From the very first page, I was drawn into the world Funke created--a world where stories literally come to life when they are read out loud. I wanted to live with Mo and Meggie as soon as I came across this passage: "Meggie tugged him along the corridor so impatiently that he stubbed his toe on a pile of books, which was hardly surprising. Stacks of books were piled high all over the house--not just arranged in neat rows on bookshelves, the way other people kept them, oh no! The books in Mo and Meggie's house were stacked under tables, on chairs, in the corners of rooms. There were books in the kitchen and books in the lavatory. Books on the TV set and in the closet, small piles of books, tall piles of books, books thick and thin, books old and new. They welcomed Meggie down to breakfast with invitingly opened pages; they kept boredom at bay when the weather was bad. And sometimes you fell over them." (pp. 3-4) It sounds like a book lover's paradise, all these mountains of books.
However, the story failed to engage me on many levels. I suspect that, had I not seen the movie first, I would have enjoyed the book more. Typically, I read a book and then see the movie, and that way, I am able to enjoy both. In this case, seeing the movie first hindered my enjoyment of the novel because a lot of the suspense was taken away. However, I am curious to find out what happens to Dustfinger, so I will probably read the sequal.
I give this book a C.
7 years ago
