Before starting this book I had never seen the film so I had nothing to compare it to. I read the first third and found the film online and watched up to that point, for interest mainly, but it did reinforce the closeness between the two. I then completed the book and, to date, haven't gone back to finish the film. I wanted to write my review before I did that as I want the review to focus more on the book than the film.
This is a fairy tale. But not one that you would tell to a child. It's way too scary for that. Although the majority of children's fairy tales stem from darker beginnings, they have been watered down over time and, these days, they are more suitable for the younger mind. This one has not and even as a fully mature adult, well read in the horror genre, it had me almost reading behind a cushion at times.
I'm still cutting my teeth with this genre, having resisted it for a long time, so I have no benchmark to compare it with others of the genre but I absolutely loved each and every element contained within this book. The present day story being told is how Ofelia is dragged to live with her mother and her new husband, Vidal, who is awaiting the birth of their son. Ofelia's father having previously died. This part is set in the days of Franco the dictator and Vidal is pitting his wits against the rebel uprising. To say he's a bit of a nasty character would be an understatement but I'll leave you to discover the level of evil for yourself. Ofelia feels a bit left out in all of this as her mother is pretty much bed-ridden due to her pregnancy and she is pretty much left to fend for herself. On her wanderings around the woods she discovers a labyrinth and meets a strange creature therein who tells her an even stranger tale and gives her a book. He talks about Princess Moanna who left her underground home to discover the world above and how her father never gave up on her. Her connection to this story is best left for you to discover as the author intends.
But there is so much more going on in the book. There's backstory inserted to shape and enhance the present as we meet it. There's violence and death, some of it quite nasty and definitely not for the faint-hearted. And there's so much evil. And emotion.
If you've not seen the film and wonder should you read the book first, I'd say yes. I find that often my (overactive) imagination provides something much more scary than anything I see on a screen. If you've seen the film already then, going on the first third I've seen, then the book does add a certain something to that experience.
I'm off to finish the rest of the film now and then probably re-read the book thereafter if I can sneak it back into my tbr. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

One of my most vivid memories of GCSE Spanish is watching in mute horror as the Pale Man bit a faerie in half.

Pan's Labyrinth inspired a fear in me that I don't think I've come across in a film since. It's fantasy, but it's dark. It's twisted. There is only the tiniest sliver of hope woven through the entire thing.

That is precisely what this book is built upon. It's a faithful adaptation of the film, with beautiful imagery that adds to the fantasy. You really get the sense of a faerytale come to life with this - of course Ofelia is the princess. How could she not be? Vidal is every inch the Wolf, hunting his prey through the pages, right to the very last. It's actually (somehow!) darker than I remember - this isn't a children's book, and you could just barely justify it as YA.

I'm a huge fan of this being an adult fantasy with a child protagonist - it takes me right back to when I was a kid, reading fantasy to escape from my world, but has the darker tone that I've come to appreciate from more "grown-up" works. The whole theme of reality being as dangerous (if not more so!) than fantasy is captivating; as an adult I think I get that more than when I watched the film.

To go back to Vidal for second - I think he's probably one of my favourite antagonists, because he's such a bastard. He's razor sharp, Ofelia labels him a wolf, but he's still human, and we all know that humans are the scariest monsters of all. I think the most terrifying thing is that everyone knows someone like this. We all know someone who refuses to acknowledge when they're wrong, who acts only in their own self-interests, and the fact that they can so easily become a villain is horrific.

Mercedes, on the other hand, is my hero. She's truly one of the strongest, bravest, most loving female characters I've ever come across and lemme tell you something - she is badass. There were a couple of scenes that had me quietly cheering alone in my room, and honestly, just pick this up for her alone.

Something I LOVED was the inclusion of the older "faerytales", the myths that build up the world that Ofelia is just now stepping into. The serve to enrich the narrative, adding a whole other layer of depth to the legend of the labyrinth. I think I perhaps need to reread this one to properly appreciate just how seamlessly everything slots together; as it is, I kinda raced through the novel because it was just so. damn. good.

Pan's character has also always confused me a little. I'm never really sure on what his relationship with Ofelia is, and that isn't really cleared up in this novel. However, I think the mystery is a part of the story, so I'm not going to complain too much - the human characters make up most of the story anyway.

(Spoilers for ending now)
The ending is rather bittersweet; my feelings toward it remain the same as they were when I first watched it. I'm always slightly disappointed, as I expected Ofelia to find her "true" happy ending with Mercedes. Of course she deserves the happy ending she gets - that's what the entire novel is about, after all. I just feel that the totally separate land she goes to betrays the bond she forms with Mercedes and her baby brother.

Maybe that's the point, though: fantasy has no place in this reality. Despite all the tales interwoven throughout the book suggesting otherwise, it does seem that magic in our world is dead. To experience true happiness, you must leave this world - all it can offer is pain and suffering, and the inevitable marching of time that means you'll one day be forgotten.
(Spoilers over)

I've gone into Lit student mode with that analysis, I am now realising, and it's really rather bleak. So, in an effort to make this a smidge more cheerful, I will reiterate the fact that this book has magic!! And a happy ending!! And faeries!!

It's a wonderful novel which I read largely over the course of one day - if you're a fan of the film (or fantasy in general) then what are you waiting for? Go get your mitts on a copy of this!!

This is a beautiful and lyrical adaptation of the 2006 movie Pan’s Labyrinth, and builds on the magic of the film to include additional tales and folklore. Deep, dark, and also unsettling, this book also is a delightful and enchanting read, taking the reader into the realms of the Underground Kingdom and its varied monsters and creatures.

Accompanied by beautiful artwork by Allen Williams, the tale weaves its eerie and at times terrifying way around the reader in a manner completely evocative of the original movie. Whether you have seen the film or not, this is a great fantasy read conjured by two masters of their respective mediums. Highly recommended.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, Bloomsbury, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2019/6/30/pans-labyrinth-the-labyrinth-of-the-faun-by-guillermo-del-toro-and-cornelia-funke

Novelisations of movies can be weird things. Some are simply the script with a little more description; others add additional scenes (I have a fondness for the version of Return of the Jedi that gave you a few more glimpses into the Empire and Vader eventually used in the Prequels) but sometimes you get something just as good. If you’ve not seen Pan’s Labyrinth, then you really should – its visually stunning and full of beautiful storytelling and fantastical worldbuilding. However, I can also equally recommend, and this is a rare treat, that this retelling in novel form novel that Guillermo Del Toro and Cornelia Funke have collaborated on is a standalone treat into a brilliant unsettling fairy tale that you can easily read without the movie in your head and find it just an immersive experience..

The story takes place in the Spanish Civil War. General Franco’s troops are in battle with the remaining resistance. In the forest we find the young girl Ofelia travelling with an armed escort alongside her heavily pregnant mother Carmen. Her mother has remarried after being widowed early in life. Her husband is Vidal; a Captain in Franco’s army and now they are being taken to his remote headquarters. Ofelia is already very distrusting of her stepfather (calling him privately the Wolf); she is very worried about her mother’s health and is puzzled to find herself drawn to the Labyrinth where a mysterious and ancient faun tells her she is a missing princess to an Underground Kingdom and must complete a number of tasks to return. Ofelia is about to enter a world where dangers both magical and human will threaten all she cares about while Vidal seeks to gain control not just of the forest and the rebels but also his new family.

What really stands out here is that rather than simply giving us a scene by scene remake of the film in novel form; that instead Funke and Del Toro have opted to recreate the story enriching it with a lot more depth and makes the story that itself is relatively recent now feel a much older mythic tale. A lot of this is the very lyrical narrative where our unseen omnipotent narrator gets to talk to us about all the characters we meet. This is a book that allows you to delve a lot more into the history of each character. I think three characters stood out – Ofelia’s mother Carmen, the housekeeper and resistance aid Mercedes and intriguingly Vidal. In the latter two’s case I really liked the contrast between understanding why carmen newly widowed felt she had to marry again and heartbreakingly her conflicting love for Vidal and Ofelia (both of which are genuine) while Mercedes due to her family ties is pulled towards the resistance; but makes use of being continually underestimated by the troops as she’s a woman. I felt Funke really fleshed out these characters a bit more than they came across in the film and gives the reader a reminder of the difficult ways women were treated back in the 1940’s and how limited their choices were. In Vidal’s case it is slightly more showing you exactly how ruthless and cruel this man has become – he revels in torture, control and power and there is nothing redeeming about him. Every scene you read with him in it hangs with menace and a fear of what he might try to do next as he is more than happy to kill and injure and indeed enjoys scaring his prey. He is a terrifying villain and while we may understand how he got where he is at no point do you see him as much more than a human monster.

The other element were I think the book succeeds is that it is dotted with various tales of the Underground Kingdom and these loosely linked tales sometimes mirror the events we are now seeing in the modern age with Ofelia. Again, Funke’s ability to make these fairy tales both revised for a modern audience yet still sounding as if they are ancient myths is really impressive – you really do get the sense that the current tale of Ofelia is just another chapter in a more ancient magical tale. In the movie there were slight hints to make the tale of the magic appear to be more ambivalent if real or not. Instead Funke I think makes this more firmly fantasy but the bigger question is now if the mysterious and rather too knowing Faun Pan is really on Ofelia’s side or just playing a game for his own wicked ends? Its been a while since I have seen the film so this really made the choices Ofelia makes much more suspenseful to see if good can actually triumph over evil.

It’s a short but very immersive read and I think importantly brings a new dimension to this tale. I also must say the illustrations available in this ARC by Allen Williams really capture the eerie beauty of the original movie very well. I’ve always a huge interest in seeing how tales get retold and what they bring to the reader of today and this is a huge success. I think if you enjoy the work of Neil Gaiman, Naomi Novik and Joanne M Harris then this would definitely be a strong recommendation for you. A tale that is retold hugely successfully!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own and have not been influenced by this opportunity.

This is pretty much a novelisation of the movie that I loved so much! I really liked the way they deepened the story and the characters. It definitely adds a lot to the movie and I highly recommend to read this novel to have a better understanding of the whole. If you're lucky to have not watched the movie yet I'd really suggest reading this first!!

Absolutely beautiful - a spellbinding and classic retelling of Pan’s Labyrinth as a modern fairytale

I'd never seen the film this is based on but was aware of the plot and what happens in it. This book transcribed that to the page beautifully and the story was much like the film, dark and enchanting. The characters were fantastical and realistic and I was thoroughly convinced they could be real people. This has made me want to watch the film due to how good this is!

I loved Pans Labyrinth when I watched the film a long time ago. It really left a footprint on my heart. However the book was even better! It was full of beautiful details and magical stories that I loved. A beautiful picture was painted with in this book and I absolutely loved it! Definitely the best fantasy book I've read for a while.

This is the story of Ofelia, but also of Capitán Videl, his new wife Carmen Cardoso, his men and staff including Mercedes and the good doctor Ferreiro.
The tale informs the reader of each participants role in the story, as it builds to the end. There are many others besides those I just named.
Ofelia is important, but not to everyone. Some just want another, for what they can gain from them. Ofelia can see the world for its magic and its darkness, she knows the world of books.
I saw the film of this book many years ago, twice. When I had the opportunity to read it, I was really pleased. I wasn't disappointed, the book is so much more than the film. The nuances and insights are all there skillfully worked into the story. The sadness is much more tangible, along with the cruelty and the despair. Not to say that it is a miserable book, Ofelia brings hope, and there are bright moments along the way.
I enjoyed reading this book and will seek out other stories by the same authors.

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of Pan's Labyrinth.

I saw the movie around the time it was released, but really only remember it a tiny bit - the mandrake is one thing I remember, and the feeling of darkness, the creepiness. So I can't really compare the book to the movie, but I assume it's practically identical given del Toro was the creator of both movie and book. I also guess the book has more insight into the minds of the characters than the movie.

The book really did capture the atmospheric creepiness and darkness that I remember the movie having, which is great especially considering the book is essentially just a fairytale book. It reads like a fairytale, an anthology of fairytales that wrap around one larger tale winding through the entire book. It does not feel at all childish or anything though, to be clear. This is a dark book, and while I would consider reading it to or with my kids, I wouldn't consider it middle grade by any means. Just google some of the imagery from the movie, consider the book has a line about a man being aroused while killing a woman... yeah it is not made for kids, even if it can be adapted for them.

Ofelia herself reads a bit odd to me, I couldn't help but wonder a few times if this was really one of those stories happening in the characters head but not for real - kind of a Sucker Punch situation (and it does have the same atmospheric feel to it as Sucker Punch). Her reactions seem a touch off, a little away from reality - like sure she is a naive kid who likes fairies and stuff, but she probably should've freaked out a little bit more from some of her encounters than she actually did. I think even my 3 year old would have more emotional reactions to everything that Ofelia went through than Ofelia did. Still, I think in the end it just comes down to Ofelia actually being out of touch with everything, probably as a method of survival and dealing with the loss of her father and the marriage of her mother.

Carmen, oh Carmen, why? I do understand the position she was in, but at the same time, it's not entirely about what she needs to do is it? She in many ways has betrayed her daughter in pursuit of her own happiness, in pursuit of a fairytale of her own. Maddening.

I loved the focus on Mercedes, she was a wonderful character and I really appreciated her. How much internal and external conflict she had to deal with, the things she had to deal with, the things she knew were likely to happen to her no matter what she did. Her position was super dangerous, no matter what choices she made, and her feelings of betrayal and self-disgust really rang true - even if no one could really blame her for what she did. Her perspectives on the place of women in the story, her understanding of why the kitchen women and maids were as they were, she knows what's what.

I really did enjoy this book, it was perfectly dark and atmospheric which I have been in the mood for this year. It had interesting world building, fascinating characters even when they didn't make sense or were thoroughly infuriating. I particularly enjoyed the way the smaller fairytales were weaved throughout the book, tying into the main story in a multitude of ways. I plan to take a look at Cornelia Funk's other works, though I realise they are not exactly the same genre-wise, I liked the writing in this book so want to see more.

I was recommended to buy the film that this book came from about 8 years ago. It’s still unopened, my being put off by subtitles (I can’t sit still..), so when I saw the book had been translated I knew I had to request it.

I absolutely love this book! Adore it! It’s my perfect book, the way the story is told is just magical and it’s going to have a place in my heart. I’m going to have to watch the film now!

My thanks to Netgalley for this proof.

Inspired by the 2006 film, for those who haven’t watched it, Pan’s Labyrinth is set in WW2 Spain. Where a young girl named Ofelia discovers a dense forest and a labyrinth of secrets, which sets her off on a series of tasks to reclaim her place as the missing princess.

Pan’s Labyrinth is one of the first movies I can recall watching as a child. I knew I was too young because Pan and the Pale Man haunted my dreams for years to come after watching it. And this book really brought all that fear back into me. Funke and del Toro have come together and created this dark novel that follows the film while also developing the folklore of the world.

The book rarely strays from the movie, following Ofelia as she moves into a new home after her mother remarries. She’s enticed by the faun that makes everything seem like a page out of her stories. The faun reveals that Ofelia is their princess, reincarnated, who must complete three tasks before she can return home. With her mother barely surviving her pregnancy, and her step father’s cruelty turns darker and darker, Ofelia is swept into a dangerous world that exists within the labyrinth and the world outside her door.

To adapt such a movie into a written story is no ordinary feat and del Toro and Funke really work well together and recraft the narrative to recreate a dark and mesmerising tale. My favourite addition was the interspersed folklore tales that developed the underworld that Ophelia seeks. I was mainly worried about this book just merely rehashing the movie plot, but this story will definitely be a treat to fans and newcomers alike.

Fear, cruelty and death all mixed with a daunting fairy tale. Chapter by rivetting chapter. It is hard hitting reality and fiction brought together by brilliant writing; a book that will stay with you for ever.

A book that sucks you in - slow, and then deep. You fall into the lyrical prose and the book becomes a dream that unspools behind your eyes.
However! I'd argue the film is better. One of those rare cases where the film comes first - and I think in its original language and original vision for being on screen makes that smidge of difference.
If I was to recommend, I'd say see it first, in the Spanish it was written, and then read the book - the true horror of some of the images can't be spoiled by knowing what happens! Then read the book to round out your experience. Recommended for film buffs and people that can't watch movies!

After seeing the movie with David Bowie many, many years ago I was so excited t have the opportunity to read his novel. To start with Much if it was very familiar to the point where I felt I had read the novel before.

The novel was so beautifully written and took the reader down the path of fairy tales, witches and monsters real and otherwise set in the dark period of the Spanish Civil War with all its atrocities.

I heard a great deal about the film, and started to watch it on tv once, but only lasted ten minutes, if that.  Too scary.

The book is also scary, but in a different way.  I felt I knew what was going on, most of the time, even when I didn't like it.  I was scared for the characters, not what was going to happen on screen next.

This book is wonderful. It has del Toro's magic and Funke's amazing turn of phrase. There have been times when I found Funke's heritage from the Brothers Grimm too nasty to consider suitable for children. I don't think Pan's Labyrinth is intended as a children's book. It is too violent, with the violence of war, when terrible things happen: men become monsters just as monsters become... less monstrous.

The captain that Ofelia's mother has married is a monster of his own making, although the way this book is told suggests it might be as much fate as self-determination.  The magic of the book is the way the narrative of Ofelia's adventure in civil-war-torn Galicia is interspersed with legends, or fairy stories, of witches and magic events.  They start as something unrelated, and steadily turn into suggestions of past wickedness where curses have formed the people in the narrative itself. It's as twisted as the labyrinth the Faun, or is it his Fairy, persuade Ofelia to enter.

Despite it tearing at my feelings and making me feel sick at some of the violence inflicted on innocent people, I couldn't put it down. I may not like it, but it's sensational, and I might even read it again.  Brilliant.

This was a fantastic retelling. Pan's labyrinth or El Laberinto del Fauno was a movie I truly enjoyed when it was released.
Knowing this would become a book made me excited, since part of the movie was already blurry in my memory.
I devoured it!
The writing was so spellbinding, truly magical.
.
The format of the book is short chapters which makes it so easy to read, although you would always want to read just one more chapter, hence me finishing the book in basically 4 hours.

A very faithful and whimsical retelling of the film. Cornelia Funke has been one of my favourite authors and I really adored the Inkheart series (which I read in German). I read Reckless, which was a book in another series she wrote, and the first book she wrote in the English-language first. I think that Funke's English has greatly improved from her initial forays into writing in what is not her mother tongue. I think the prose is very beautiful, but not overly complicated, making this a great Middle-Grade/YA read.

Any readers expecting something new and groundbreaking might be disappointed, so I would definitely keep this in mind.

This is a faithful retelling of the film, and while I enjoyed being back in that world and I could picture everything so clearly, I also really wanted some more story about the Underworld. There are some new background stories about some of the characters which was a nice surprise, but I was hoping for just a little more.

However, for fans of the film this is a great read and perfect for a rainy day.

What a fantastic book! I loved the film and when I received an email offering me an ARC of the new novelisation I grabbed at the opportunity. As dark and twisted as the film with the perfect amount of detail added. Absolutely gripping read. I would highly highly recommend!