4 out of 4 stars
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Paula Grover’s debut novel is a must-read for all fans of fantasy fiction. The Gryphon is not only incredibly well-written, it is also exceptionally edited. Giving free rein to her imagination, the author weaves a highly original story taking place in a world populated with spectacular fantastic creatures that are strangely familiar and relatable. A perfect combination of fantasy and realism, the novel relies on an allegory of human society. It has something for everybody’s taste, from strong family relationships to forbidden love, power struggles, and political alliances.
Sunsky of the Mountains is a magnificent gryphon who is next in line to the Stone Throne of Gryphonia. Her grandmother, Queen Heartsong, has great expectations of her, but Sunsky’s youth and adventurous spirit lead to a terrible mistake. Badly injured during a storm, Sunsky is rescued by Nightsky, a blank winged horse who becomes her lover. The problem is gryphons view horses as enemies and bad omens.
When she gets pregnant with Nightsky’s hippogryph daughter, Sunsky is accused of heresy and brought in front of the Gryphonic Council. She needs to make the hardest decision in her life. Will she abandon Moon Wing to the Valley of Outcasts or will she give up on the premiere queenship and suffer banishment from gryphonic society? She does not know it yet, but her choice will change Gryphonia forever.
The novel reads easily as it is very carefully planned and organized. In the prologue, the author skillfully uses the narrative technique of the journal pretext. Apparently, Tale Weaver, the wingless kryphon scribe, receives a vision from her sister, the gryphonic oracle Truth Speaker. Sunsky’s story springs from this vision and is important because its outcome will shake Gryphonia’s traditions to the core. Henceforward, the third-person narrative perspective focuses on Sunsky and her tumultuous life journey. The novel has three main parts, each of them symmetrically built on ten chapters. The Gryphon becomes an excellent coming-of-age novel. If Part One, “Sunsky of the Mountains,” follows Sunsky’s childhood and adolescence years, Part Two, “Sunground of the Valley,” describes a wiser and more mature heroine. Part Three, “The Ground-Sky Alliance,” seals her transformation and lays the foundation of a new Gryphonia.
What is great about this novel is that it appeals to readers of all ages. Younger readers will probably find themselves in Sunsky’s rebellious spirit. Adult readers will enjoy the elaborate world-building and the hidden meanings of the characters’ actions. As far as I am concerned, I absolutely loved the wide range of characters and the antiracist message of the novel. Like human society, Gryphonia is suffocated by fear and prejudice against creatures whose only sins are being different. As a consequence, keythongs (gryphonic wingless males) and kryphons (gryphonic wingless females) are sterilized at birth and treated as servants. On the same wavelength, winged horses carry a negative symbolism, whereas hophas (“the two-legged creatures known in some spheres as humans”) are believed to be mythological creatures of gryphonic legends. In the end, Sunsky’s story teaches a great lesson of tolerance, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
I am giving Paula Grover’s novel 4 out of 4 stars. The Gryphon deserves the highest rating both for the plot and character development. The beautiful descriptions of either the fantastic creatures or the scenery are accompanied by lively dialogues. Apart from their metaphorical names, the characters have solid background stories. In spite of their diversity, they are constantly traceable due to their distinct features. Chapter by chapter, the story increases in suspense and intensity up to the fulfilling denouement. Although the novel reads as a standalone book and has no cliffhangers, there is room for a sequel. I hope the author considers the idea of another novel set in the new Gryphonia. I know I will add it to my reading list without hesitation.
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The Gryphon
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