I listened to this one as an audiobook, which was particularly fun, because Lynn Redgrave read it aloud, and her fancy, old lady British voice was so wonderful it practically put a good taste in my mouth.
Inkheart (which was also turned into a movie with Brendan Fraser that wasn’t supposed to be very good, which makes sense, because as much as much as I love Brendan Fraser, he would be terrible in the lead role of Mo and my god I’ve got an issue with run-ons today) is about a 12 year old girl named Meggie. One day, a man named Dustfinger shows up looking for her father, and then her whole world kind of blows up. If you don’t know what the book is about, I suggest reading it without spoiling ANYTHING for yourself, because even the little blurb on the back kind of gives away too much.
Very basically, it is a fantasy story that would appeal highly to anyone who loves books and stories and fairytales and plucky little girls. It’s young adult fiction, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and maybe you would, too! The writing is wonderful and the author’s deep love for fiction is apparent. Goodreads says she wrote a few sequels, but I feel like the first book stood wonderfully on its own.
“There was another reason [she] took her books whenever they went away. They were her home when she was somewhere strange. They were familiar voices, friends that never quarreled with her, clever, powerful friends — daring and knowledgeable, tried and tested adventurers who had traveled far and wide. Her books cheered her up when she was sad and kept her from being bored.”
It’s hilarious you say that Brendan Fraser would be bad in the role, because Cornelia Funke had a total crush on him and actually based the character on him before he even agreed to be in the movie (before there even was a movie). I think they are friends now. She mentioned him in the back of the second book.
I honestly didn’t mind the movie, but it’s not nearly as good as the books.
Side note: Cornelia Funke is hilarious and SO sassy in person. I met her this summer at the Tucson Festival of Books. She’s this wacky old German broad, and she totally does things HER WAY.
I think my hang up is that he’s American and after listening to Redgrave read the book aloud, I have a very specific idea what every character should sound like lol. I love hearing that about Cornelia Funke –she lives up to her awesome last name!