Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

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Inkheart
by Cornelia Funke
(Audio)

After accidentally reading the second book, Inkspell, I tracked Inkheart down and earread it.

At first, I was incredibly disappointed to find that Brendon Frasier (who reads the second book) did not also narrate this first book. I'm SO used to Brendon's voices of the characters and I love the way he read the lines so perfectly. Since Inkheart deals with Meggie so much, I can see why a female narrator was chosen. But I was still disappointed. I got used to it with most of the characters but I kept having to repeat every line Fenolio said in my head to hear it in the voice Brendon had given him.

Seriously, though, this series is my new favorite. I LOVE the idea of reading people out of stories. I love reading about book-lovers because I can so relate to them. I love the adventures and dangers, the beauty of reading things alive, the beauty of losing things into books and losing books altogether! I love all the little details about how people imagine authors or how some people look after their books. I loved the terror of readers and an author being confronted by his worst creations! As a book person and a writer, that entire part of it had such a comfortable, familiar, enjoyable feel to it.

I loved pretending to be meeting the characters for the first time. When Farid appeared, I tried to be surprised, but ended up just giggling with happiness; like Dustfinger and Meggie, I've got a soft spot for that boy. I loved seeing the adventure unfold before them. Even though I knew the ending (since events are discussed in book 2) I still loved all the little twists and turns that got them there.

And, like Inkspell, I didn't want it to end! I wanted to stay in their world and move into Elanor's house. I cannot wait to dive into the third book in the series and find out what happens next to the characters. And I really want to watch the Inkheart movie, too, though I hear it's not nearly as good as the books.