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A review by agatelee
Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
I read Inkspell as a child, and I remember almost nothing about it. Now that I've re-read it, I know why.
This book has a lot of sitting around waiting for things to happen. In the first book of the series, the villains felt captivating. In this one, there are several somewhat villainous individuals, none of whom deliver a consistent and menacing threat. Mo is unconscious and injured for most of the book, and Meggie has almost nothing to do until the very end. Also, the climax involves Mo pulling a new ability out of nowhere that has never been mentioned before.
The setting is now within the world of Inkheart, the book within the book. It's chock full of magical creatures like fairies and glass men, but the magic of the setting never seems to affect the plot much, until the very end. The most memorable parts are when Inkheart's author, Fenoglio, sits around complaining that his story is no longer obeying his original intentions.
I think what really didn't work was the utter lack of emotion in Inkspell's characters. The most egregious example is when Meggie's parents are having a conversation, and they say, "Meggie is in love with Farid; it's so obvious from the way she looks at him." This is after several chapters from Meggie's POV, none of which give any indication that she feels that way.
Overall, I found Inkspell unfocused and emotionless. I would recommend it only to readers who truly loved Inkheart.
This book has a lot of sitting around waiting for things to happen. In the first book of the series, the villains felt captivating. In this one, there are several somewhat villainous individuals, none of whom deliver a consistent and menacing threat. Mo is unconscious and injured for most of the book, and Meggie has almost nothing to do until the very end. Also, the climax involves Mo pulling a new ability out of nowhere that has never been mentioned before.
The setting is now within the world of Inkheart, the book within the book. It's chock full of magical creatures like fairies and glass men, but the magic of the setting never seems to affect the plot much, until the very end. The most memorable parts are when Inkheart's author, Fenoglio, sits around complaining that his story is no longer obeying his original intentions.
I think what really didn't work was the utter lack of emotion in Inkspell's characters. The most egregious example is when Meggie's parents are having a conversation, and they say, "Meggie is in love with Farid; it's so obvious from the way she looks at him." This is after several chapters from Meggie's POV, none of which give any indication that she feels that way.
Overall, I found Inkspell unfocused and emotionless. I would recommend it only to readers who truly loved Inkheart.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death