“Blurring” the Borders Between Fantasy and Reality: Considering the Work of Cornelia Funke
Jean Boreen “Blurring” the Borders between Fantasy and Reality: Considering the Work of Cornelia Funke ara, one of my students, recently The Thief Lord: Story review noted that fantasy allows us to K “discuss the concerns we have In The Thief Lord, Prosper and Bo today through worlds that provide an grew up hearing their mother’s stories alternative view of societal concerns of the beauty and magic of Venice, or personal identity issues.” Cornelia Italy. When she dies and their aunt Funke, the author of The Thief Lord, decides to adopt 5-year-old Bo (leav- Inkheart, and Dragon Rider, has ing 12-year-old Prosper to his own become one of the best in providing devices), the boys run away to Venice. children and young adults with books Upon their arrival, they are befriended that allow us to “blur” the borders by a group of orphans—Hornet, between the concerns of characters in Mosca, and Riccio—and eventually, fantasy worlds and the apprehensions Scipio, the Thief Lord. Casting himself of young adults in the 21st century. In as a mysterious figure in black who © Regina Werner considering Funke’s The Thief Lord, wears a bird mask to obscure his true Kara noted, “It’s this great book about growing up, features, the Thief Lord steals from the rich to give to defining one’s place in the world, living the adventure his poor, orphaned friends. They, in turn, barter and learning from it . I would have loved this as a Scipio’s ill-gotten gains with Barbarossa, a corrupt kid, mixed-up little person that I was.” Of course, one shopkeeper.
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