Inkdeath (Inkheart Trilogy #3) by Cornelia Funke, Allan Corduner (Read by)

From the Publisher

The masterful conclusion to the epic, award-winning, bestselling INKHEART trilogy by internationally acclaimed author Cornelia Funke.

The Adderhead--his immortality bound in a book by Meggie's father, Mo--has ordered his henchmen to plunder the villages. The peasants' only defense is a band of outlaws led by the Bluejay--Mo's fictitious double, whose identity he has reluctantly adopted. But the Book of Immortality is unraveling, and the Adderhead again fears the White Women of Death. To bring the renegade Bluejay back to repair the book, the Adderhead kidnaps all the children in the kingdom, dooming them to slavery in his silver mines unless Mo surrends. First Dustfinger, now Mo: Can anyone save this cursed story?

Publishers Weekly

This concluding volume in Funke's bestselling trilogy picks up where Inkspell left off, but sputters for a hundred pages filling in backstory. (Even then, an addendum is needed to identify a cast of 114 characters.) The Inkworld, full of dark magic, is under siege; the savagery of the Adderhead and his minions now extends to taking all the peasants' children until somebody delivers, as ransom, the Bluejay, a Robin Hood-style character whose identity has been assumed by Mo, Meggie's father (it was Mo who started all the trouble by reading several villains right out of the book-within-a-book, Inkheart- don't even consider reading this series out of order). The Inkheart author, Fenoglio, now living in Inkworld himself, has turned to drink; the odious Orpheus, when he's not under a maid's skirt, rewrites Fenoglio's work (editors!) to benefit himself. The interesting metafictional questions-can we alter destiny? shape our own fate?-are overwhelmed by the breakneck action, yet the villains aren't fully realized. More disappointingly, the formerly feisty Meggie, barely into her teens, has little to do but choose between two suitors. Funke seems to have forgotten her original installment was published for children. Ages 9-up. (Oct.)

Children's Literature

Translated from German, this 663-page book is the conclusion to the best-selling "Inkheart" trilogy. Funke acknowledges 44 sources that gave her permission to use material from published works, including The Canterbury Tales and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In this imaginative trilogy, characters are pulled between two worlds. Some want to return to the security of the book world; others wish to reside in the dangerous and dreadful existence of the other world. When characters are omitted from a book, they are considered the same as dead unless they are written back in. The world outside of books includes unscrupulous princes with the ability to steal children and place them in dangerous silver mines to work until they die. The book is recommended for ages nine to twelve, however some references appear age inappropriate. For example, one passage refers to "groping under the maids' skirts," while another mentions people being blinded and quartered. In addition, one prince's grandfather has taught him to trust friends less than enemies because there is no such thing as a friend when you are a prince. Included in the book is "An A to Z of Names and Places in the Inkworld Trilogy." The 86 names and places are a boon to the reader since some characters have three or four names. Reading about the poor, sad lives of women and children as well as the miserable lives of friendly robbers and peasants can be depressing. The unscrupulous rulers of the kingdom add to their pitiful existence. The happy ending allows the reader some relief from the misery. Reviewer: Jennie DeGenaro

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8

Cornelia Funke brings her popular fantasy trilogy to a close with this final story (Chicken House, 2008). Meggie, the heroine from the first two books, remains in the Inkworld with her mother and her father, Mo. The kingdom is in chaos: the immortal Adderhead sits on the throne, plunders villages, and steals children to work to death in the silver mines. Mo has appointed himself guardian of these innocents and assumes the identity of the Bluejay as he works to spite the Adderhead at every turn. Dustfinger returns from the dead and teams up with Mo to bring peace to the Inkworld. Narrator Allan Corduner impressively brings the story to life and keeps each of the dozens of characters recognizable. His transition from one voice to another is smooth, and the pacing is good. But at close to 20 hours, this novel is not for everyone. Fans of the series will be disappointed in Meggie's minor role, but will enjoy the series' satisfying conclusion. Library collections where the first two audiobooks are popular should consider this an essential purchase.-Tricia Melgaard, Centennial Middle School, Broken Arrow, OK

Kirkus Reviews

A monumental third installment brings the Inkheart trilogy to a grueling, blood-spattered, mortality-obsessed close. The Inkworld is in disarray: Its author, Fenoglio, has lost his ability to write and, therefore, shape events; the odious Orpheus, however, has taken to recycling Fenoglio's words to control the narrative/world himself. The evil Adderhead, whose immortality was bound into the White Book by bookbinder-turned-people's champion Mo/the Bluejay, finds his body decomposing and demands a new Book; can Mo use the opportunity to end the villain's life altogether? Can Dustfinger come back from the dead? Will Resa's baby be born into peace or violence? Is Meggie falling out of love with Farid? (Thank goodness there's an A to Z of Names and Places!) Where the first volume was thoroughly young Meggie's story, this narrative alternates among a dizzying array of characters, most of whom are adults who betray distinctly adult concerns. While Funke's storytelling is as compelling as ever, the natural audience for this brooding saga seems, sadly, to be teens and up and not the children who so eagerly responded to Inkheart. (Fantasy. 13 & up)

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