Product Description

Meggie loves books. So does her father, Mo, a bookbinder, although he has never read aloud to her since her mother mysteriously disappeared. They live quietly until the night a stranger knocks at their door. He has come with a warning that forces Mo to reveal an extraordinary secret - a storytelling secret that will change their lives for ever.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4566 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 576 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Some books are destined to be lifelong treasured possessions. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, the bestselling German author of The Thief Lord, could easily lay claim to being such a book. It is a meaty, magical adventure that oozes a passion for books and the awesome power of words on a page, written by an author who clearly adores stories. Every chapter is introduced by tempting quotations from classic novels that whet your appetite for more and help underline the terrific heritage of children's literature that Inkheart is added to.

Meggie is the daughter of a revered bookbinder called Mo whose peaceful existence is one night shattered by the arrival of Dustfinger--a shadowy man with a mysterious link to Mo's past. Mo and Meggie are soon on the move, running from something that threatens everything they hold dear. But the past inevitably catches up with them and Mo is forced to reveal to his daughter for the first time his terrible secret. He has the ability, or curse, to breathe life into any story he reads and make the characters come alive. Just such a character, the sinister Capricorn, is after Mo to ensure that he stays alive and is never returned to the pages from which he was sprung. And, of course, he'll stop at nothing to guarantee success.

Inkheart is a treat and echoes of its many colourful characters, nail-biting drama and unrelenting invention will stay with the reader for a long time. It's also a novel for people who really love books. (Recommended for ages 10 and over.) --John McLay

Customer Reviews

Dark and sinister but enjoyable
Inkheart isn't aimed at adults but it was entertaining enough to keep this adult reading to the end.

The cover of the book makes it appear like a light, fantasy story filled with fairies and nice things......but nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, there are a few fairies but only enough to fill a sentance or 3, the rest of the book is given over to dark, sinister types with murderous intent.

The concept is a fascinating one. The ability to read characters and things out of the pages of a book. As great as that sounds, the reality of it is more of a curse than a gift as the lead characters find out, and you're left wondering right up to the end how they can put things to right.

I'm looking forward to reading the next installment 'Inkspell', to find out what happens next.

If this book has any flaws, it's perhaps that at times the pace stalls and is slow to pick up again, and I feel the villians seem to be a bit too one dimensional. Pain, suffering, misery and fear are all there is to them but perhaps since they're a 'baddie' in a storybook, that's all they need ???

Best Book I have Ever read.
This book is an amazing read.The story takes you into another world , where you feel totally involved in every aspect.I felt as though i had known the characters all my life, and that as i was reading they were literally standing by my side, so vivid were the descriptions.
I particularly loved the mysteries throughout the story and how these were maintained throughout- sheer genius at the art of gripping the reader.My fav character is Dustfinger.
Once you start this book, make sure you have plenty of free time..you wont be able to stop reading till the end.
I cant recommend it highly enough, brilliant, wonderful, fantastic...a classic of childrens literature.

Unstoppable reading
My daughter (aged 12) gave me her Inkheart to read, when I had ran out of library books. I thought it would tide me over until I got to the library. How wrong I was ! I couldn't put it down. It was wonderful - not a dull moment to be had. I am now ordering number 2 "for my daughter" !