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tealattes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
I haven’t watched the movie so I cannot compare it to del Toro’s original work. Assuming not much was changed in the written version, I think del Toro’s story of Pan’s Labyrinth is uniquely dark and captivating, balancing fairytale elements while studying the many facets of human nature (hope, motivation, cruelty, desperation, will, how one is shaped by their upbringing, etc). Cornelia Funke was successful in relaying this story, especially in capturing the mindsets of the three main characters Ofelia, Vidal and Mercedes, a dark mood, and both realistically vivid and fantastical imagery. However I didn’t enjoy her writing style and it felt awkward; only until I was well into it was I able to ignore it.
The story is about a girl named Ofelia who moves to a mill with her widowed but newly married mother. Ofelia is still grieving over the loss of her father. All her life she has found solace in fairytales, so she is not surprised when she finds her own. A fairy leads her to a labyrinth where a Faun tells her she is a lost princess, and gives her three tasks which must be completed if she is to return to the underground kingdom. While Ofelia is completing these tasks, her stepfather Vidal is running a terrorizing operation in the forest. Ofelia’s stepfather is Ernesto Vidal, the capitán of a military group sent to the forest to weed out and kill resistance members to Franco’s fascist government regime. This historical element runs in the background and is not a central focus but provides an interesting setting for Ofelia’s fairytale and the birthplace for people like Vidal, whose actions supply most of the dark content of this novel as he is nothing shy of a sadistic villain.
What I enjoyed most were the woven in tales that provided lore to the world and linked all the magical elements that Ofelia was encountering. It was definitely easy to read despite the dark themes, and it felt realistic despite the magic.
The story is about a girl named Ofelia who moves to a mill with her widowed but newly married mother. Ofelia is still grieving over the loss of her father. All her life she has found solace in fairytales, so she is not surprised when she finds her own. A fairy leads her to a labyrinth where a Faun tells her she is a lost princess, and gives her three tasks which must be completed if she is to return to the underground kingdom. While Ofelia is completing these tasks, her stepfather Vidal is running a terrorizing operation in the forest. Ofelia’s stepfather is Ernesto Vidal, the capitán of a military group sent to the forest to weed out and kill resistance members to Franco’s fascist government regime. This historical element runs in the background and is not a central focus but provides an interesting setting for Ofelia’s fairytale and the birthplace for people like Vidal, whose actions supply most of the dark content of this novel as he is nothing shy of a sadistic villain.
What I enjoyed most were the woven in tales that provided lore to the world and linked all the magical elements that Ofelia was encountering. It was definitely easy to read despite the dark themes, and it felt realistic despite the magic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Blood, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, and War
Minor: Cursing
nrogers_1030's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is one of my favorite movies so I was excited to see it in book form. Love the cover! It's dark and beautiful just like the film. This is a great companion novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Gore and Alcohol
Minor: Animal death, Child abuse, Cursing, Vomit, Cannibalism, and Abortion