Inkheart by Cornelia Funke | Teen Ink

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

February 7, 2008
By Anonymous

Imagine your dad reading aloud to your mom on a cold, dreary, and rainy night. Now imagine that while your dad is reading, 4 storybook characters jump out of the book and into your living room. But suddenly, your mom, your 2 cats and probably a small animal somewhere outside disappear. That is the unpleasant moment that Mo (Meggie's father) had to encounter. And for the next 3 years, Meggie has no clue about her mother's disappearance. But when Mo gats kidnapped by one of the characters named Capricorn, the “tall, gaunt man”, an adventure follows. But, what Meggie doesn't know is that this “small” adventure could become a lifelong threat. This just shows that Meggie is in a fix that will need the help of many close and trusted friends to fix. Inkheart, this intriguing and action-packed story, is a must read fantasy that will leave you hanging onto the last word.

One night, as Meggie was sleeping soundly as the rain tapped on her window, she saw a strange shadow outside of her window and went to tell her father, Mo. After that night, Mo and Meggie left early the following morning to head south. But, on the way, they encounter Dustfinger, the man from the night before, and he tells Meggie a little about Capricorn, the evil man in search of the book Meggie's dad had wrapped earlier, and why her father was in such great danger. As they go south, they reach the house of Eleanor, the stern, book loving, and unsmiling aunt of Meggie. As Meggie takes a short walk, she talks to Dustfinger who tells her to meet him at night for a night show. But, during the show, Mo gets kidnapped. And Meggie starts to think that this has to do with the mysterious book.

Readers are introduced to this heart-racing story with a light, inviting poem written by Shel Silverstein:

If you are a dreamer, come in.
If you are a dreamer,
a wisher, a hope-er, a pray-er,
a magic bean buyer.
If you are a pretender,
come sit by my fire.
For we have some golden-flax tales to spin.
Come in! Come in!

This poem shows that whatever, and whoever you are, you should come in, or as we all might say, read the book. And I for one highly agree to this poem. This book is good for anyone who likes fantasy, any thing that likes adventure, anybody who loves to read, or even all of the above, Inkheart is the right book for you.

“What's so important about this book that I can't see it? She can see it, but I can't! Will I go blind if I read it? Will it bite my fingers off? What terrible secrets are in it that I can't know?” When I read that part of the book, I can almost hear Meggie yelling at her father. The way she emphasized, “She can see it but I can't!” shows that Meggie and Mo had a very strong connection. By reading that quote, it shows that Mo has shown her everything. Plus, Meggie's mom did disappear into a book would probably equal that Mo did not want to lose another family member. The same way as he lost Meggie's mom.

Inkheart is a compelling story inside of another. As you read on, layers of anticipation peel off, like layers of an onion, until you read the end of the book and reach the golden core of the book. When you finish the book and shut it close, the layers reform, waiting for someone else to devour the book. And who could turn this crazy scene into the unforgettable story better than Ms. Cornelia Funke herself? Funke writes about only what a child could dream of. Story book characters popping out of your book in a blink of an eye. She has the ability to write a world of fantasy into a world of reality, which only the best of writers can do.

As you can see, Inkheart is not only an intriguing must-read modern, but also an action-packed fantasy that will leave you hanging. The action of this story draws you in, the first theme keeps you interested, and the excitement keeps you reading until the very last word. Even though Meggie's mother disappeared, her father got kidnapped, and Basta (the storybook character who treasures his knife) almost killed her, Meggie held on tight. She never gave into Capricorn's plot. And stayed strong until the very end. The interesting format of the book, getting to read either a quote, poem, or live from a story, not only hooks the reader, but also drags you into the funny, crazy, creepy, and witty fantasy world of Inkheart.



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This article has 1 comment.


on Sep. 28 2010 at 7:08 pm
IAmTheJesusFreak SILVER, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
8 articles 0 photos 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
Jeremiah 20:9
But if I say, I will not mention him (God) or speak any more in his name, his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary in holding it in, indeed I cannot.

I just finished the book a couple of weeks ago, and thought it was amazing! I just started to read the next book in the series, Inkspell. I think its awsome that you reviewed it. Hopefully more people will read it now!