Griffin's Castle [Hardcover]

Jenny Nimmo (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 278 pages
• Publisher: Orchard Books (2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545034094
• ISBN-13: 978-0545034098
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,865,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Griffin's Castle by Jenny Nimmo, June 13, 2009

By 

Sandra K. Stiles (Sarasota, Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Griffin's Castle (Hardcover)

Dinah is an eleven year old girl neglected by her mother and despised by her mother's new boyfriend. All she has ever wanted was a home to call her own. When her mother's new boyfriend moves them into his family's dilapidated mansion, Dinah fantasizes about the way she wants it to look, believing she can wish it into existence. She calls upon the stone figures of a nearby castle to come to life and come to her garden to protect it from being torn down. The book was well written and a pleasure to read. However, the abrupt, happily-ever-after ending was unexpected and disappointing. There was nothing leading the reader up to the way the book ended it was just suddenly thrust upon the reader to accept. I would most definately give this book a four out of five stars.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 'must' pick for any who enjoy fantasies and strong characterization., April 4, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Griffin's Castle (Hardcover)

Pre-teen Dinah is determined to make a run-down old mansion a home at last for her and her mother, when her loneliness leads her to wish the animal statues at a nearby Welsh castle would come to life and keep her company. When magic brings them to life she's delighted at first - but when they limit her freedom she comes to realize they are not a delight but a danger - a danger which could threaten her new life. GRIFFIN'S CASTLE is packed with delightful fantasy and a 'must' pick for any who enjoy fantasies and strong characterization.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Should have been better: Disappointing ending, June 1, 2009

By 

A Reader (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Griffin's Castle (Hardcover)

This is a very well written book with a strong female lead, beautiful imagery, and haunting magic. I was enthralled right up until the end but the weak ending changed it from potentially great to mediocre. Such a missed opportunity!

*** SPOILERS ALERT *** SPOILERS ALERT *** SPOILERS ALERT ***

It doesn't take long for you to start wondering why a wealthy man would put his fiance in a house that stinks of mildrew and dry rot, is falling-down dangerous, has faulty electricity, and has no heat in the winter. The author made Gomer relentlessly bad throughout the book. This was unnecessary but could be forgiven by the reader because it sets up the premise for being in this secretly magical house.

The magical creatures were mysterious and wonderful but no explanation is ever made for why they wanted to keep Dinah at the house, what their powers were for keeping her at the house, or why those powers failed. It made the book feel incomplete.

On Christmas Day, Dinah almost dies. If she had, the book would have finished with a powerful, hearbreaking event, reminiscent of Pan's Labyrinth. Failing that, there should have been about 50-100 more pages with her solving the mystery of the magical creatures and conquering them (with the help of the cat.) Instead, her great grandfather appears out of nowhere, the magical creatures stop whatever they are doing, and the story ends with a highly unbelievable "happily ever after."

Unless it was all a metaphor for Dinah dying after all and meeting her great grandfather in her imagination ... but I don't think so.