New Book: Reckless by Cornelia Funke

Reckless by Cornelia Funke was released pretty much worldwide on Tuesday.  And I missed the release date because, yes, I apparently live under a rock when I am working feverishly away on my own books. 

Book description from the publisher first, which is very unhelpful overall since Funke sells books with her name alone these days (not a bad thing):

Beyond the mirror, the darkest fairy tales come alive. . . .

For years, Jacob Reckless has enjoyed the Mirrorworld's secrets and treasures.

Not anymore.

His younger brother has followed him.

Now dark magic will turn the boy to beast, break the heart of the girl he loves, and destroy everything Jacob holds most dear. . . .

Unless he can find a way to stop it.

If you're looking for happily ever after, you've come to the wrong place.

Excerpt from School Library Journal review:

Funke takes readers on a new adventure into a magical place where the dark side of fairy tales holds sway. Jacob Reckless, like his father before him, escapes into the Mirrorworld, and all is well until his younger brother, Will, follows him in and falls under the enchantment of the Dark Fairy. Through an injury, she turns him slowly into a Goyl, a person made of stone. Jacob is determined to rescue his brother and restore him to himself. Accompanied by his companion, a shape-shifter girl/vixen named Fox, and Will's girlfriend, Clara, Jacob journeys with Will to find the antidote to the spell. With a large cast, including a dwarf, powerful fairies born from water, deadly moths, man-eating sirens, unicorns, and the terrifying Tailor with fingers ending in blades and needles, the story includes multiple fairy-tale motifs as the characters grapple with fear and despair while on their seemingly hopeless quest. The action picks up midway through the book and races to an exciting climax.

From News24:

The new fantasy novel from best-selling author Cornelia Funke, Reckless which goes on sale worldwide this week, is based on her extensive reading of central European fairy tales.

Funke's novels for older children have made her the world's best-selling book author in the German language.

Her new book is loosely modelled on the lives of the Brothers Grimm, who collected fairy tales in the 19th century. The key characters, Jacob and Will Reckless, have the same first names as the Grimms.

"I had to re-read the fairy tales for Reckless, and not just the Grimms' ones, but also other fairy tales from Austria, Slovenia and Hungary which is the approximate locale of the story," she said Monday in an interview with the German Press Agency dpa.

Funke paid tribute to Lionel Wigram, a British film director, saying, "The story of Jacob Reckless is as much Lionel's as mine.

"We discussed and developed each character and every step of the plot for months on end, often for six to eight hours a day.

"For more than two years, we were in contact almost every day and then repeatedly spent weeks on each new version of the story, considering the best ways through the twists and turns," she said.

And, no, I haven't read it yet. And, yes, I am intrigued. Mostly I am happy that a German writer is playing with the Grimms in an unexpected way. That's fun for me and my order for the book has now been placed. (I for once didn't Kindle it because the reviews say the formatting on some illustrations and text are problematic. Besides, the book will arrive just in time not to distract me from finalizing my current manuscript. Always a good thing...)

And here's some trailers and video promos: