Inkheart

Some books are destined to be lifelong treasured possessions. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, the bestselling German author of The Thief Lord, could easily lay claim to being such a book. It is a meaty, magical adventure that oozes a passion for books and the awesome power of words on a page, written by an author who clearly adores stories. Every chapter is introduced by tempting quotations from classic novels that whet your appetite for more and help underline the terrific heritage of children's literature that Inkheart is added to.

Meggie is the daughter of a revered bookbinder called Mo whose peaceful existence is one night shattered by the arrival of Dustfinger--a shadowy man with a mysterious link to Mo's past. Mo and Meggie are soon on the move, running from something that threatens everything they hold dear. But the past inevitably catches up with them and Mo is forced to reveal to his daughter for the first time his terrible secret. He has the ability, or curse, to breathe life into any story he reads and make the characters come alive. Just such a character, the sinister Capricorn, is after Mo to ensure that he stays alive and is never returned to the pages from which he was sprung. And, of course, he'll stop at nothing to guarantee success.

Inkheart is a treat and echoes of its many colourful characters, nail-biting drama and unrelenting invention will stay with the reader for a long time. It's also a novel for people who really love books. (Recommended for ages 10 and over.) --John McLay

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Not a bad effort - Rated
Inkheart is usually the sort of book I really enjoy - there's nothing like good children's fantasy as escapism. Inkheart has an enjoyable premise, and the characters are generally likeable. The book gets off to a good start...but unfortunately, I found myself turning off more and more as I went on.

I felt the book to be too long, and by the end it felt more like a chore. The prose is a tad too heavy and ultimately I was no longer enjoying it, although I kept reading in order to find out what happened. For fans of this type of literature, it is still a worthy read - just don't go in expecting too much.

Dark and sinister but enjoyable - Rated
Inkheart isn't aimed at adults but it was entertaining enough to keep this adult reading to the end.

The cover of the book makes it appear like a light, fantasy story filled with fairies and nice things......but nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, there are a few fairies but only enough to fill a sentance or 3, the rest of the book is given over to dark, sinister types with murderous intent.

The concept is a fascinating one. The ability to read characters and things out of the pages of a book. As great as that sounds, the reality of it is more of a curse than a gift as the lead characters find out, and you're left wondering right up to the end how they can put things to right.

I'm looking forward to reading the next installment 'Inkspell', to find out what happens next.

If this book has any flaws, it's perhaps that at times the pace stalls and is slow to pick up again, and I feel the villians seem to be a bit too one dimensional. Pain, suffering, misery and fear are all there is to them but perhaps since they're a 'baddie' in a storybook, that's all they need ???

A Cracking Read - Rated
This is a lovely book. It has a fantastic plot, that of a man whose reading voice is so enthralling and powerful that he can literally draw characters out of the pages and bring them to life, and the chaos that ensues when he brings a particularly evil villain into the world. It has lovely characters, complex, humane and interesting, and a real fascination with the world of books and stories.

Each chapter has an epigram, or short quotation from books as diverse as Wind in the Willows to Fahrenheit 451, and these are as interesting as the story themselves. An exciting, compelling book for twelves and over that will draw you in and keep you on the edge of your seat to the very end.

This is the first of a trilogy, the next being Inkspell and then Inkdeath. Originally Funke wrote this as a standalone book so you will not have to get the next one to find out what happens, although I suspect you might want to.

Magical!!!!! - Rated
this book is a fantastic read.....
To be able to emerge yourself in a world where not only do all of the main characters care passionately about books, but where the possibility of books coming to life is a reality is an incredible feeling.....
Cornelia Funke's writing style is strangely addictive and you cant help turning the next page.....

inkheart - Rated
this is one of the best books i've read. right from the frist page the story grabs hold of you and you just need to keep reading to see what mo and meggie get up to and see if the adventure turn out to be a good one well wroth the read