What do You think about Killing Mr. Griffin (1990)?
Can someone explain why some punk kid that is half illiterate gets to describe the books here? Its painful to read the descriptions, and they are not short of poilers. I kind of doubt that whoever it is(obviopusly a girl, boys are usually less emotional) is too brainwashed by watching things like Buffy and the Hunger Games to have any objectivity about life or literature. Someone PLEASE put another review up instead of that awful "book descrition"
—Martine
This short, older YA book packed quite a wallop of emotion. Although I am already familiar with Duncan's talented writing, I was still surprised how sad and tragic this book came across. It gives an interesting perspective for that special teacher who pushes kids too hard and doesn't listen to excuses. Throw in the fascinating mixture of teens - a young, shy girl who is a loner and falls too easily as prey into the grips of others because she's that desperate for attention; a cute girl who has learned to manipulate everyone from a young age and has no remorse because of how spoiled she is; a jock who is a decent kid who doesn't think much for himself; and ultimately a psychopath, serial killer in the making, someone who cares for no ones and easily manipulates others. Disturbing stuff.This short book really packs a punch, as I have said, of emotion on so many levels. So sad. The ending was a heartbreaking wrap-up that really affected me - I genuinely felt for Mr. Griffin. Pacing is strong and steady, and there are several gasp, "oh no" moments with demented twists. Duncan's stylized, subtle writing accompanies the bizarre story perfectly. It's deeper than it seems once you get past the initial layers.Much better than the book that became the movie, 'I know what you did last summer'. Certainly an underrated gem from Lois Duncan. Highly recommended if you find it.
—Erin (Paperback stash) *is juggle-reading*
For the most part, I really enjoyed this book. I like how the author shows us Mr. Griffin from the kids' point of view, so we understand why they dislike him so. And I like how she then shifts to show us Mr. Griffin's world, so we understand what motivates him, and realize how wrong the kids are about him. I liked the build-up to the event and then how the author shows us how different the kidnapping is than what the gang thought it would be, and how the cover-up slowly unravels around them. What I didn't like was the publisher's attempt to update the story. According to the interview at the end of the book, Lois Duncan herself did the updating, but that didn't make it work any better. I think the whole idea behind updating these re-issued stories is that today's readers won't understand the world of 1978, but that's just insulting. Young readers today understand the world has changed--just as readers in 1978 understood that books written in the 1940s reflected a very different era. And I've just got to wonder why, when the author and publisher undertook to update these books, they didn't realize what a hopeless task it was? Mores, attitudes, lifestyles, families, etc., are completely different now. You can't just throw in a few references to cell phones and DVDs and expect the story to feel updated. Not when you've got scenes like a daughter coming home after school and calling the neighbor's house where her mom is playing cards with a group of friends in the afternoon--normal for 1978, but not so now. Or a police officer asking Mrs. Griffin if Mr. Griffin was in the service and what his service number was. Reasonable question for 1978, but not now. My favorite update, though, was when a character began a conversation on a cell phone and ended it when she "replaced the receiver on the hook." (Oops!) The distracting "updates" were the difference between a four-star and a three-star review for me. The publisher and the author should have trusted these stories to stand on their own--and trusted the readers of today to understand them regardless of dated references.
—Sophie
Five teens decide to kidnap their overdemanding, taskmaster English teacher so that he gets a taste of the anger he inspires in his students (who are unappreciative of the fact that Griffin, in his own rough way, really just wants them to be prepared for college). But the plan goes awry. Griffin, who suffers from a heart condition, has a heart attack and dies. Relying on the guidance of Mark, the mastermind of the original scheme, the group decides that they're in too deep for honesty. Instead, they bury Griffin and try to get rid of any evidence that would come back to them. But new complications keep arising, and the group unity is falling apart--leading to murder of a more deliberate kind.Unfortunately, the novel doesn't use its strong premise to go beyond being mediocre, plot-driven suspense. The characters have little depth and the writing style is mediocre at best. Too often the dialogue feels inauthentic and the description vague and cliched. The novel hasn't aged particularly well, either.If one doesn't expect much from Killing Mr. Griffin other than a quick read and quickened pulse, then one won't be disappointed. Anything more might be a stretch.
—Scott Volz
