Author Spotlight - Cornelia Funke

In my last (and most popular) post, I gave you guys a list of my favorite authors and books. I thought that I would spend a little more time on some of my favorite authors to really give you the full view of their work. First up, my very first favorite author. This was the author I first named as a favorite when I was younger, but has really held up over the years: Cornelia Funke.Cornelia Funke is a German author who writes fantasy books. Her books are the kind of books that make me want to learn German because if her books are so beautiful when they are translated, I can't imagine how beautiful they must be when read in their original language. She creates these amazing new worlds that I always love falling into. Ever world she creates is totally different, but they are all obviously very carefully constructed. The first book I read by Cornelia Funke was Inkheart.
Inkheart is story about a girl named Meggie, who has grown up without a mother. She lives in a world of books, as her father, Mo, is a bookbinder. They live in a house that has books stacked up to the ceiling in every room. I adore this book, it is still one of my very favorites and I love to return to it every couple of years. The sequels are just as amazing, if not better. Inkdeath is one of the best finales I've ever read in a series. Beautiful finish. These books are for those who love to read, along with those who just want a book that was put together with the utmost care.

   

Inkheart series: 5/5

The next book I read by this author was Dragon Rider. This book is intended for younger audiences than Inkheart was, but it is also a very large book. I think this just shows that Cornelia Funke doesn't underestimate kids. They can read big books, no matter how young they are. I adore Dragon Rider. The world she creates fascinates me, and I fell in love with every single character. I have read this book more times than I can count.

Dragon Rider: 4.5/5

As I continued on my list, I read The Thief Lord. This book takes place in Venice, Italy in the past. It is about a group of orphan boys who follow their brave leader, Scipio. As I was reading the book, I kept thinking that it was odd that Cornelia had written this book that wasn't fantasy, and was actually all very much possible, but she sprung that element of magic on me before I knew what was happening. And the fact that the book didn't all take place in a magical world, but still had that magic in it, was a really nice change.
The Thief Lord: 4.5/5           
(I plan taking this book with me to read if I ever see Venice)

These are just the most highly rated of Cornelia Funke's books. She has also written a children's series called Ghosthunters, a couple of stand-alone books called When Santa Fell to Earth and Igraine the Brave, and one of my favorite fairy tale retellings, Reckless. I am eagerly anticipating a book 2 to go along with Reckless, which will be called Restless. I can't wait! I hope you will read some of these amazing books and that you too will come to see how beautiful Cornelia Funke's books are. Happy Reading!

     

 

“Stories never really end...even if the books like to pretend they do. Stories always go on. They don't end on the last page, any more than they begin on the first page.” 

-Cornelia Funke, Inkspell