Write your own review!
Kara
(04/20/09)
A book about book lovers should have been better
...I REALLY wanted to like this book. The plot sounded so good, and it seemed perfect anyone who loves to read and who loves books themselves. A book restorer who can pull characters from the pages by reading aloud? I thought it was a sure thing. Needless to say, I was severely disappointed. I've liked Cornelia Funke's books in the past, particularly The Thief Lord, but as I read Inkheart, I noticed over and over again how hollow the story felt, and how much opportunity the author had to make a really amazing book with her great beginning idea. The characters had no depth (despite their emotional reactions to books), and seemed to all be cliches: there's a crazy book-loving aunt, mafiosi, dumb henchmen, etc. I never really bought the sadness and despair that the characters felt from being ripped from their homes within the book, something that Funke really could have developed. Likewise, I never bought that the three book-lovers truly loved books. They didn't reference very many, and even seemed to convey an arrogance about their love of books that I found off-putting.
The author also chose to head each chapter with a quote from a book that supposedly prefaced what was to come, but I found her selections poor, and most of the quotes (59 chapters, after all) came from only a handful of books. It felt like, similar to her characters, she only has read a few books.
However, maybe I felt this way because the books that the heroine, Meggie, loves are all books I kind of really dislike. Speaking of Meggie, what about her was I supposed to like? She came off as very bratty and negative instead of brave and precocious, which I'm sure the author meant to portray. The mastermind of evil, Capricorn, only wanted to live in a dilapidated Italian village and hoard treasure read out of books while bullying the neighboring towns into silence about his existence. Why exactly was he so scary? What was his evil evil goal? Did he even use the gold to get stuff?
And perhaps most disappointing is that nothing really happened with the plot. We find out early on what Mo (a TERRIBLE TERRIBLE choice to name the hero) is hiding from Meggie (the ability to read things out of books), they meet up with Capricorn quickly, they run away, they are recaptured, they plan their escape, the big climax fizzles out. Yet there are 500 pages to fill.
I prefer books that give vital information on each page. I could read about 3 sentences on a page and get all the information that was needed. Seriously, what do editors do? I could have cut this book from 500 pages to a solid 150. I know people want to write like J.K. Rowling. However, not every book written needs to be a 750 page book. A long book is not the only requirement to a good book. Was she paid by the page? I don't know what the deal was.
carly
(04/04/09)
I ? IT!!!!!!!
Inkheart is my #1 favorite book! Meggie and Mo are so lifelike and Capricorn and his goons practically jump off the pages. Just as Meggie says, Flenoglio writes his villains best. You will never guess how Inkheart ends, or its sequels. You need to read it. It has a deeper meaning then entertainment. It suggests that we are all in our own story. This book has something for everyone. There is adventure, action, drama, mystery, and even romance. As I said before, you need to read this book!!!!!!!!!!!
anonomous
(02/10/09)
The Abilities of Inkheart
To a select few, it may take a few chapters to really get involved in this story, but once you do it is a remarkable page turner! It has made a reader out of two kids in my acquaintance who I never thought would be a seventh grader and ninth grader to show the generation gaps it can bridge, and my Aunt, who is not a fan of fantasy, finished it in record time! Its sequel, Inkspell, is equally enchanting, and the audio version brings the characters to live in a way that gained the author's approval - a compliment if there ever was one!
Erin
(01/29/09)
Truly enchanting
This book is a new kind of fantasy that's never been written before. It's one of the best books I have ever read! You will love from the start and won't be able to put it down!
Ewie
(01/27/09)
Inkheart comparison movie or book
I think that this was an awesome book! If you can't figure out to read the book or watch the movie read the book. I can't believe they took such a great book and turned it into something that terrible. They didn't even bother putting the best scenes or the most important scenes. The worst thing is that it wasn't in order! So don't see the movie read the book!
k girl
(01/26/09)
WOW
WOW!!! This book is GREAT! I had a great time reading it. I'm about to start reading Inkspell. I think it will turn out to be as good as Inkheart. I'm gonna see the movie but it doesn't seem like the book on previews. I love this book; I made a bet with my friends that I could read it by a certain day...I did...I stayed up all night reading it!
Ashlee Reck
(12/19/08)
Two Thumbs WAY WAY UP For INKHEART!!
Inkheart is an adventure between the covers that avid bookreaders like myself can easily get caught up in. My favorite character is Mo Folchart he's funny and he is a character many people could associate with. Along with Inkheart I've read Inkspell and Inkdeath and both are amazing continuations of the story!! BRAVO!!
GAP
(12/08/08)
it is amazing
This has to be the best book I have ever read. I love how it talks about all the characters and just by reading the story they will seem like your best friend that you have known from birth. It gives great detail like you are there in the book. You always wonder what will happen next, so you just want to keep reading and reading. If you love adventure than this is the book for you