Image by congerdesign from Pixabay
Here we are welcoming the "Month of Love" known as February, with chocolates and flowers sold almost everywhere! But if there's one trend I noticed missing in today's day and age, no it's not about the social distancing shit it's Love Letters.
GIF from Popular Anime
There's just something curious about the emotions that were put into pen to paper-- how reading it feels as if you've been given a peek into the sender's soul... This, my dear readers, is how I was roped into reading a particular book series:
It all started with a mysterious and seemingly innocent postcard, but from that point nothing was to remain the same in the life of Griffin Moss, a quiet, solitary artist living in London. His logical, methodical world was suddenly turned upside down by a strangely exotic woman living on a tropical island thousands of miles away. Who is Sabine? How can she "see" what Griffin is painting when they have never met? Is she a long-lost twin? A clairvoyant? Or a malevolent angel? Are we witnessing the flowering of a magical relationship or a descent into madness?
This stunning visual novel unfolds in a series of postcards and letters, all brilliantly illustrated with whimsical designs, bizarre creatures, and darkly imagined landscapes. Inside the book, Griffin and Sabine's letters are to be found nestling in their envelopes, permitting the reader to examine the intimate correspondence of these inexplicably linked strangers. This truly innovative novel combines a strangely fascinating story with lush artwork in an altogether original format. -Synopsis from Goodreads
Unique in its own storytelling, the thing that really had me curious as to what would happen next, could only be found in the postcards letters that Griffin would send to Sabine and vice versa.
Seeing as this isn't exactly a newly published series, I have yet to truly find out Griffin and Sabine's connection to one another and why it seems they can't be in one place at the same time. Are they truly your typical case of star-crossed lovers? And who is the shady man who seems to be equally, if not dangerously, curious about our protagonists' love story?
With the 3rd book not really giving us much of an explanation, other than if Griffin will now truly get to meet Sabine halfway at a certain part of the globe, we are then introduced to a new pair of lovers who seem to try to keep their long-distance relationship afloat through the use of well.. letters! (Keep in mind, this was written pre-social media age sooo..)
GIF from Lasting the Distance
And I'm actually still on the look out for the three other remaining books in this series! (hopefully, my asking around on some second-hand bookseller groups will end in success..) Until then, I am left with not an ounce of closure to how Griffin and Sabine's (plus our additional pair, Matthew and Isabella's) love story would end.
GIF from GIPHY
Overall, Nick Bantock has a way with words as he illustrates our protagonists' journey into finding love and each other. It's also surprising to point out that despite the limited space of a postcard's layout, the gradual development of intimacy between Griffin and Sabine is not lost to the readers, which may leave you feeling a bit abashed at being caught reading the steamy scenes in your grandmother's old harlequin book collection.
GIF from Pinterest
Originally posted on Daydreams on the Moon. Hive blog powered by ENGRAVE.