Book Review: Reckless by Cornelia Funke

Reckless by Cornelia Funke
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: September 2010
ISBN: 9780316056090
Source: Library (for Cybils)

Jacob Reckless has slipped from his world into the mirror world for years with no real regrets.  But, when his younger brother follows him there, they are met with disaster.  As his brother is being changed by dark magic, Jacob must find a way to reverse the magic, before it is too late for all of them.

Things I Liked:
I really loved the fairy tale aspect of the book.  There were subtle mentions and little parts that felt familiar, because they came from recognizable fairy tales - the magical objects, in particular.  I just loved the way the tales were twisted into the story as if they belonged there.  There was also action and adventure and lots of twists and turns, and no truly happy ending.  There was some of Funke's truly lovely writing as well (though I guess that might be the translator's doing...).  A solid book for fairy tale fans and lovers of Funke's Inkheart books. Some favorite parts:

The night breathed through the apartment like a dark animal.  The ticking of a clock.  The groan of a floorboard as he slipped out of his room.  All was drowned by its silence.  But Jacob loved the night.  He felt it on his skin like a promise.  Like a cloak woven from freedom and danger.  p 1

The second chamber contained Witches' artifacts.  The Chamber of Miracles made no distinction between the healers and the cannibals.  Knives that had separated human flesh from bone lay right next to needles that healed wounds with a single stitch and owl feathers that restored the power of sight.  There were also two of the brooms on which the healing Witches were able to fly as fast and as high as birds, as well as some gingerbread from the deadly houses of their man-eating sisters.  p 345

Things I Didn't Like: 
I read this book for Cybils and all of us agreed it was more suited to an older teen/adult reader.  There was not anything particularly "naughty" but the themes and the way its written seem very mature to me (the characters are nearly all adults, no children).  Jacob is not someone easy to identify with and he's not particularly likable.  Also, mixed in with the lovely writing were some very awkward phrases and sentences.  Kind of hit and miss for me.

Read-alikes:
The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman
Inkheart trilogy by Cornelia Funke

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
a few here and there

mrg-factor: X
some implied

v-factor: ->->->
definitely some action violence and frightening imagery

Overall rating: ****

  Did you like or dislike this one? What about Funke's other works?

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