where can i find summary of "Year of the griffin" by diana wynne jones?

Answer 1

Get this review :
http://www.sfsite.com/02b/yg98.htm

Get the other (below) here:
http://www.amazon.com/Year-Griffin-Diana-Wynne-Jones/dp/006447335X


**
Diana Wynne-Jones' "Dark Lord of Derkholm" remains the cleverest spoof of pretentious fantasies. The sequel, "Year of the Griffin," takes a slightly different turn, focusing on some rather strange young wizards-in-training, as they try to keep themselves in the frying pan rather than the fire.
Because the offworld tours have stopped, money has become scarce. Wizard Corkoran, the new head of Wizard University (who is obsessed with reaching the moon), hopes to soak the parents of the new first years. They consist of a mysterious young foreigner, a pirate girl, an impoverished prince, a half-Marsh girl with a jinx, a runaway dwarf, and the griffin daughter of Wizard Derk. None of them have any money, and quite a few aren't even supposed to be there. To top it off, their magic is anything but normal.

When Corkoran stupidly sends out money-seeking letters to their parents and relatives, the students start trying to magically protect themselves from the Emir, a pirate, the dwarf overseers, and the Romanesque Empire. Add some primitive griffins, a vindictive teacher, and some magic gone horribly awry, and it's a year to never forget... especially when they take an unexpected trip to Mars.

Those expecting a retread of "Dark Lord" will be disappointed; "Year" is more along the lines of "students at a wizard school battle evil," albeit far more imaginatively than most books with that theme. Jones happily mashes together Roman empires, pirates, fantasy dwarves (complete with armor and underground cities), and ties it together with her previous book. Don't worry, reading "Dark Lord" is not necessary, though it is recommended.

Writing is amusing, descriptive and often pleasantly quirky; Jones never stops juggling personal quirks and weird relationships. However, the final chapters are the weakest part of the book. While the conclusion is being cooked up through the entire book, it feels a bit lifeless. The way the problems are dealt with feel a bit contrived. However, the long-suffering tiny assassins and the wandering furniture add the typical Jones sparkle to the proceedings. (Things never go quite smoothly in her worlds)

The quirky cast is mostly quite well done. Elda is a pleasant heroine, although her crush on Corkoran is a little distracting. Felim and Ruskin are delightful, while Olga and Lukim are just engaging. (No pun intended) Claudia and Corkoran, while well-written enough, never really come to life.

While not really on the same theme as "Dark Lord of Derkholm," "Year of the Griffin" is still an entertaining fantasy tale with a bit of botched magic, student crushes, and the occasional dizzy assassin.
**

Good luck