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Inkdeath: Inkheart Trilogy, Book 3 (by Cornelia Funke)

common sense media says

Trilogy conclusion satisfies; not as dark as previous book.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that, while the fantasy violence isn't especially graphic, there is lots of it, and references to all kinds of gruesome ways to torture and kill. Booklovers will continue to find much to enchant them, and all readers will enjoy puzzling over questions of fate: Do we have to live the story as it is written?

Educational value: Booklovers will continue to find much to enchant them, including
chapter-head quotes from classic and modern prose and poetry for
children and adults, with a helpful bibliography in the back for those
who'd like to read further.
Positive messages: Beyond the battle against evil, there are deeper questions about the role of fate in this book: Can authors change their creations at will, or are they in some way bound to its rules?
Positive role models: Meggie fans may be disappointed that she is no longer at the center of the action, which has mostly shifted to the adults. Still, Meggie's dad Mo is willing to sacrifice himself to save the kidnapped children, and other characters make brave choices.
Violence: Lots of fighting, beating, killing, and injuries. Intimations of intent to rape. Not much is graphic, but there are references to all kinds of gruesome violence: cutting off fingers (and making them into pipes) and hands, flaying alive, heads on spikes, children trampled, quartering and tearing people apart and feeding them to animals.
Sex: Some kissing, references to lovers, groping under skirts, fondling.
Language: "Damn," "hell," and "bastard" a few times.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Drinking and drunkenness.

More on Inkdeath: Inkheart Trilogy, Book 3

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about the relationship between authors and the worlds they create. Do they really create the worlds, or are they just describing something that exists in some way independent of the author?
  • When an author writes about something, does it become more real? Can authors change their creations at will, or are they in some way bound to its rules?
  • This book is fantasy but does feature some evil villains and gritty violence. Is it easier to read about dark and disturbing things if it's in a work of fantasy rather than in a realistic story?

What's the story?

What's the story?
In this conclusion to the Inkheart Trilogy, Mo, having taken on the role of a Robin Hood-like character called the Bluejay, makes a deal with Death and allies with Violante to try to kill her father, Adderhead, whom he previously made immortal. Meanwhile Orpheus tries to gain wealth and power by allying with Adderhead, and the Milksop and the Piper kidnap all the children in Ombra to force Mo to sacrifice himself. Includes summaries of the first two books, glossary, and bibliography for the chapter-head quotes.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

First, don't even think of trying to read this without having read the first two books in the trilogy. Even for those who have read them, and even with the summaries and glossary provided, it can be confusing, what with a hundred or so named characters and numerous criss-crossing plot lines. While fans of Meggie may be disappointed that she is no longer at the center of the action, which has mostly shifted to the adults, series fans will find the same virtues (and vices) here: a big fat book with lots of action and gritty violence (though it's not as dark as Inkspell), skipping around among characters and plotlines, and plenty of imagination and description.

As with the two previous books, there's not much narrative discipline, and the editing is flabby. But readers who have made it this far won't care about that, and some may even prefer it that way. Booklovers will continue to find much to enchant them, including chapter-head quotes from classic and modern prose and poetry for children and adults, with a helpful bibliography in the back for those who'd like to read further. And although this is the end of the trilogy, Funke has left enough plotlines open to continue the series, if she chooses. Inkwar, anyone?

Book themes & details

Book Details
Author: Cornelia Funke
Publisher: Chicken House
Publication date: September 6, 2008
Number of pages: 683
Hardcover price: $24.99

This review was written by Matt Berman
 
 

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What parents & educators say

13

Most useful reviews by all members

mrsginnypotter1237
kid, 13 years old
 

wizardortitan
kid, 10 years old
 
Third and final book and series is up there with Inkheart!
This story receives a full five stars and is at the same level---if not better---then Inkheart! RECOMMENDED!

 
Good, book just for children older than twelve.
This book was very well written, however I would suggest that if you read it you are above the age of twelve, here's why: Some of the content, such as violence, mild-swearing, and some situations are inapropriate for younger readers. For example: There is a little more violence in this book than in the rest of the series, and the bad guys just keep achieving a new height of badness. Now keep in mind I like this book, I'm not suggesting that nobody should read this it, I'm just saying that you should be above the age of twelve before you pick it up and flip through the many pages of Inkdeath.

Xiuhcoatl
kid, 13 years old
 
................

Megumi Yosei
teen, 13 years old
 
Alright...a bit of a letdown, though
This book was okay. It was extremely dark, so you may want to watch for that. And there was tons of cussing, which every now and then it's okay (sounds like what real people would say) but it kind of gets excessive and annoying. Meggie and Farid are kind of have a relationship which I don't really like, kind of takes away from their characters. (but Mo an Dustfinger are still awesome :D) So I kind of recommend it if you read the first two.

areoshopper
teen, 13 years old
 
BORING!!!!!!!!!!!
this book is lame it was soooooo boring i couldn't even finish it. There is a lot of dead people and killing i think the author had writers block in this book.

Christian_girl
teen, 17 years old
 
Drama! Adventure! Romance! Action! Brilliance!
I just finished this book today and let me tell you, it was COOL! This is a great book, even more so than the others in the series, but I will warn you that this is not for children. There is little description in the worst parts but there are some pretty "ugh" areas of the book that little kids probably shouldn't read. Some things are just brief references of things such as a plan to kill a man and turn his skin into paper (he would've done it too!) or a woman having a crush on a married man. Other things are shown, without any really gory detail or sometimes no detail at all, like children being trampled by warhorses. This is a rough book. All that aside, this is a must-read for teens and adults. It has a brilliant, at times hard to follow, storyline as well as an amazing, detailed, but not too detailed, narration... thingy. One more thing: commonsense is wrong. This book is much darker than the last.

orange20
kid, 13 years old
 
Great book!
i'm still reading this book, and its great!! But mabe not for people who dont like violence in books.

I love the ...
teen, 14 years old
 
Geared towards teens
Excellent! This book is filled to the brim of imagination. It is also action packed throughout. There is some swearing and kissing but it is nothing too bad. Inkdeath centers on the fact that anything is possible through literature and in the end you won't be able to stop thinking about the characters Ms.Cornelia has created.

tweeni
teen, 15 years old
 
An imaginative book!
this book is NOTHING like its predecessors. it is so much more vivid and imaginative. although Mo is more on the spotlight than Meggie, the effect is still brilliant. the book is descriptive and will give you a full understanding of what is going on. the only things i would watch out for younger kids is the violence; there is torturing mentioned, although none is actually inflicted; and meggie is caught between two boys that she both likes. other than that, a very good book!

carleighskates
teen, 15 years old
 
Inkheart
I loved it its an AWESOME MOVIE!

Bowler Hat Guy
teen, 14 years old
 
The last book falls short of good wholesome reading
There is so much gruesome gruesome being key word here violence and peril including death of children and kidnapping of children. Mo and Meggie make smart decisions but honestly this book is so full of sex!!

 
My favorite author and book of all time! The best I have ever read!
This is a must-read book. If you like Cornelia Funke, you'll love this book. It has such suspenseful qualities to it that you just want to skip to the end, but know it will ruin it. It keeps you waiting until the next time you open it. Hard to put the book down. There is OK language, just OK, barely. Lots of violence, but not SOO fierce. I'll admit, if you haven't read Inkheart or Inkspell, this will make no sense what-so-ever to anyone. A lot of characters to remember, and places, and names. I made the mistake of waiting until the next year to finish the series, and had to reread the first two books. There is too much to remember for a long amount of time. Lots of magic, but it never bores you. I love the series, and was SOO sad when I finished Inkdeath because it's the end of everything. A lot of things were left open, so I want Cornelia to write another, but as it says, Inkdeath is the final book. Anyone who has a great imagination, loves adventure, suspense, and edge-of-your-seat fun, awesome book! I love the book and encourage anyone eligible to read it. Awesome on SO many levels, and the best book I've ever read by far!

 
Anxious to know the ending but wishes it never ends.
I also like the chapter-head quotes. The characters aren't described that well and bits of their description are found throughout the chapters. At first you have an image of them until the color of their hair is specified and your whole image changes. The story, however, is very creative as every character plays a different yet interesting role. Funke has a wonderful imagination and readers are bound to fall in love with characters. I just finished Inkdeath right now and I recommend it!

malloronie11
teen, 17 years old
 
I love the entire book!!!!
I t is a must read book!!!!!! it has a wonderfull plot and whene you read it it feels like you just wish you could go inside the the book itself .the one thing is meggie makes a retarted desicion at the end

Inkweaver
teen, 13 years old
 
The last and exiting book of the series!
I found that the series were a blast! You can relate to characters in the book, like the heroine Meggie, her protective father Mo, Elenor the book lover! The third and last book shows more of the dark side of the Inkworld, there are a couple of death scenes but the author doesnt go into a deep explenation of how it happened. The book is very exiting and each chapter finishes on a cliff hanger. I really adore this series, it's full of magic, dark magic and adventure. I recomend this book, but not to the younger kids because they do swear a bit in the book, and the book revolves around darkness BUT the heroes in the story are determined to make things better in the Inkworld!

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