Inkheart
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| Inkheart book cover | |
| Author | Cornelia Funke |
|---|---|
| Original title (if not in English) | Tintenherz |
| Country | Germany |
| Language | German |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy, High Fantasy |
| Publisher | Chickenhouse |
| Released | |
| Media Type | Hardcover |
| Followed by | Inkspell |
Inkheart (original title: Tintenherz) is a young adult-child fantasy novel by Cornelia Funke about a girl named Meggie whose life changes dramatically when she realizes that her father, a bookbinder named Mo, has an unusual ability: when he reads aloud, he can bring characters from books into our world. Meggie and Mo's adventure takes them throughout Europe, particularly Italy, and brings them into contact with many unusual characters. (The sequel, Inkspell, was released on October 1, 2005. The third book in the trilogy, Inkdawn, is set to be released in 2007 or 2008.
[edit] Plot summary
In Inkheart, there is a story within a story: Mo originally brought four of Inkheart's characters to life while reading aloud from a novel which is also called Inkheart - Basta, Capricorn, Dustfinger, and his pet marten, Gwin. Dustfinger, a fire eater, desperately wants to return to the world of the fictional novel; Capricorn, the villain of both the "real" and "imaginary" stories, wants Mo (and later, Meggie, who shares her father's unusual gift) to summon an evil monster, a creature forged from the ashes of the murdered known as the Shadow, from the fictional novel; and Basta is Capricorn's right-hand man.
On more than one level, Inkheart is a book about books and the love of reading. Meggie and Mo are both avid readers; Meggie has carried a box of her favorite books with her all of her life. But also, Inkheart references many other works of literature. In addition to the characters from the fictional novel Inkheart, Mo also brings to life a boy (named Farid) who belongs in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights, and makes gold appear from Treasure Island. Meggie's reading causes Tinkerbell from Peter Pan to appear, and she also conjures up the soldier from "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, at the request of the Magpie, Capricorn's mother. Later, at the request of Fenoglio, she also solicits the soldier back.
Fenoglio, the writer of Inkheart, eventually reveals his intentions for asking Meggie to keep the tin soldier. Testing an idea Mo suggested earlier in the novel, he rewrites the original, sad ending of "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," then tells Meggie to read it aloud. The tin soldier returns to the book and has a happy ending. Before Capricorn forces Meggie to read the evil monster out of Inkheart, Meggie invokes the aid of the book's original author to rewrite Inkheart's ending so that the Shadow, instead of helping Capricorn with his evil plans, will destroy him. This plan succeeds. Meggie reads this new ending aloud, the book's author disappears into his own creation, and Capricorn falls dead.
[edit] Characters in "Inkheart"
- Mortimer Folchart (also called Mo and Silvertongue) is a bookbinder who can read characters out of books. One night Mo read from the book Inkheart, bringing to life various of its characters, men named Capricorn, Dustfinger, and Basta. Mo would do anything for his daughter, Meggie.
- Meggie is Mo's daughter, who later discovers her ability to read out characters from books.
- Capricorn is the villain in Inkheart, who is read to life by Mo.
- Dustfinger is a fire-eater, who is read to life by Mo. He betrays Meggie but eventually turns on Capricorn.
- Elinor Loredan is Meggie's great aunt, a bibliophile who later houses Mo and Meggie. When Mo and Meggie appear at her door, she lets them stay there, until they go to Capricorn's town. At the end, Mo, Meggie, and Resa return to live with Elinor.
- Teresa (also called Resa) is Mo's wife, who is was read into Inkheart. She works for Capricorn as a maid until Capricorn is destroyed. Dustfinger knew who she was, but, as revenge, does not tell Mo. It is believed that he was in love with her.
- Fenoglio is the author of Inkheart. He rewrites the ending so that Capricorn will die in the end, and he then vanishes into the book.
- Basta is one of Capricorn's most loyal, chief, and vicious assistants. He and Dustfinger are sworn enemies.
- Mortola, also called Magpie, is Capricorn's mother and housekeeper. She has a strong disliking for Resa.
- Farid is a boy read out of The Book of One Thousand and One Nights, who becomes a devoted partner to Dustfinger.
- Gwin is a marten that belongs to Dustfinger. In Fenoglio's original novel Inkheart, Dustfinger dies, trying to save Gwin from death.
- Darius is a storyteller found by Capricorn. He also has the power to read characters in and out of books. However, he stumbles a lot and the characters come out damaged (such as Resa, who loses her voice).
- Flatnose is another of Capricorn's assistants.
- Cockerell is yet another of Capricorn's assistants.
- The Shadow is the cruelest creature, owned by Capricorn, read out of Inkheart by Meggie. Fenoglio rewrites the story to make the Shadow turn on Capricorn and his men.
- The Steadfast Tin Soldier is read out of his story, The Steadfast Tin Soldier (by Hans Christian Andersen), by Meggie.
- Tinker Bell is read out of her story, Peter Pan (by J.M. Barrie), but later stays behind in Capricorn's village with the other fairies from Inkheart.
[edit] Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
A movie based on the book is scheduled to be released sometime in 2008 by New Line Cinema. Brendan Fraser and Paul Bettany were the first to be signed to the film. Bettany will play the role of Dustfinger, a fire-eating performer, and Fraser's playing the father, Mo. Rafi Gavron is set to play Farid, Jim Broadbent will play the part of Fenoglio, Sienna Guillory that of Resa, Helen Mirren is set to play Elinor Loredan, and Andy Serkis has been cast as Capricorn. Iain Softley will direct the film.[1] In September 2006, a musical of the book was produced in Germany under its German title: Tintenherz. It is playing once again in December of that same year.
