Wasn't what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed it. I've had a few Cornelia Funke books on my TBR for years now and I am not disappointed that this was my first one. I felt connected to the story, the characters, and my surroundings. I was transported into the pages and I thoroughly enjoyed my adventure. Would recommend.

This book came out 11 years ago so I'm not sure why it's on net galley.
I just feel like there was a whole nother book series before this one. It seems like this book just starts in the middle of another book.

I received an ARC copy of #RecklessIThePetrifiedFlesh from #NetGalley

I hard a very hard time getting into this story. The characters weren't all that interesting and it was hard to keep track of some of the plot. I used to read Cornelia Funke to my daughter when she was younger, and this just didn't feel like something she wrote.

When I first started the book, I thought I remembered bits and pieces of the story. Then I discovered it was the anniversary re release of the series. Funke still has the ability to create such stunning magical worlds, even if I have grown up!

In this first Volume Jacob and Will travel to a hidden world that will test their bond as brothers. Will falls victim to a curse that slowly transforms him into stone and it is up to Jacob to find a way to lift the spell of an evil witch before it is too late!

I was extremely excited to get the chance from NetGalley to read and review this title because I had previously read several of Cornelia Funke's amazing works. If you've never read or heard of Cornelia Funke but really enjoy fantasy and science fiction pick up this book. From the first few pages you will be blown away and drawn into another world.

#RecklessIThePetrifiedFlesh #NetGalley

I received a free eARC of this titled through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I liked this book. It was a fast paced read. There was really only one chapter of prologue before the story takes off. There were some parts that did not quite make sense in the beginning until they were eventually explained. However, this book takes you on a fantastic journey through a world of dark, twisted fairy tales and what happens to the world after those stories die.

The characters were fairly well developed. I did a little research and discovered this was a revised edition of the original novel. The author added more to the character depth and story world, apparently, than can be found in the original. Fox is probably my favorite character. Even though at times she comes off as only doing what Jacob says, she really had a mind of her own and wants to do what she can to protect the ones she loves.

All in all, a good book which I would recommend if you are craving a story with unexpected ending results.

The Reckless 1: The Petrified Flesh
By: Cornelia Funke

Pushkin Press

Pushkin Children's Books

Teens and YA

Publish Date June 8, 2021

#Reckless1ThePetrifiedFlesh#NetGalley

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I gave this book 3 stars. I almost DNF'd it. This was a different than I am used to reading by her. It has a lot fairytales elements to it and I did enjoy that. It was a slow read for me and I started out being lost because I didn't know the back story. I don't know if there is a book before this one with the back story because it would have been helpful.

This story is about two brothers. One of the brother's is a treasure hunter who goes through a magic mirror into a fairyland which isn't all that safe. The other follows him to help with one of his hunt and is somehow poisoned which is causing his skin to change into stone.

He goes up to the mirror and somehow his girlfriend finds him and he pulls her to this world. Jacob the treasure hunter doesn't want her in the land but she refuses to leave Will the other brother. There is a shape shifter who advises Jacob to keep her in the land because she will be needed to both Will and maybe them since she knows some medicine stuff. As you can tell it was very confusing without a back story.

Will is highly valuable and sought after because his skin is turning into a Jade stone. There are a lo of adventures and struggles.

Does Jacob save his brother? You will have to read the story to find out. If you find a book before this I would highly suggust you read that book story first.

2.5 stars

I ADORED Cornelia Funk as a kid, and I strangely felt this book was so familiar.
As I read, I got confused and a little bored, but I still felt that it was familiar, and then I realized I owned this book as a kid, and I didn't enjoy it. However, rereading this and finishing this book made me appreciate the magical and uniqueness this time around -even if I didn't love it.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for giving me a free ARC.

I loved the magical word Funke was able to portray within this book. The characters were very well thought out and enjoyable to read. The story kept me engaged and interested the whole. Being a big fan of fantasy and YA this book was very enjoyable for me to read and I look forward to reading more books by Funke in the future.

I’ve been a big fan of the Inkheart trilogy growing up and at first I was a bit conflicted that I was not going to enjoy Reckless as much. I certainly did enjoy it. I loved how the story was full of magic and I especially enjoyed our main character Jacob Reckless. I enjoyed how eerie and creepy some of the magical creatures Jacob and his brother Will encounter in their quest. I will continue to read the series especially during the fall season. I enjoy reading creepy fantasy books especially during the spooky season. I would definitely recommend this series so my students.

Thank you for providing me with this ARC!

As someone who has kind of moved on from the YA category, I found this story very fun and enjoybale! the writing was great and I loved the characters a ton!

mythology, worldbuilding and a riveting tale of two brothers! I adored it! I wouldn't say it is one of my favorites, but I would definitely recommend to a younger audience!

Thank you to NetGalley, Cornelia Funke, and Pushkin Press for the opportunity to read Reckless I: The Petrified Flesh in exchange for an honest review.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Cornelia Funke, and she is such a joy! I have also read most of her books. Even though I have had Reckless since it came out, it is one of the few I never got around to reading. The English version of Reckless was actually released in 2010, and after seeing the reception of the novel, Funke decided to revise and republish the novel. I compared the pages of this version (English 2021) with that of the 2010 version and not a single page is the same. All the information and the story is the same, though the details and ways the characters are presented and developed are more elaborate.

Jacob Reckless found his way into the Mirrorworld. In this world, he is a treasure hunter for fabled items, such as a glass slipper or Rapunzel's hair, and holds company with a shapeshifting girl named Fox. When his younger brother, Will, finds his way into the Mirrorworld as well, Jacob must put his alternate fantastical life on hold. Will gets attacked by Goyl, human-like beings with stone skin. The Goyl were cursed by a Dark Fairy (that Jacob happens to know), and when Will starts becoming a Goyl, Jacob must find a way to revert the curse that is turning his brother into one of the stone people.

Clara, a friend of Will's, also finds her way to the Mirrorworld and joins Jacob on the quest to save his brother. Along the way, they must avoid more Goyl, make the right deals with the right beings, and be very careful how they approach a situation, lest they be killed or become Goyl themselves.

This is a fantastical journey that could be find for middle grade or high school readers. There are a few bits of older teen content, though the whimsical magic and fantasy of the book almost has a bit of a Narnia feel to it that will take its readers on a fantastic adventure.

I actually ended up purchasing this book myself, I am a huge fantasy reader and knew I just had to have this in my collection. This story truly felt like a magical fever dream and I mean that in absolutely the best way possible. It was so imaginative and I am a huge fan of fantasy stories that are a bit darker so I really enjoyed the fact that this book featured the darker side of magical realms. My heart absolutely went out for Jacob, but also grew along with his journey. I truly think that this book made me nostalgic as I grew up with stories written by Cornelia Funke, but I feel like after reading this book, her stories seemed to grow along with me and my taste (I mean obviously she didn't write the story with me in mind haha) but I still felt an instant connection to this book that simultaneously reminded me of my childhood but also was still fresh and new. I would absolutely adore for this world to eventually be adapted into a movie or a show. I just think it is brilliant and I would love to be in this world longer. Which is why I cant wait for more books in the series to come out. But also in a weird way I feel like I already saw this book in movie format as the descriptions were so vivid and so amazing and it played like a movie in my head. I mean part of me would kill for the mirror just to be inside this world, but the more realistic part of me is very thankful that I cant be tempted. The incorporation of Grimm fairytales throughout and the overall message of young using fear to grow truly is just a small slice of what made this book unique to me. I can honestly say Cornelia Funke could write anything and I would absolutely adore it, but this in particular was amazing.

This book was received as an ARC from Pushkin Children's Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved everything about this book. The story, the characters, the climax, the theme and the ending. I would say this comes between J.K. Rowling's Ickabog and Chronicles of Narnia but for YA enthusiasts. It's always something new and exciting to discover a secret world but the world is cursed and your loved one has followed you into it and in order to save them, you must risk it all even for your life. That is what Jacob had to do for his little brother who could not leave his side. Also as I was reading, I couldn't help but sport elements to of Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are with the wild ogres and creatures in this magical world so that made it even more fun for me to read. I know our teen book club will love this book and be excited to discuss it when finished.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Excellent story! Characters are awesome and honestly its just everything you expect from the author. I can't believe how quickly I finished this one. I'm not normally a real speed reader but this one was so enjoyable I finished it quickly.

I confess I am curious why this was released as an ARC since it was previously published in 2010. Major changes to the original? My library already has copies of this, so I’m not recommending buying again.

The first part of this book is like listening to the author recount a particularly vivid but disjointed dream where the storytelling is good, but you feel like you’ve been dropped in the middle of this weird fairy tale stew. Funke assumes the reader has enough familiarity with this intriguing world behind the mirror to follow along, but I found myself frowning in confusion and nearly gave up on it after the first couple of chapters.

However, I plugged along and eventually found the threads I needed to knit the story together in my head. On reflection, this story feels like it was presented backwards. Perhaps Funke’s clever plot device to replicate the mirror world? Maybe. Either way, this is not an easy read - it requires attention and perseverance but it’s worth it.

When Jacob’s father disappeared, he wondered where he had gone. Soon, he finds a mirror in his office, through which he can reach a world of fairytales and magic. He loses himself in that world, spending months, even years, away from his family. His mother and his brother, Will, are left behind while he goes on adventures and distracts himself from the loss of his father. He becomes quite the thief and smuggler, acquiring all kinds of objects for powerful people. When their mother dies and he’s not there to support his brother, Will follows Jacob through the mirror. He is attacked, infected with a curse that will turn him into Goyl, a man made of stone with a heart as cold as his skin. Through some sense of brotherly love and obligation, Jacob searches for a cure. Anything to save his brother.

The worldbuilding is good, a balance of fairytale references and exposition about Jacob’s adventures, which are extensive. We don’t even see the half of it, just veiled references to previous adventures and a pile of acquired objects he needs to help him on his quests. His devotion to his brother is strong, though it doesn’t feel like love to me. It’s family obligation, Jacob finally taking responsibility for his family that he left behind, just as his father left them behind. I don’t think he quite reaches this conclusion, so focused is he on saving Will from being turned into a Goyl. He won’t die but he will lose himself to the magic of being turned to stone and forget the people he loves.

There definitely could have been more depth, more scenes with side characters that were given point of view chapters here and there to further embellish the story. We’re thrown into the middle of everything and it was kind of confusing at the start. Though the characters are older, late teens, this book feels like a middle grade novel and maybe that’s part of where it lost me. With older characters and some blood and gore and fighting, it should feel like an older novel. This I think comes down to the writing because the subject matter is certainly older. Will is also infantilized despite being in his late teens. Though he is the younger brother and hasn’t experienced the adventures Jacob has, he’s still lived a life: losing his father and then losing his mother, all without the support of his brother. Though I consciously know of all the things both brothers have been through, not seeing it really made me feel disconnected from the characters.

I might pick up the other books in the series, because this one did end on something of a cliffhanger. I’m curious to know how everything pans out. I hope with the first book, I have enough of a background to better understand the characters in further adventures.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of Reckless I: The Petrified Flesh by Cornelia Funke.

I will say right away that this was not the book for me. It was not one that I found particularly enchanting or thrilling. However, that being said Funke's writing was enough to have me finish the book even when I knew it wasn't a book for me.

The writing and the lore of this book shows that this rewrite of a book was well deserved as I had no questions and felt immersed in the world that Funke created. Jacob Reckless kept the story going with his morally grey character and need to save. It is nice to see the 'hero' of the story not being perfect and making both mistakes and choices that aren't perfect for everyone. A good story that others will love.

I was very excited to start a new series by Cornelia Funke! Like many, I first fell in love with the Inkworld, but quickly found myself intrigued by the Mirrorworld. Reckless I: The Petrified Flesh, follows Jacob Reckless as he desperately seeks to undo a curse turning his younger brother’s skin to jade. With the help of Fox, a shapeshifter, Jacob races to find an impossible cure. For the Dark Fairy has seen Will in her dreams and she has plans for him…

This was a great introduction to the Mirrorworld! My favorite thing about the book is the expansive world-building, with a very thoughtful attention to detail. Jacob and Will battle not only to stop the curse, but to reconcile their past. The world is filled with dangerous whimsy, devious monsters, and creative magic. I would recommend this book for middle grade fans who love magical world-building, sibling stories, and fairytales with a bite. I look forward to seeing what happens in the next installment! Reckless I: The Petrified Flesh is available now. Thank you so much to Cornelia Funke, Pushkin Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on the publication date and I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble etc

Reckless is a fast paced and action packed fantasy - the setting is unique, a world where all fairytales cross paths and the experience is completely immersive for the reader.