Griffin’s Castle
by Jenny Nimmo

3 out of 5 stars

Dinah and her mother move into a dilapidated old house, where Dinah discovers a small griffin statue. She names the house the Griffin’s Castle, and hopes that they will be able to stay forever. But her mother is not exactly reliable, and the landlord can’t stand children. Dinah notices animal statues in the city, wishing that they could protect her new home. The misty spirit of a lioness statue follows Dinah home, and Dinah can see and feel the lioness even though no one else can. Soon, more of the animals statues begin to follow Dinah home, and they become so real that others can feel their presence. Dinah’s friends at school are worried about her. Are the animals really protecting the house, or are they imprisoning Dinah within the crumbling walls?

I liked how the real and the mystical were blended in this story. At first, you can’t really tell if Dinah is just imagining the animals, or if they are really there. She has a very active imagination, but somehow the things she dreams of seem to come true for other people as well. She can draw other characters into her world of daydreams where anything seems possible.

There are some really deep themes explored in this book. Dinah is searching for permanence in her living situation, and she looks to her family heritage for the stability that her mother can’t provide. The animals are like the embodiment of her fears and desires, but they get out of control, leading her down dangerous paths.

Dinah has dealt with some difficult times because her mother bounces them around between homes, staying with friends, or sleeping in shelters. Dinah has had terrible experiences that she stuffs down inside, but they come out in her fears and her weird little habits. There is an awful memory she has of babysitting a friend’s baby, but the apartment they lived in had broken windows and no heating. The baby died from hunger and cold while the adults were out partying. When Dinah meets another family with a baby, she is very worried about the baby’s well-being. These scenes are heartbreaking and disturbing.

I love this author’s writing style! She really brings emotional weight into the story with the little details of the setting. However, I did not like that the POV keeps changing between Dinah and her two friends at school. That’s a pet peeve of mine when the POV changes.