I enjoyed what I read of this book, but the storyline was too woven into what had happened in the previous four books that I was unable to fully follow the story and connect as deeply as I would like with the characters. I wanted to like it, but I found myself lost sometimes because I didn't have enough of the backstory to follow well.

I fully assume that someone who enjoys fantasy and has read the previous books in this series would also enjoy this novel.

Reckless IV: The Silver Tracks is the much anticipated fourth installment in Cornelia Funke’s Reckless series. Jacob and Fox are once again in search of Will, who is journeying to the island of the Foxes. But danger lurks around every corner and a promise Jacob once made could undo everything they’ve worked for. There are ominous new enemies, delightful old friends, and never a dull moment in this latest installment.

I love the way Cornelia Funke takes fairy tales that we may think we know well and effortlessly twists them into a new and compelling tale. It was very fun to be back adventuring with Jacob and Fox, whose relationship has grown and changed since book one. Fox remains one of my favorite characters in the series, with her wit and resourcefulness. The characters are lovable and readers won’t be able to help rooting for them to overcome insurmountable odds. Funke’s prose is beautiful as always, painting vivid fantastical scenes for readers. I’m excited to see how the adventure continues! Reckless IV: The Silver Tracks is available now. Thank you to Cornelia Funke, Pushkin Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cornelia Funke has always been a favorite author of mine. As a middle schooler, The Thief Lord was my favorite book. Diving into Funke’s latest book was a nostalgic experience. Her captivating storytelling is incredible even though I have not read the previous books in this series I defy being going out to buy them now. I highly recommend all of Funke’s books to all young readers as she has a way of pulling readers in and give children a love of reading.

This return to the Mirrorworld world saw the characters travel to the Far East, tracking errant Will to the ends of the earth to return him back to those who loved him.

Just like in previous instalments, I found this one a little too convoluted. I always love the premise, the writing style, and the characters in Funke's creations but sometimes find that too much occurs with too little information granted for me to fully visualise every scene and fantastical creation.

This is the fourth instalment of Cornelia Funke’s Mirrorworld series. For those familiar with the first three, this will not disappoint.

This story leads us to the Mirrorworld equivalent of Japan where Jacob and Fox meet up with Jacob’s brother Will and the Goyl, Nerron in a quest for another Mirror. There are encounters with Alder Elves, multi-tailed foxes, a gingerbread witch, samurai, a handsome ghost, and even a centaur. It is full of references to classic fairy tales, myths, lost fairies, and this keeps you on your toes recalling all the original stories.

The action is slow to start but once it gets going it sweeps you along and made me want to start the Reckless books from the beginning. The trademark travelling of Jacob and Fox means we get to visit other Mirrorworld equivalent countries and cities, and the detail put into this is as beguiling as ever. There is violence but it is not graphic nor gratuitous.

As the book progresses the stakes get higher, the plot twists and turns and you are often left on the edge of your seat. There is a large cast of characters, old and new and the story is told from multiple points of view. The voice of Nerron is distinctive and adds to his character. The new characters add to the story and Hideo is a fascinating and attractive addition.

One of the attractions of Cornelia Funke’s books is the way she uses language (and the skill of her translator Oliver Latsch). I could give many examples but these few are memorable:

“… Fox ran her fingers over his lips as if she could read what he was dreaming.”

“A hot, dirty feeling stirred in Spieler, intoxicating like strong wine.”

“Withered beauty. Lost youth. Mortality could be so very repulsive.”

Along with superb world-building, this is what makes her books such a satisfying read.

Funke’s art is again featured, and this adds to the story. The end is an invitation to look forward to the next instalment.

this had a beautiful cover and the previous entries were well written. I'm glad I was able to read this as it was really well done. The characters were great and I enjoyed reading this book,.

The fourth instalment in the very entertaining MirrorWorld series. Jacob and Fox have almost given up hope of finding Jacob's brother, Will, when they suddenly pick up his trail again in Nihon (Japan in our world).
Cornelia Funke's imagination knows no bounds and her writing style is always excellent. The illustrations by the author are beautifully drawn and add to the magical quality of the story.
It's been a while since I read the third book and maybe with hindsight I should have reread it before starting this one as I found myself struggling to remember all the characters unfinished story lines. I enjoyed this book more than the third one, but it was still rather episodic and clearly there is at least one other book to follow. The story does feel as though it is meandering along at times and it would be nice to see some conclusions. The introduction of the character of Hideo was a delight if a little contrived. The other characters seem to have become more flat and uninteresting as the story progresses. I am past caring about Jacob or Will, and only Fox has any substance. Nevertheless, it was still a reasonably enjoyable read and I look forward to reading the next book which will hopefully be the concluding part.