Cornelia Funke

‘’Fairy tales break all the rules of a good story and yet they find such powerful images for the deepest human emotions and fears that we sense deep layers of meaning in a poisonous apple or the grueling setting of a gingerbread house, and more truth than a thousand words would grant.’’

The beautiful front cover invites us on a journey through tales from all over the world that narrate the stories of fierce heroines who grasp their destiny be being clever, resilient and true to show more themselves. Following a beautiful introduction by Cornelia Funke, we travel from Russia to Vietnam and from Germany to Japan where we meet clever girls who are loyal to their principles, brave young men who aren’t afraid to follow their instinct, cunning helpers, strange creatures and evil characters who set impossible tasks to the youth. Each tale amply demonstrates why we love fairy tales, why the stories of old are vital to understand our modern world and become better human beings.

The Boy Who Drew Cats: A boy turns his vocation into a true gift and saves a temple. A beautiful tale from Japan.

Kotura, Lord of the Winds: A well-known Siberian tale about the Lord of the Winds and the girl who became his wife. I first read this story when I was eight or nine in an issue of the beloved Classics Illustrated and I remember I was so impressed with the bravery and kindness of the heroine. Reading it again brought me back to my childhood, a time filled with fairytales and magic.

Through the Water Curtain: A tale of a young man who was once a monk and destined to become a sacrifice. A strange story from Japan.

The Areca Tree: A Vietnamese tale about twin brothers and a brave young woman who loved them both.

The Maid of the Copper Mountain: A tale from the mineworkers in the Urals that narrates the adventures of Stepan and the beautiful woman of the Copper Mountain.

The Tale of the Firebird: Who doesn’t know this beloved tale from Russia? Who hasn’t admired the immortal Nureyev hypnotizing the audience in the ballet version by Igor Stravinsky? Ivan Tsarevitch has to fulfill Herculean tasks to capture the Firebird. Baba Yaga, Koschei the Immortal, the horse with the Golden Mane, the vast wealth of Russian tradition.

Bluebeard: The well-known, sinister French tale of a strange man, seven unfortunate women and the young wife who is in danger. I rather liked the writer’s connection between Bluebeard and Gilles de Rais, one of the most notorious (...and most fascinating, I would add…) noblemen. My grandmother told me this story when I was nine. I mean, talk about weird families....

The Six Swans: The classic German tale of Eliza and the six swans by the Brothers Grimm in a haunting rendition.

Golden Foot: A bloody tale from France with definite pagan undertones.

The Story of the One Who Set Out to Study Fear: A young man goes on a quest to discover fear. This one was boring, irrelevant to the overall theme of the collection and, frankly, badly written.

The Frog Princess: I had previously read this Ukrainian tale but the protagonist was a Mouse princess. In this version, three brothers shot arrows to find wives. The youngest prince is obliged to marry a frog and all sorts of strange things start happening.

The One-Handed Murderer: An Italian tale of a young woman who fights a dangerous man.

The Girl Who Gave a Knight a Kiss Out of Necessity: A Swedish tale of women teaching a lesson to those who think themselves superior.

I was intrigued by this collection. I loved the writer’s voice at the end of each story, explaining the origins and the inspiration behind each tale, paying homage to the cultures that created them. However, there were two issues that troubled me. Two subjective issues, mind you, but I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t include them in my review. First of all, what is this narcissistic obsession with the writer’s novels? I was tired of reading how this tale or that influenced her Reckless series. I am not interested in your YA works, dear writer. On the unlikely occasion that I get a brain transplant that will change my personality completely, I will read your novels. I don’t care about your self- congratulatory putting on the shoulder.

In addition, I was almost insulted by Funke’s vicious remarks on Christianity Vs paganism. It goes without saying that you may support your new-age convictions to your heart’s content- because you’re trying to be fashionable- but offending the readers who actually believe is hardly civilized. I don’t like being preached in favour of one thing is another and I don’t respect the ones who don’t respect me. If Funke doesn’t respect worldwide beliefs, I don’t respect her atheism. I’m sorry but respect goes both ways. Shall we go again and sacrifice each other? Thank you but I’m out.

I suppose, nay, I am certain that these observations are merely my personal gripes but I’ve learned to stick to my principles. Isn’t this what fairytales are about, after all? This collection is an obligatory read for the ones who love fairytales and folklore. If only the writer were as wise and down-to-earth as the heroines of these tales…

Many thanks to Pushkin Press and Edelweiss for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com show less

Meggie's father, Mo, is *very* good at reading aloud. So good, in fact, that he can read things right out of books. This isn't always a fun or good thing, though, as Meggie discovers when a mysterious man shows up on their doorstep in the middle of the night and sends them all on a dangerous adventure. I *love* books that are about both the everyday magic of books and reading (books can transport you to other worlds,...) and also about books and readers actually being magic, and this one is show more at the top of that list. The main characters clearly love books in a way that makes me love them both, and the author, too, does a great job of sharing that same love. Definitely recommended. show less

In the first book of the Inkheart trilogy, we are introduced to Mo, an unassuming book-repairman, who lives alone with his precocious 12-year-old daughter, Meggie. Their lives are disrupted one night when they meet a mysterious man named Dustfinger, who comes to warn them of a villain named Capricorn chasing after them. As the story unravels, Mo's past becomes clear: he has a secret gift for bringing words to life, literally, when he reads aloud. With the help of a surly Aunt Elinor, show more Dustfinger, and a boy brought straight out of Arabian Nights, Mo and Meggie face down Capricorn - one of the greatest villains come to life.

I admit I was surprised when I read that so many reviewers disliked this book, until I read them. For me, the book was utterly charming - combining a great love of reading, the magic of them made manifest in this fantasy world, and the inclusion of quotes from some of my childhood - and adult - favorites (Peter Pan, Lord of the Rings, and so many others. The metamessage, of course, is that reading is powerful and can bring things to life - in this case, literally. But the inclusion of these quotes brought things to another layer. They aren't just sequestered above the chapters, but brought into the chapters itself. The effect was that it felt real.

Take the character of Fenoglio, who wrote the in-book Inkspell and who initially marvels at his characters brought to life. He progresses through the book and becomes their captive and realizes how terrifying and real the villains are - no longer his creations, but something more. There's some interesting things in there about the power of a creation over a creator, and maybe a wink and a nod to the famed old chestnut authors invoke when they "didn't know a character would do that". But it also takes the reader away from "these are characters in the book" to a genuine uncertainty and fear, which is of course, what good fantasy should do.

Most of the reviews mentioned that they hated the "padding" thrown in, and initially I could see this problem. However, it makes sense within the context. We are used to books that are tightly plotted, with the action barreling along a single track, proceeding with twists and turns but always leading to the end in one line. This book is not like that. The book meanders and turns - Meggie is captured, then escapes, then captured again. An ordinary book would shake its head and claim the second capture was unnecessary. Or the first.

However, read this book in its context: it is meant to be read aloud. It is not a book in the traditional sense, but a story. Imagine a child begging to be told a story. You begin with your characters and put them in an exciting scene, then they escape. The next night you tell of their heroic strides across a dry landscape infested with snakes and with the threat of discovery looming over them. The next night, the villains encounter them again! They're subdued and your heroes make it home.

But that's not the end of the story - because there's the next night before bed, and the night after that. The book meanders and turns sharply because it's meant to mimic that oral tradition, particularly within the context of telling a story to a child before bedtime.

In that respect, the length becomes absolutely brilliant.

It's unconventional, and I certainly don't blame people for finding that approach not to their taste, but for those of you who do, read this book. You won't be disappointed. show less

Definitely the best of the trilogy, this book provides an exciting and satisfying conclusion. The most interesting conflict for me was not between the Bluejay and the Adderhead, but between Fenoglio and Orpheus - two authors dabbling with the power to manipulate the story through writing their own endings. The extent of that power still remains vague by the end, as does the question of how 'real' the Inkworld is, but in a way that leaves a sense of enduring mystery rather than frustration. I show more recommend this book with caution however, since this is certainly the most adult of the three. Scenes include a man "fondling" a housemaid on his lap, another submerging himself in a bathtub of fairy blood, and a once-pacific hero who now kills almost casually, among other things. I was chalking it up to the author's German origin possibly suggesting different mores for children's literature - although upon reflection, this isn't much worse than what's encountered in similar books for this age group (e.g. Brian Jacques' Redwall). show less