Inkheart (Teen's Top 10 (Awards))

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Cornelia Funke

Used from £8.30

Pages: 544 (Hardcover)

Reading Level: Ages 9-12

ISBN: 0439531640

Pub: Chicken House

Pub date: 2003-10

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 373327

Editorial Review:

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

Reader Reviews:

Ink Heart!!!!! what I thought (0/1 people found this helpful)

Well I usally read books and they grab me by the first paragragh however with this 1 it grabbed me by the first 3 sentences it was unable 2 put down as we read all of meggies tradgires with the book all her heart break and her reach for survial

I loved trhis book, I read for hours on end and you will not be dissapointec.
I would reccomend this 2 every1, if this book is not your cup of tea then I dont know what is!!

Inkheart (2/2 people found this helpful)

I thought this book was wonderful. I read it ages ago, as a birthday present from a friend, but I've definately read it more than twice! I've also got the sequel, Inkspell, and cannot wait for the next one to come out here in the UK (I believe it is called Inkdeath).

The main plot is about a man who can bring characters to life, simply by reading a book aloud. This happened with his wife, and she disapeared along with the cat(s), being replaces by villains, one of which a murderous Basta. His daughter, however, was unaffected, and as Meggie grows up she wonders why he never reads aloud to her. But then, disaster strikes and two worlds are mixed, the characters fighting to surrive.

It was a really gripping read. Even now, I can stil memorize the front writing, "And so Meggie heard her father read aloud, for the first time in nine years, in a draughty old church. Even many, many years later the smell of burnt paper would come back to her as soon as she opened one of the books from which he read that awful morning." Cornelia Funke is an amazing German author. I've read others by her, the thief lord and dragon rider, and they too are captivating. However, the inkheart trilogy is probably the best: you really get the sense you are there with the characters.

Wierd, strange, wierd... (0/2 people found this helpful)

I thought this book was alright. I thought it went on a bit too long, and at the end I was a bit bored, wanting it too end. I don't think I'll be bothering with the rest of the trilogy. I also don't think that children under 10 should read it because there is some swearing in this book.

Literary adventure (3/3 people found this helpful)

Have you ever wanted to have your favourite characters from your favourite books alive in our world? In Inkheart, that's exactly what happens when Mo reads aloud from books: he makes things appear from the books, while other things in our world get sucked in the books. Years ago, Mo read the evil Capricorn and his henchmen out of the book Inkheart, while his wife got trapped in the book.

Now, Capricorn comes back, looking for Mo and his 12-year old daughter Meggie and the one copy of Inkheart they possess. They must flee the evil mastermind, who wants to find Mo so he could read things for Capricorn. It's a start of a dangerous adventure! Meggie, who is the charming main character of the story, must use her wits and the support from her friends to triumph over the evil forces.

Inkheart is a lovely story that will please anybody who has a passion for books and stories. The book seems written for young adults, but it's certainly dark and dramatic enough for grown-ups as well.

Fantastic; an excellent read (2/3 people found this helpful)

If you're looking for adventure, magic, and superb story-telling...then this is the book for you!

I loved reading this book. My eyes were glued to it from the very first sentence! The imaginative and provocative sory line and interesting, well-created characters make this book a real winner; a real treat to read!

I would place this in an about 9-15 age catorgory although I believe that adults would greatly enjoy reading this too!

This book is another stunner from brillinat authoress! Magical!

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