Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. Contemporary fantasy love letter to classic children’s literature.
This is another book I read because someone saw fit to make a movie out of it.
Meggie is twelve and she loves books. She lives with her father Mo who is a book binder and repairman. Her mother is gone and she and Mo live in a house filled to the brim with books. Meggie and Mo move around a lot. Mo is hiding from those who would exploit his unique gift: when he reads out loud characters or objects from the book he is reading are translated into the real world. Once, he read aloud from a book entitled “Inkheart.” Since then he has been on the run. Eventually the forces who want to exploit Mo catch up to them. Meggie must employ her courage and ingenuity to rescue her father from the clutches of evil.
It is obvious that Funke is a voracious reader and lover of books. In Inkheart she pays homage to classic children’s literature not by recycling elements from beloved books but by quoting them and speaking about them directly. The book is a lot like the Tenacious D track “Tribute.”, in the sense that it refers to a great song – or book in this case – but never actually lets you experience the thing first-hand.
Inkheart is a fun read and I am looking forward to the sequels, Inkspell and Inkdeath. I hope that more of the story contained in the fictional title “Inkheart” is explained. If you were the kind of kid who stayed in doors all summer reading, this book was written by a kindred spirit and you’ll enjoy it.
-fh