Reckless in Into the Forest

Jan 08, 2012 Kate Forsyth rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-fantasy

I’m a big fan of Cornelia Funke’s work and am always excited when a new one appears on the market. I enjoyed this immensely, due to the fairytale feeling which is increased by the key characters being boys named Jacob and Will. I cannot say that I adored it, though. I think this is because a lot of action happened offstage and because we didn’t have enough time with the characters to really connect with them. I’d have liked more of everything – more action, more magic, more mystery and more char ...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Michele rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fantasy, fairy-tale

I really liked this book.

I am something of a Cornelia Funke fan; I absolutely loved The Thief Lord, but I really didn't know what to make of this book as I began it. I hadn't heard anything about it. I bought it solely on the name Cornelia Funke.

It begins with some usual fairy tale conventions, in this case a magic mirror and a missing person. Next, a magical injury to a dear one--a brother has been attacked and is turning slowly to stone. There is a fair lady and a shape-shifting girl, a ques I really liked this book.

I am something of a Cornelia Funke fan; I absolutely loved The Thief Lord, but I really didn't know what to make of this book as I began it. I hadn't heard anything about it. I bought it solely on the name Cornelia Funke.

It begins with some usual fairy tale conventions, in this case a magic mirror and a missing person. Next, a magical injury to a dear one--a brother has been attacked and is turning slowly to stone. There is a fair lady and a shape-shifting girl, a quest, and of course some fairies. To complete the fairy tale theme, the main character and his brother are named Will and Jacob! I wasn’t sure how I felt about this predictability at first.

However, I quickly grew intrigued with the main character, Jacob. Most of his story from the time of the prologue until the current action of the book is only hinted at—daring adventures that left him at the mercy of fairies and gave him the gratitude of an empress. We hear snippets of his forays into love from one who finds herself surprised to be jealous. We witness the manipulative magic of a world that can twist love into something altogether different.

Jacob’s relationship with his brother is surprisingly complex considering we barely have a chance to know Will as he is turning rapidly to stone. Jacob doesn’t tell his fellow characters a lot about himself, but his relationships with those characters, and the thoughts he shares with the reader makes him nearly three-dimensional. Jacob’s motivations and personality traits are slowly revealed in the story as we follow the complicated machinations of not only Jacob, but also the warring parties his brother is stuck between.

I grew to love Jacob. I wanted to know more about him. I wanted to see him succeed. Most importantly, I want him to show up in another book so that I can find out if he can fix the problem he was left with at the end of this book!

I also liked the magical world in which this story takes place. I am not fascinated by it; it is not anything I have not come across before. However, it is unusual in that not everything is explained. Not all the mysteries are solved. It is not easy to chose a side among the warring parties. There are weird, jarring juxtapositions between the world Jacob is from (our world, theoretically), and this world. The ending is not neat and wrapped up. I want more.

There are a few allusions to beds and spending the night and love which will unfortunately probably keep it out of my elementary school library. I would recommend this book for middle school students or anyone that enjoys a quest, some dark and dangerous fairies, or a glimpse into a world where our fairy tales might have originated.
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Oct 17, 2010 Danyelle Leafty rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: bookshelf

My favorite by Cornelia Funke by far. I loved the world and how the Mirror World was like a fairy tale land trying to catch up with the real world. The fact that there was a railroad as well as pistols felt a little strange, but I loved the connection between the moth and the faeries' magic. And the language was luscious. Perhaps the most powerful thing about this book was the way it resonated within itself. There is a minor amount of swearing. ...more

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