griffin & sabine by Nick Bantock


Need a little something-something to melt away the madness? If you unwittingly made it through the 90s without reading Griffin & Sabine, as I did, you'll find it's just the thing: a delightful anachronistic correspondence via painted carte-postale tucked into actual envelopes, a slow getting-to-know-you, a return to the possibility and pleasure of mystery between two near-strangers. It's a puzzle, it's a love story, it's an artful multi-media mezcla. Griffin, a painter living in London, receives a postcard from Sabine, an artist who designs stamps for a living on a small island in the South Pacific. They have never met, but Sabine can see Griffin's brushstrokes in her mind as he works. Unable to resist the allure of the unknown, Griffin replies with a postcard of his own, and the two of them embark upon their nonnormative relationship with intrigue and aplomb. My only frustration is not having access to the rest of the collection until June! Merci, magnifique Mlle Motre, for introducing me to M. Bantock's work. Not to be missed. Grade 8+

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