Inkdeath (Inkheart Trilogy)

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Product Reviews

(5 stars) - Still Spellbound
If there was one thing I did not like about the "Inkheart" series it is the fact that I read each book so far apart from the previous one. By the time I got to read "Inkdeath," the final book in the trilogy, it was hard to remember all the pertinent events from the previous two novels, and knowledge of those events is necessary in this series. While "Inkdeath" has a lot of territory to cover in terms of backstory, which initially slows it down, it is a fantastical and fitting end to an incredible adventure.

Picking up where "Inkspell" left off, Meggie and her family are living within the magical fictional world of the novel Inkheart. But all is not well within its pages, as her father Mo has fully assumed the identity of the Bluejay (a Robin Hood like character) which makes him the target of the Adderhead. For even though Mo bound the White Book to make the Adderhead immortal, the book is working as Mo intended it to, not as the Adderhead wishes, and now the king is out for revenge on the man who is slowly killing him. As Mo's life becomes ever more in danger, he places the lives of his friends and families, and indeed all the children of Ombra, at risk as well. Meggie desperately tries to find a way to fix what has gone wrong with the story, but Fengolio has lost his way with words and cannot write anything. And would it even work if he could, for Meggie and Mo are uncertain what is real and what is an illusion inside this world made of words.

"Inkdeath" seems much more grown up than the previous two works as Funke grapples with some serious issues, questioning just how much we can control our own fate. The beautiful thing about Funke's writing is that it pays homage to the wonderful children's literature that has come before it and draws upon a wide array of fairy tale and fantasy elements. At times the plotting seems disjointed and keeping track of the huge cast of characters can be difficult without Funke's A-Z listing at the end of the book. However, "Inkdeath" is a fitting conclusion for the fantastical events begun in "Inkheart". It is a truly unique and magical tale that lives beyond the page.

(4 stars) - Whirlwind of storytelling
I must say this was certainly a satisfying ending to the "Inkheart" trilogy, which has gone from a rather simple story of a father and daughter who make things come out of books to full-fledged high fantasy within the walls of a specific story. Funke has created a rich and wonderful world that is a tribute to the usual fantasy universes (in a good way) that is fairy tale delicious. There are plenty of plots, fascinating characters, and enchanting ideas to keep the reader hooked.

However, many times the book seemed almost too much. Some of the most endearing original characters were all but thrown to secondary status in this chaotic whirlwind of story-telling. Don't get me wrong, it's good storytelling. But there is simply too much, too involved.

Even so, "Inkdeath" is a story that will capture the imagination of prior fans as a worthy ending to a great trilogy.

(3 stars) - InkReview
This book took me a FOREVER to read. I haven't had a book take me more than a week to read in a LOOOOOOONG time! It wasn't because it was bad, in fact I quite liked it. I just read really slow for some reason. I listened to the first two as audio books. I enjoyed the vocal performaces of Lynn Redgrave in Inkheart and Brendan Fraser in Inkspell. Maybe that's it, my brain wanted to hear the book not see it.

As a series, the three books are pretty dark, but this book could be considered the darkest of the three books. A lot of fighting, death, and all around darkness. Also, it gets a bit lengthy and long-winded in places. Cornelia Funke has a wonderful descriptive and imaginative aspect of her writing. Wonderfully well-thought out, however, there is such a thing as too wordy. I guess I just thought some parts could have been shortened or edited out. I can only imagine how hard that is for a writer!

So, on to the book! In Inkdeath, Meggie, Resa, and Mortimer are still trapped in the Inkworld. Farid, Fengolio, and Orpheus are also in the Inkworld. Still mourning Dustfinger's death, Farid has taken up work for Orpheus. Orpheus has promised to write and read Dustfinger back into the story for Farid.

Life and times in Ombra are rough. Most of the men died when Cosimo led them into battle against the Adderhead in Inkspell. Now the Adderhead has the Piper out scouting the children of Ombra for work in the silver mines. He's promised the women that in exchange for the Bluejay (aka Mortimer) he will leave their children alone.

Violante plays a major role in this book, and I really enjoyed finding out more about her character. Meggie finds that the Inkworld might have another boy that makes her heart skip a beat. Heroes are found where you would least expect them. I wont't say too much so I don't spoil the surprise. It was a change of heart I didn't expect, but was glad for.

One thing that I found confusing in the series, that was at it's worse in this final novel, was the multiple names for people. Orpheus, for example, is also called, Cheeseface, Moonface, Four-Eyes, and Milkface. Mortimer is also, the Bluejay, Silvertongue, and Mo. It's sometimes hard to keep them all straight.

Final thoughts...I liked the series. I liked this book. And....I'm glad I'm done with it! I hope that sums it up accurately.

(4 stars) - A brilliant piece of literature in the YA world
Ink Death is a brilliant conclusion to a thrilling trilogy. It is in complete contrast to the first, and more dull novel of the series. This novel is gripping and a real edge-of-your-seat story. Several times throughout the plot, victory does not seem possible. But the constant hope of the characters provide a light in the darkness. The story continues in the Ink World where they go in book 2: Ink Spell. The fantasy world has been thrown into complete turmoil. Dustfinger is dead- having sacrificed his life for that of his apprentice's, Farid. Fenoglio is suffering from his writers block and has lost complete control of the world he created. The Adderhead is still at large, though he is slowly decaying. In Ink Spell Mo poisons the Adderhead's book that is to grant him eternal life. So he lives on in a constant and tormenting, decaying state. So this sets up a main conflict in the story. The Adderhead is searching for Mo so that he can cure the book and get his revenge. Meggie's mother, incidentally, comes to play a more central role in this book. The plot is altogether thrilling and intriguing. Meggie leaves much to be wanted as she struggles with her wants and desires and what she knows to be best. She falls short in the role of protagonist as her father, the Bluejay, Dustfinger, her mother, and even Farid steal the spot light.
Cornelia Funke makes great use of tension and irony in her plot. The over all mood of the ink world is very depressing, and the danger the people are in is very suspenseful. But, when reading the story, I really hold onto the concept of the Black Prince and the Bluejay. I harbor the hope that nothing really bad will happen because they will not let it. The Bluejay, otherwise known as Mo, plays the self sacrificing hero, or the Robin Hood, in the story. Meggie hates that he does what he does and plays this role in which he is in constant danger. She tries to manipulate things to get Mo and her family back into the world in which they belong. Meggie is really the only selfish character in the story, besides the antagonists of course. It is really quite irritating that she cannot seem to set her feelings aside for the good of a whole world of people. Even Fenoglio, who was a selfish old man, gets over his writer's block and puts it to good use when the company is faced with danger from the Adderhead's men. And her attitude is even more frustrating when her father exhibits selflessness when he makes a deal with death in return for Dustfinger's life. Death is the one being not singled out by a story, it remains above all stories, and does not belong to any single world. Death is angry with Mo for binding the book for the Adderhead that makes him immortal, taking power out of Death's hands. Death tells Mo it will send Dustfinger back into the ink world until Spring, and if Mo has not destroyed the book then it will take Mo's life, and his daughter's. This twist in the story adds a sense of urgency to the ultimate mission.
Meggie's mother sets off on her own, with one of the Black Prince's men, to try and save Mo. She has a run in with Mortola, Capricorn's mother, who is very angry that Meggie and Mo killed him in the first story. Mortola has come into possession of some seeds that, when swallowed, turn her into a bird. It is through this guise that she has been following the Black Prince's band as a spy. Meggie's mother kills Mortola and takes the seeds for herself so that she can use them to get around the Adderhead's palace more easily and find Mo, who was captured and taken there. But she is made aware that every time she swallows the seeds she may lose more and more of her human self and give way to this bird form. She risks it to save the ones that she loves.
Through several different circumstances all of the principal characters end up at the Adderhead's palace and the climax begins. Mo and Meggie set off to destroy the book, while all of the revolving characters contribute to the plan. It is at this part of the story at which victory seems farthest, and hope the grimmest. This story is truly well done. It really demands empathy from the reader, and adds such levels of suspense and intrigue that there is never a dull moment in the story line. The characters are magnificently developed and attain personalities of their own as they fight for what is most dear to them, whether it be eternal life, family, freedom to write, or love.

(2 stars) - Disappointing continuation of the series
I picked up these three books last week from my library because apparently the kid in me can't resist YA fantasy. I enjoyed Inkheart. The premise of the novel was great, a family who has the gift of reading stories into life, but the second and third novels were not as engaging. I lost interest when the story ceased to follow Meggie primarily and began shifting points of view more often. This structure of shifting points of view through an omniscient narrator is effective only if handled correctly, and Funke's shifting points of view might have been acceptable if the characters were actually sympathetic. In the final two novels, especially the third novel, however, the characters were annoying; I lost patience with every single one of the major characters. I didn't understand or buy into any of the characters' motivations, even Meggie's. Because I didn't particularly care about any of the characters, I wound up skimming through the third book to find out what happened. At the beginning of each chapter Funke quotes some famous published work; it's too bad that her own books, particularly the last two, don't live up to the quality of the books she quoted.

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