Igraine The Brave

Read this one to my not-quite-5yo. I liked the concept more than the execution. Maybe it's the translation? Or maybe it's that the erstwhile girl-knight is still trained by a male knight, who rescues female princesses, from male villains. And all the magical creatures and animals were pretty much all gendered male, unnecessarily IMO. [return][return]But Igraine herself, and her relationship with her older magically adept (mostly) brother, is quite charming. And a lot of the details (like the neighboring noblewoman's penchant for spicy mead) were charming.

Cornelia Funke, despite living on a different continent, has a great deal in common with Shannon Hale (see other reviews); she writes bright, ambitious young women as central characters, usually heroines, and gives them marvelous adventures in which to prove and build themselves. You may know Funke from her wonderful Inkheart and Inkspell novels, but in this shorter, younger book, we find a simpler, sillier and utterly charming story. Igraine, like many of the young readers who identify with her, wants to be a knight -- an urge which, even as an adult, I totally understand, because who doesn't want to ride a charger and be able to wield a sword? Remarkably and delightfully, she succeeds in both familiar and unexpected ways. This is the show more perfect novel for readers who might be a little young for the darker themes of the Ink books, but still want to experience fantastic characters and adventures. show less

Igraine the Brave provides a fun and offbeat twist on the classic knights defending a castle tale. Igraine serves as the young knight. As the defence of her family's home falls to Igraine and her brother, there are plenty of opportunities for family dynamics and self-realization to provide depth to the imaginative, fairytale elements. Funke's own illustrations are an essential part of the story telling.

Cute children's book. Her parents turned into pigs due to a magical accident. Igraine needs to go get the ingredient needed to turn her parents back as their home is under threat. Igraine meets the sorrowful knight and he becomes involved in protecting Igraine and her family.

Read this one to my not-quite-5yo. I liked the concept more than the execution. Maybe it's the translation? Or maybe it's that the erstwhile girl-knight is still trained by a male knight, who rescues female princesses, from male villains. And all the magical creatures and animals were pretty much all gendered male, unnecessarily IMO.

But Igraine herself, and her relationship with her older magically adept (mostly) brother, is quite charming. And a lot of the details (like the neighboring noblewoman's penchant for spicy mead) were charming.

Narrated by Xanthe Elbrick. Twelve-year-old Igraine longs to be a courageous knight of honor but for now she's just a twelve-year-old practicing to be a knight. Her courage comes to the test when, after her magician parents accidentally turn themselves into pigs, the castle comes under siege by Greedy Osmund who is intent on acquiring the magicians' magic books. On a quest to get strands of a giant's hair to help change her parents back, Igraine meets the Sorrowful Knight. Together the two are instrumental in saving the family castle from Greedy Osmund. Although I found the magicking a little too plot-convenient at times, I did enjoy narrator Elbrick's lively interpretation. Her British accent gave the story extra-medieval flavor!

Igraine dreams of being a famous knight like her great-grandfather, but castle life is boring. Until the nephew of the baroness-next-door plans to capture the castle for their singing spell books. At the moment of the siege, her parents mistakenly turn themselves into pigs. Aided by a Gentle Giant and a Sorrowful Knight, Igraine must be brave, and save the day -- and the books.