The Griffin's Egg by Cole Poindexter

What worked:

Gnish-Gnash is an intriguing character as he likes to overstate his abilities and is clearly reluctant to share some information about his past. This goblin is in possession of the last griffin egg but there’s some uncertainty surrounding how he’s gotten it. The vagueness in his comments indicates he’s hiding things from Phoebe which may make readers wonder if he’s good or bad. He’s also done something wrong among the goblins because he may not be welcome if he tries to return home. The uncertainty of his past makes him an interesting character to watch.

The plot has continuous action as Phoebe and Gnish-Gnash try to stay one step ahead of the Dark Mistress Lucinda. She’s forced some characters to recover the griffin’s egg and others hope to gain her favor once she controls all the lands. Other characters are enchanted into supporting Lucinda and are unaware of their own behaviors. The positive part of her evilness is Phoebe and Gnish-Gnash are constantly on the run which allows readers to constantly discover new magical settings and characters. Whenever the characters enter new settings, there’s always doubt as to whether they’ll encounter helpful friends or dangerous foes. The conflict between Phoebe and Lucinda is the focus of the story.

Some vagueness in Phoebe’s past makes her the most interesting character. She’s given her grandfather’s purple cape when her grandmother decides she’s responsible enough to have it. It’s a little wacky to wear a purple cape and why would she need to wait to receive it? After she enters a portal into the magical world, Phoebe discovers she’s able to change into different kinds of animals. This ability is attributed to the purple cape although other characters posit that Phoebe’s actually a witch. Maybe it’s due to the magical world itself. Readers begin to assume she’ll be able to use her powers to escape every situation but they may also wonder if she has other undiscovered abilities. It turns out that she’s a pretty smart young girl since she uses her quick thinking to come up with creative ways to use her powers. Her unending kindness creates its own form of magic.

What didn’t work as well:

Phoebe doesn’t bat an eye when she discovers a goblin, a griffin’s egg, and a portal to an enchanted world of magic which is hard to believe. The author doesn’t provide any time for Phoebe and readers to adjust to the change from reality to fantasy. There are quick transitions in action and events throughout the plot, more so in the beginning, which seems too abrupt and underdeveloped

The final verdict:

The fast-paced plot and Phoebe’s character are highlights of the book. The griffin’s egg is the catalyst for the conflict but the story goes beyond that. Overall, this book is very entertaining and I recommend you give it a shot.