Inkspell by Cornelia Funke is a beloved fantasy novel that continues the saga of the characters from Inkheart. The novel follows the story of Meggie, her father Mo, and the beloved story book characters who will never be the same. The book has themes of loss, discovery, and home, and is sure to capture the hearts of readers of all ages.
In Chapter 1, “The House in the Spring,” readers are reintroduced to Meggie’s home in the country, and the fact that she now lives there with her father Mo, mother Resa, and the fairies and mythical creatures from Inkheart. Meggie’s aunt Elinor has moved into her home, creating an air of tension in the family. Meggie also misses her friend, Farid, who has been stuck in another book since their last adventure. This chapter sets the scene for the rest of the novel and introduces readers to some of the characters.
In Chapter 2, “The Whispering Meadow,” Meggie and her father Mo are visited by two unexpected guests, Basta and Falk, followers of the villainous Capricorn. At first, both Basta and Falk threaten Meggie and Mo, until Mo can finally convince Basta to spare their lives. Afterward, Meggie and Mo discover the Inkworld, the place from which all the characters of Inkheart came, and find Farid, who Basta and Falk had pulled from the book.
Chapter 3, “Leaves and Dust,” is where the story really begins. Meggie, her father, Farid, and a copy of Inkheart, enter the Inkworld and are soon welcomed by Dustfinger, a fire-eater who had been pulled from that book. They soon set off to find the toymaker, Fenoglio, who wrote the book that contains Dustfinger’s character. This chapter also introduces the idea of the “White Women,” a mythical being who can grant a wish if she is found.
Chapter 4, “The Toymaker’s Village,” begins with Meggie, Mo, Farid, and Dustfinger arriving in the toymaker’s village; a place where all the characters from Inkworld reside. Here they meet the toymaker, Fenoglio, and learn more about the world of Inkworld and the characters they have come to save. They also discover that the White Women was created by Fenoglio and that she is the only one able to change the words of his book - the power Meggie and the others need to get Farid and Dustfinger out of the Inkworld.
In Chapter 5, “The Chalk Man,” Meggie and the others travel to the castle of the Adderhead, the ruler of Inkworld. Along the way, they meet a strange man known as the Chalk Man, who tells them about the creature known as the Shadow, which has been attacking Inkworld and the Adderhead’s army. This chapter also shows readers how far Mo and Meggie’s relationship has grown; at one point, Mo even confesses his own insecurities to Meggie.
The novel’s climactic chapter, Chapter 6, “The Writing Desk,” takes readers to the Adderhead’s castle, where Meggie and Mo must make a deal to save their friends (and the book). They eventually discover that the only way to save their friends is to find the White Women and have her rewrite the book. All the while, they are being pursued by the Shadow, and soon the fate of Inkworld—and their own fate—rests in the hands of the White Women.
In the final chapter, “The Valley of Rats,” Meggie and her friends realise that they can’t defeat the Adderhead without Dustfinger and Farid’s help, so they go in search of them. With the help of a goblin, they are led to the Valley of Rats, where they meet Dustfinger and Farid. But soon, they realise that the White Women has disappeared and that they must now escape the Adderhead’s army. With Mo’s knowledge of the area, they manage to make it out alive.
In the epilogue, “The House in the Winter,” Meggie has been reunited with her family and friends in her home in the country. She, Mo, Resa and Farid are safe, and the characters of the books are returned to where they belong. The story of Inkworld, Inkheart, and Inkspell have come to an end, and all that’s left are the memories of the characters, their adventures, and the love they have for one another.
