I’ve just finished reading Inkspell, the sequel to Inkheart written by Cornelia Funke. She is also the author of The Thief Lord, which I previously mentioned in this entry. Inkspell actually took me quite a while to finish, I really enjoyed both books but found they tended to have slow parts that were a little hard to get through but worthwhile for the rest of the story which is vivid and enchanting.
Inkheart is the tale of Meggie, a bookbinder’s daughter who loves reading more than anything else. She discovers, however, that its not always so safe a pastime and in fact when her father reads out loud, very dangerous things can happen indeed. Inkspell continues the story, throwing Meggie, her Father and the author of the book in to his own story. I can’t tell you much more of the plot than that without giving it away, but if you have a love for books you might really enjoy it.
In the Inkworld you will find fairies and glass men, castles and Princes (and one poor Princess who doesn’t get enough mention!) wandering players, bands of robbers and a story that can change with a few written words.
I think what I love about the Ink books is that they feel like a return to what I think of as classic fantasy, Narnia, The Never Ending Story, The Wizard of Oz, where ordinary humans find themselves drawn in to worlds that are magical and strange but reflect their own lives and reality very clearly. I like stories that don’t focus on the world so much in detail but instead dwell around themes and interesting characters. Cornelia Funke has achieved this quite well, and most of all, her stories make me want to write!
They’ve also made the first book in to a movie which is due for release in early 2009. You can watch the trailer here; Inkheart Movie. I’m really looking forward to it and hoping it stays true to the book!
