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Inkheart Review
Inkheart
by Cornelia Funke
Inkheart tells the story of a father and daughter on the run and protecting a book from an evil overlord of sorts. It turns out the father has the uncanny ability to bring what he reads to life, but at a price. The overlord wants this power to become even more powerful, and cull a few friends from the book the father originally read the overlord out from. Twists, turns, and betrayals await.
Inkheart makes itself interesting from the cover flap. Who wouldn't want to read a story about the characters of a book accidentally coming to life in the real world thanks to some unexplained magic? It harkens back to the feeling of childhood where you thought the world be so much better full of fairies and magicians and other mystical beasties. The Neverending Story was a perfect example of that childhood dream fulfilled. So with these thoughts in my head, I quickly grabbed a copy of Inkheart and started reading.
And after thirty pages, lost in my trunk for four months. What a dull book this started out to be. But, I recently pulled it out of the trunk purgatory and began again. Afterall, I hated the start of Harry Potter originally. I could care less about the real family. I want wizards and magic.
Over my vacation I finished Inkheart after much struggling. The book suffers most from what seems like 100 unnecessary pages. About 300 pages in, the story just floats there as you're retold over and over again why certain characters are acting the way they are. The ideas presented to the reader are never fully realized. There is no major payoff to the idea of books coming to life. Sure it happens, but it's all very minimal and easy to predict.
At about 300 pages in, however, you're also invested enough to finish reading the book. You only have 200 pages to go afterall. May as well get through it. Kids may find it a fun read, especially fans of the fantasy genre, but anyone basing their excitement after reading the book flap are going to be disappointed.
Insta-Snow Big Bag Science Toys Physical Science
Insta-Snow Big Bag Science Toys Physical Science
Returned To Sender
For the four of you that read this, I have indeed returned from San Diego. In a gargantuan feat for myself, I even journaled the entire thing in a handmade journal Amanda bought for me a birthday ago. It's my official travel journal. All wicker and brown. It just seemed like a journal that deserved to travel. And so it has.
Returning from California always has the same effect on me. Complete and utter depression. I love that state. And the more I return to it, the more I realize I'm meant to live the life of a sunny California guy. None of that LA stuff though. I don't need the smog.
I'm hoping to get the journal up in the next few days, adding thoughts on situations now that I'm back. It was mostly all bullet lists and random thoughts after the first day. Eight hours of walking tends to take it out of you.
But, and I want to talk about this now, as I noticed at the end of everyday, I WAS able to walk for 8 hours and not feel even remotely affected by my MS. I was tired, as everyone would be after wandering large cities for 8 hours, but I was TIRED. I was even able to fall asleep on either half of my Ambien dosage or none at all. People would have thought it was an all new Mike. And, it was. I was at peace for the first time in months. I was able to read books and feel alone.
And that's made me realize I need to make some changes as soon as possible. I'm looking into applying at some art schools in California. It's time. I hope I can pull it off. I'm going to miss my friends desperately if I go, but I think it may be the best thing for me.
And if not, I come back. My other option is moving down to Chicago and getting my Masters from Columbia. Quit my job. Sell my car. Just go be a part time working artist somewhere. It's a possibility.
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