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A review by atalanta_nins
Pan's Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of the Faun by Guillermo del Toro, Cornelia Funke
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I have watched the movie adaptation of this when I was a kid, and rewatched it again when I was an adult. Now, I've read it and I felt like I was watching it all over again, this time though, there were additional scenes or content which felt like a bonus for reading.
Though, my advice is that, be prepared before you read this. This book (much like the movie) opens itself as a hauntingly dark-tale historical fantasy with touch of reality. We are introduced to Ofelia as she travels together with her pregnant mom to live with her new stepfather (which is a very cruel and evil man) in a mill inside a very dark forest in the country.
Though the story jumps back and forth between the reality of living in the current time of that world and also the dangerous adventures Ofelia goes to prove herself to be the reborn/reincarnation of a princess from an underground kingdom, the story is captivating and engaging, it felt like watching it again in my head. Also, I loved the added content, particularly the stories on how the Princess Moanna got lost and wandered the Upper Realm and how that reached the story being told in the book.
And of course, as much as the actors acted and conveyed emotions from the film, something about reading their innermost feelings and thoughts added much to this already brilliant story.
Though, I'm sure that even some adults would find this book a bit gruesome, I think it is a must read book, as though it shows the horrors of the reality at that time, it also gave hope and inspiration, does not matter the suffering, good will eventually overcome the evil of this world. Also the incorporation of the reality with the fiction world within it, kinda like how fictional stories borrowed from real events or stories.
Also chapters with names and the filler chapters that filled the books are also a brilliant bonus content as it detailed too how long the princess was gone and how it is connected to the present timeline of the book. How the stories are all connected, both the fantasy and reality part of the story.
Though, my advice is that, be prepared before you read this. This book (much like the movie) opens itself as a hauntingly dark-tale historical fantasy with touch of reality. We are introduced to Ofelia as she travels together with her pregnant mom to live with her new stepfather (which is a very cruel and evil man) in a mill inside a very dark forest in the country.
Though the story jumps back and forth between the reality of living in the current time of that world and also the dangerous adventures Ofelia goes to prove herself to be the reborn/reincarnation of a princess from an underground kingdom, the story is captivating and engaging, it felt like watching it again in my head. Also, I loved the added content, particularly the stories on how the Princess Moanna got lost and wandered the Upper Realm and how that reached the story being told in the book.
And of course, as much as the actors acted and conveyed emotions from the film, something about reading their innermost feelings and thoughts added much to this already brilliant story.
Though, I'm sure that even some adults would find this book a bit gruesome, I think it is a must read book, as though it shows the horrors of the reality at that time, it also gave hope and inspiration, does not matter the suffering, good will eventually overcome the evil of this world. Also the incorporation of the reality with the fiction world within it, kinda like how fictional stories borrowed from real events or stories.
Also chapters with names and the filler chapters that filled the books are also a brilliant bonus content as it detailed too how long the princess was gone and how it is connected to the present timeline of the book. How the stories are all connected, both the fantasy and reality part of the story.