Inkheart

Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart is a popular YA novel translated from the German. It’s the first book of a trilogy, and it was made into a movie two years ago. Usually books with such a reputation have an impossible job of living up to my expectations by the time I get around to reading them. But this one rose to the occasion.

It took me awhile to become willing to suspend disbelief and accept the story on its own terms. YA novels can tend to move quickly and to have less depth of character, and though that is one of the reasons I occasionally pick one up during a reading slump, it can be a a stumbling block too. Also, one of the story’s themes is love for books, and I can’t really relate. I don’t mean just love for reading, to which I can relate; love for the physical books. I wouldn’t say I don’t value my actual books on the shelves, and I do vastly prefer physical books to e-books. But I love them mostly for the stories they contain, which are not physical at all.

Nevertheless, I crossed the line eventually and became completely absorbed in the story, caring about what happened to the characters, wondering how on earth the plot would ever be resolved. It’s a story about the line between the world of the book, and the world of the reader, and the relationship of the writer to both. If I’m to review it without spoilers, that’s about all I can say. But about the reading experience as I wended my way through the 500+ pages, I can say that Funke kept the string pulled taut the whole way. The balance between action and reflection, and the level of suspense, are perfectly mixed. I’d recommend it without reservation to those as woefully behind the curve as I who haven’t read it.

It’s targeted at grades 4-8, so all that remains for me is to determine whether to try it as a read-aloud (those who’ve read it will appreciate the irony of that) or leave it for my children to discover on their own. Because I might find myself uncomfortable reading the darker or more violent parts, I’ll probably leave it for a bit later.