Inkheart
by Cornelia Funke, translated from German by Anthea Bell
Published by Published by Scholastic Inc.
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Reviewed by Andrea Sisco
Move over Harry Potter! Cornelia Funke's Inkheart has arrived in America and it's stunning!
Imagine that you loved books and reading aloud more than just about anything in the world. Then imagine that you couldn't read aloud to your child, or anyone else, for fear that your melodious voice would bring the inhabitants of fiction to the real world—and in exchange something or someone from your world—would disappear into the fictional story. And what if the people that escaped from fiction to reality were evil, and a loved one was consumed into the fictional story?
All that and so much more happens in Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. Meggie and her father Mo, a bookbinder, must learn to control the magic that conjured the nightmare of Capricorn, an evil ruler escaped from a storybook. In order to survive, Meggie and Moe must alter the course of the story that has forever changed their lives and left them constantly running from the evil that pursues them.
Inkheart is a grand adventure of good vs. evil. The twists and turns of the plot will compel you to keep turning the pages and will keep you guessing about what happens next. The wonderful, complex characters are at times caricatures and that contributes to their appeal. And the settings will delight and frightened you.
Inkheart is also a story of a loving, caring relationship between a father and daughter team who attempt to overcome impossible odds. Although the book is extremely long (534 pages), Armchair Interviews recommends Inkheart for both children and adults.