Inkdeath (Book 3)
by Cornelia Funke
★★★★
** There are NO spoilers of Inkdeath, but I’m assuming you’ve read the first 2 books in the series.
This is the final book in the Inkheart trilogy. This book’s title was particularly fitting because this installments deals with the thin line between life and death within the fictional Inkworld. In the first two novels Meggie and her parents, Resa and Mo (Bluejay) are introduced to and then transported into a book, Inkheart, and must live in the land of Umbra, created by the author, Fenoglio, who is also stranded within the book.
The world their trapped in is a mess. The evil Adderhead and his brother-in-law, the Milksop, are still terrorizing all of Umbra. The local children are in danger and all Resa wants is to return to the “real” world with Mo and Meggie.
Fenoglio has grown leery of his power as an author and refuses to write anything else. Orpheus, on the other hand, is exploiting his writing ability. He is adding to and changing Fenoglio’s world for his own gain.
I really missed Dustfinger in this story. He’s taken away by the white women at the end of Book 2 and his faithful friend Farid is still trying to find a way to bring him back from the dead. I wish we’d had more from the fire eater in this final book.
I loved this trilogy as a whole. It’s not really for kids, but I think it’s appropriate for young adult and older. Funke does a wonderful job exploring the question of fate vs. predestination and reality vs. fiction. Imagine being able to live within the worlds of your favorite books, what an amazing premise! Then imagine the problems that you could cause by disturbing those worlds and how your presence might alter the story lines. There are elements that reminded me of Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next series.
I would highly recommend Inkheart and then, if you really love that one, read the rest of the trilogy. The final book isn’t the best of the lot, but it gives a satisfying conclusion to the series and gives readers closure for their favorite characters.
5 comments:
I LOVED Inkheart but was disappointed in Inkspell (I think my expectations were too high). I've had Inkdeath ever since it came out but I still haven't read it! I guess I'm not over my Inkspell disappointment yet.
My daughter read this trilogy a year or so ago, and she begged me to read it, but I have yet to do it. (Hmmm...maybe audio.) She usually has good instincts with books.
Kathy - I liked this one even less than Inkspell, so there's no hurry.
Sandy - I listened to the audio versions and the first 2 are excellently read by Brendan Fraser. They switched readers on the final book, which was a big disappointment.
Oh my, it seems like such a long time since I read Inkheart and Inkspell–wonderful books! So creative. You wrote an excellent review!
Kate - I know, I love the premise. It's such a tempting idea, being able to go into the world of fiction books you love.
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