I've grown up reading an incredibly wide variety of literature and received these books for my birthday from a friend. The books are good, but the descriptive narrative is reminiscent of Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, in the fact that it really does wander and take quite a lot out of the story. The information and descriptive language is interesting for a while, but the action is what really should drive the fantasy-based story. Inkspell is much better than Inkheart, in terms of the character development and story telling, but the plot jumps around quickly and doesn't take the necessary time to develop. The book would be good for avid readers and thinkers over about 13, as it takes concentration and patience to make it through the ~650 paged novel.

I thought this book by Cornelia Funke was amazingly written. I was blown away by the enchanting descriptions and fell in love with the characters immediately. I personally think this series is better than Harry Potter, and if you or your children are worried that Harry Potter was Satanish or demonic, you needn't worry at ALL about Inkspell. The only major magic I recall is reading things and people into or out of books. Language wasn't really an issue to me; the only two dirty words used weren't overwhelmingly offensive, and they tend to appear in most young adult books. There wasn't anything blasphemous or anti-religious, and the only thing that might bother you are the White Women, or ghosts, that frequently haunt people terminally ill or fatally wounded ... it was, in my opinion, harmless. If you are bothered by wounds or blood, etc., you might not enjoy Inkspell. A character gets shot, but survives, a couple of people get run through with a blade, and there is one brief battle in which quite a few folks die. Ms. Funke doesn't go into unnecessary or brutal description, though. Now for some positive points in the book. In one part a character gives their life for another, which was an extremely loving and selfless act (quite emotional, too.) I think that Inkspell is appropriate for anyone over eight years old, though some of the younger children might get slightly bored or confused. I am thirteen and I adored it, so if you like fiction/fantasy novels you will most likely enjoy it also. It's not like epic fantasy or anything, but it delves very deeply into the realms of character and plot. Inkspell's main idea was basically good versus evil, and there is a clear definition between the two. In this book, good is good and evil is evil. It doesn't praise murder, deceit, etc., in any way. There was no adult content, if you take my meaning, whatsoever. Overall it was a wonderful and exciting novel, and it ended far too quickly!

I loved the first book Inkheart and when the second book came out I was so happy. When I got I read it extremely quick and was extremely satisfied! Everyone needs to read this one!

Don't listen to the critics. Who cares if this book was darker and more violent than the original? It was much better written, and it gave the characters even more depth than they had before. It was fast paced and exciting, and I never lost intrest in it despite its length. The plot was better than the original, and this book has something for everyone. It has suspense, action, adventure, and even romance. There were less lighthearted funny moments than the original, but there were some, and it added to the intensity and the dark feel of the book. It was magnificently written. Who cares if they skipped years in Meggie's life? I think that she grew up at a normal rate, they just skipped ahead a few years in her life because nothing important occurred over those years. Near the end, for me, there were several almost tearful moments involving my favorite characters, but I don't want to spoil the ending so I won't go into those in detail here. I would reccomend this book to anyone who is looking for a good story to read. But make sure you read "Inkheart" first.