One thing you can expect
from the remarkable Cornelia Funke is the unexpected! You never know
where her imagination is going to take the story and her readers. I
have to admit to being a little surprised by the book cover of her
latest novel, Reckless. It is scary! But honestly, the cover is perfect for the storyline.
This
novel for tweens begins when Jacob Reckless is 12-years-old. His
father disappeared over a year ago and Jacob still searches his father’s
study for possible clues about where his father went and why. It is
during one of these searches that Jacob discovers the old mirror with
the ornate frame (shown on the book’s cover) is not what it seems; it is
actually a doorway to another place, Mirrorworld, where the mythology
of our childhood fairy tales comes true. A land filled with trolls,
ogres, fairies, witches who lure children with gingerbread houses,
dragons and unicorns.
The novel then quickly jumps ahead twelve
years. Jacob has left most of the ‘real’ world behind and, along with
his shape-shifting companion Fox, has become an accomplished treasure
hunter in Mirrorworld. Things are pretty tense in this parallel land;
humans are at war with the Goyl, stone creatures who are hard to kill
and can turn humans into Goyl with a single injury. Jacob’s brother,
Will, is one of their victims but Jacob learns there may be a way to
save his brother but his quest will be dangerous. Not only will he have
to confront magical-danger at every turn, but the Goyl seem to be
tracking them along the way.
As usual, with Funke, the novel is
extremely well written and fun! But it is also dark with occasional
sexual innuendo making it more appropriate for young teens than the
usual 8-12 year old readers she writes for. ~Patti
