Just So Stories

October 2024

ISBN: 9781915947611

Scholastic Australia

Publisher:THE CHICKEN HOUSE

RRP: $20.00

For the past four nights I’ve been happily immersed once again in the world of Inkheart. I really find it hard to believe it’s been 20 years since the publication of Inkheart, and our introduction to Mo, Meggie, Dustfinger and all the glittering and fascinating array of characters and creatures they encounter.

Now it’s five years on in their lives and all are living in Ombra, happily and with great contentment. But far to the north in a place called Grunico, Orpheus Gemelli is plotting a revenge on Dustfinger. He is convinced that the Fire-dancer has callously rejected his friendship, and patently dismissed the great service Orpheus performed by returning Dustfinger to his own world.

Though Orpheus is, himself, from the other world he has made this one his home. But he has fallen low in social standing and in terms of money. Notwithstanding, he is willing to pay anything to contrive a satisfactory revenge and seeks the evil magic of the malicious Shadow Weaver. And then proceeds to wreak that revenge on all whom Dustfinger loves.

What follows is a quest by, first and foremost, the loyal friends of Dustfinger and his circle – his wife Roxane, Mo, Resa, Meggie, and more – to rescue the hapless victims, and to save Dustfinger from the same fate.

Orpheus is the kind of villain who is wicked because of his innately weak nature and lack of moral fibre. There are others who are cruel and vicious simply because they take pleasure in it, like the Shadow Weaver, Rinaldi and Grappa. And then, there are those who are really on the side of ‘good’ but still dangerous and unpredictable, such as Volpe and Civetta, shapeshifting Women of the Woods. By contrast, Nyame, the Black Prince, and Lilia, are pure of heart and, intrinsically, wholly good.

It is, as you would expect, quite convoluted and intricately plotted. The magic, both good and bad, is ruthlessly executed and will make the reader gasp aloud at times. There are moments of despair and there are moments of pure exhiliration. And while, as it should be, there is a satisfying resolution, there is also an unsettling suggestion that there could still be more to come.

Suffice to say, that if you are (as am I) a dedicated fan of this series, you will love it as will your readers. The re-acquaintance with our familar characters is wonderful, and the introduction of quite a number (some of them very unpleasant) new ones will grip anyone who ventures into the pages.

Just seeing these in their stunning new dresses is a thrill. That art just begs for the book to be picked up.

Like its predecessors, it will be read and re-read, and not only enjoyed each time, but that enjoyment will deepen with more understanding of the many-layered themes of loyalty, truth, moral strength and compassion.

I just loved it so much it was hard to come to the end. It gets a big 5 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 rating from me [because Dustfinger is my favourite of course!] for astute and capable readers from around 9/10 years old.

Shortly after the novel was published, author Cornelia Funke sent a copy of Inkheart along with a note to Brendan Fraser, explaining that he was her inspiration for the character of Mo.

So I get this book. It shows up in the mail. ‘Dear Brendan,’ it’s inscribed, ‘Thank you for inspiring this character.’ I can feel my leg getting pulled already. ‘What? Where’s Ashton Kutcher?’ ‘I hope that you get a chance to read this aloud to your kids one day. Best wishes, Cornelia Funke.’ I had no idea from a bar of soap who she was, so I Googled her. Wow, so much work, she’s prolific. I think part of the story is that a little girl who was bilingual, I think she was a Brit but she spoke German fluently, had discovered a copy of Tintenherz which she loved and read, and wrote to either it was Cornelia or the publisher and asked why isn’t this published in English? And I think Cornelia probably wanted to know the answer to that question too. So once it was, it just became a snowballing thing and then that really got her out there and led to the acclaim and popularity of her work.