Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Killing Mr. Griffin is an absolute classic Teen Thriller. I actually read this years ago, like in the 80s, but everything is a little hazy from the 80s.
I’m happy for the reread. This was fun!
Recently, while reviewing a list of books published in the year I was born, ((cough)) 1978 ((cough)), I stumbled across this one and it jogged some memories.
Lois Duncan books were a staple of my childhood, along with author’s such as Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine. Although I have read a lot of these author’s works, I would be hard-pressed to recall any details. It’s been a minute.
This one got me thinking, what would it be like to read one of these books again. Would I still have fun with it? Would I be able to recall more details once it got going? Would it stand the test of time?
Yes, a little bit and for the most part, yes!
This story follows a group of high school kids, David, Susie, Jeff, Betsey and Mark, who are having some issues with their English teacher, Mr. Griffin.
Mr. Griffin is notoriously tough and as they see it, unfair. After a particularly rough morning in his class, the kids come up with a bold plan to get back at him.
They want to kidnap him and give him a real scare. They feel like if they can scare him enough and convince him they’re doing it because he is a bad teacher, maybe he will change his ways and their grades.
Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t go quite as they expected and the kids end up in over their heads. With the resident pyschopath leading the charge, things spiral quickly.
It seems like an over-the-top premise, but is it really? As you read, you begin to see how teens could make such bad choices, especially when being pushed into it. It does happen. In fact, crazier things happen.
I think for the most part, this story stands up. The writing is a little less complex than you find today and the story itself, more linear and simple, but it was still a fun time.
For this version of the audiobook, they did add some modern touches, such as cell phones and google, which took me by surprise. I wasn’t aware of that going in and was expecting the story to be set around when it was published.
I actually wish they hadn’t changed it. It seemed really obvious to me, but maybe if I hadn’t know when this was originally published, I wouldn’t have noticed.
Another thing that struck me, which I am not sure I would have thought about the first time around, was what a good and caring teacher Mr. Griffin was. It actually made me sad.
Reading this as an Adult, his perspective made total sense to me. I would have hated what they did to him at any age, I abhor bullying of any type, but I could really understand his choices and motivations this time through.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this again. I’m actually planning to reread another Duncan book, I Know What You Did Last Summer, very soon. I am hoping to enjoy that one just as much.
Who knows, 2023 could be the year I reread all my childhood favorites…I’m looking at you, ‘Salem’s Lot. This could be an exciting endeavor!