome stationary on hand, it certainly inspires one to want to share beautiful notecards with loved ones.
I reread this book recently when I was going through my packed bookshelves, looking for titles that could be passed on. Bantock's books have moved with me from college dorm room to apartment after apartment, and finally to the cozy living room shelf where they currently reside. I don't think I could ever part with them — they are perfect just where they are.
Rating: really liked it
4/5
I first read this book nearly 28 years ago. I was then teaching English to high school seniors, a challenging job but one I loved. So many eighteen year-olds are tough on the outside, getting ready to fly the nest and finally live what they called “real life,” meaning life where they no longer live with their parents, at least ten months of the year. But this book reminded me again and again that so many who seem on the outside so independent and ready to move on, are tender and fragile on the inside. I bought this book, and it’s been on the shelf for all these years. I might not have chosen to read it again, save that I read S. Penkevich’s insightful review today. Thanks for that, Sven.
The book is the first of a trilogy, and it is simply beautiful. Each page is a postal card or a letter, which is folded into its own envelope. The artwork is beautiful. The story is of a young woman, Sabine Strohem, who lives in the midst of the South Pacific Islands, and a young man, Griffin Moss, who lives in London. For the last thirteen years she has been “seeing” all his artwork as he creates it, even though the two have never been in the same place at the same time. Both are artists, he has his own postal card company and she paints the paintings for stamps for her small island nation. Both are alone in their own ways, and they exchange their stories. As the book goes on, their correspondence gets more and more intimate. The book comes to an abrupt end when Griffin writes a postcard, which we can see has not been addressed, stamped, or mailed. Sabine replies anyway and invites him to the South Pacific: major cliffhanger of an ending.
For the right readers, this book (and the two that follow, which I read but did not buy 28 years ago) opens the door to the deep feelings of isolated, young (they are 28) artists. The books are dreamy. And if you come across the book by surprise, as I did again today, it is a special treat indeed.
Rating: really liked it
I've read this and all the other books for this series. It's a unique read. Have you ever accidentally received someone else's mail and wondered what it might contain? Or come across a diary and been tempted to read what secrets it held?
This book is a voyeuristic view of a relationship between two people - or is it?
Opening the book you realize soon enough that you have stumbled upon someone's mail - and you can't help but read it. Each consecutive page brings more and more interest, as well as questions. Some letters are on post cards, others have envelopes that you have to open and pull the letter out, unfold it and you contribute to the story by being the recipient...
It's sort of like an adult pop-up book. Each page a new letter or post card and the relationship grows.
Each book in the series brings you closer to the hopes that these two people meet - and you wonder what might transpire...
It makes you want to go out and check your mailbox.
Enjoyed it...
Rating: really liked it
Lovely little unusual book, takes about thirty minutes - give or take - to read. I don't know if I'll follow up on the sequels (or other parts of the trilogy,) but it was a nice short break from reading mysteries, thrillers and horror novels.
About the correspondence between two artists, one of whom can see what the other is drawing. There's a developing romance but it happens rather quickly and almost 'between the lines' of the letters and post cards they write to one another. I was not blown away, but found it a little 'delight,' like having an extra tea cake when I'm invited to a tea party.
I never get invited to tea parties.
Rating: really liked it
One of the cuter and more interesting picture books I've read lately,
Griffin and Sabine imagines reading some one else's letters as exactly that. There are post cards that are photographed on both sides, but the letters are actually in envelopes that the reader has to pull out of envelopes and unfold. This kind of interactive text, thought I can see all the ways it could become a horrible gimmick, is done exactly right in this short book.
Griffin is a visual artist, Sabine the woman from a small, mysterious island nation that, while having never met him, sees flashes of his art and life. They start corresponding over this odd, supernatural connection and we find out Sabine designs stamps as well. Their mail art appears going both ways, and it's the kind of pen pal relationship that is quirky without being trite. There's also a creepy element too, since Sabine happens to know a lot of random portions of Griffin's life and they have definitely never met.
The only thing that I didn't care for was the pacing. The ending breaks off quickly and the desire to find out what happens next clouds the overall mood created by the previous parts of the book. I'm not sure if it's a cost in publishing thing or what, but I would have preferred to have the entire series in one book. On the other hand, it's not like it's hard to find these books and I'll have to get the next couple as soon as possible.
Rating: really liked it
I've been acquainted with this fascinating trilogy for years, but never bothered to give it a perusal in its entirety until recently. Its allure is founded upon the exquisiteness of the design, the zen-like coyness of the plot and the slight sense of taboo involved in sifting through someone else's private correspondence. I think that author/illustrator Bantock is, in that regard, one of the leading purveyors of a formula that has proven quite successful in various pop cultural media over the past two decades. (The video game Myst and the television series Lost spring to mind.) Visually speaking, the design and illustration don't seem at all dated and haven't lost one bit of their elegant appeal over twenty years. On the contrary, I think the further advance of the Digital Age has merely driven up the stock of something as delightfully tactile as this series. Publisher Chronicle Books also cleverly offered a set of actual postcards based on those featured in the books, of which I have a few samples. (Wish I had a complete set!)
Rating: really liked it
I loved this book for the pure pleasure of reading it--you have to pick up a physical copy (check your local library! I'm not even sure there is an e-copy available). At first you're looking at a set of intriguing postcards recording the correspondence of Sabine, who lives on a far-off island but claims to know everything about her correspondent's art, and Griffin, a one-man postcard company. Then the correspondence shifts to letters and you get to open envelopes and pull out letters to read. Oh my goodness. The nerd in me just about died.
The correspondence itself is thought-provoking as well: how does Sabine know things about Griffin's art that only he should know? At what point should you question your judgement of reality? Is Sabine as harmless as she seems? How thin is the shell we wrap around true ourselves, our buried griefs and deep lonelinesses?
Definitely recommended.
Rating: really liked it
Remember to be gentle with yourself.A postmodern, interactive, epistolary exploration of self.
3.5
Rating: really liked it
Growing up I always loved the idea of writing letters to someone and learning something new whether it be their life story, the city they live in or what they might be thinking as I write these letters. What doesn't help is I've seen countless Hallmark films that showcase two lovers from two different centuries writing to each other, the Lake House movie, and Felicity's voice letters to her friend. Unfortunately I live in 21st century where most of my generation do not even know how to write a letter let alone mail it thanks to the invention of email.
I found this book to be marvelous in sense that you get to be someone who is intruding on other peoples mail. I could definitely see this book as a novel but I love that it is full of postcards and letters, with beautiful designs, and an intriguing story leaving me wanting more. I will definitely continue reading this series. We meet Griffin, a very lonely guy who is a post-card designer living in London who gets a post card one day from a woman named Sabine. She lives in the South Pacific islands known as Sicmon Islands and writes to him telling him that she loves his work particularly this one post card with a fish coming out of a broken wine glass.
Immediately Sabrine attracts Griffin attention and he becomes curious as to how she knows about that particular post-card because he has never shown it to anyone he knows. At first she doesn't want to scare him and avoid his question but then tells him that she has the power of telepathy and can always see him draw without seeing his face. She had spent countless years seeing his beautiful drawings and yet never could discover a clue about his name until she read about a self-designer who makes post cards and featured a few of his illustrations that she recognizes.
During the course of the story you get to see this interesting love story developing and at the same time we see a different behavior in Griffin. From being lonely and depressed, he starts to change and become angry and losing control of his emotions. The ending brings up a point of view that I hadn't thought before which blew my mind in epic proportions. (view spoiler)
[Towards the end, Griffin sends Sabine letters telling her to stop writing and that everything is just a figment of his imagination, and that she is not a real person. But in the last letter she tells him that he can quit this romance on a whim and that if he is depressed without her then she is willing to visit him. Then later we discover that his post-cards had been pinned to the ceiling and Griffin is missing leaving an empty studio. (hide spoiler)]For such a short book it brought out a lot of questions for me when it comes to Sabine and I am really curious what will happen in the sequel. I found this to be such a creative way of using different forms of art to showcase a beautiful storytelling. While reading this I felt like I was the one receiving the letters and I believe when someone writes you a letter they are dedicating the time and thought towards what they should write and the emotion they imprint on the page follows on with their words. I fell in love with the story and the characters and I cannot get enough of this love story.
To see all my reviews you can check it out at http://dancinginth3dark.blogspot.com
Rating: really liked it
First epistolary series I ever saw or read. I LOVED these books. They were magical. The envelopes actually have STAMPS on them!!!
