The Colour of Revenge – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Fantasy, quest, friendship, loyalty, nature.
Children’s book title: The Colour of Revenge.
Children’s author: Cornelia Funke.
Genre: Children’s fiction/fantasy.
Published by: Chicken House.
ISBN: 9781913696184.
Recommended for children aged: 9+ year-olds.
First published: Hardback October 2024.
This children’s book is ideal for: readers who enjoy magical, detailed fiction set in other worlds.
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Our review:
It’s been five years since Meggie, Mo, and Dustfinger had to worry about anything other than everyday problems, but suddenly everything changes. Orpheus has returned with vengeance in his heart, determined to destroy all that Dustfinger holds dear, and he doesn’t even need to be nearby for his plan to succeed!
When all his friends and family disappear, apart from his stepson, Jehan, and the Black Prince, Dustfinger knows that everything that has happened is his fault.
Orpheus, with his heart set on revenge, has captured all those he considers responsible for his downfall. The beauty of his plan is that gradually, as their world turns grey and Dustfinger hunts for them, they will disappear, never to return.
With Nyame, the Black Prince, Dustfinger tries to work out how to get his family back without revealing the secret he has kept for years. Jehan and a Shadow Reader called Lilia remain loyal, and Nyame is hopeful that together they can find Orpheus and return everything to normal.
Dustfinger, however, is scared he will lose them too, so he sets off alone and in secret to rescue his family. Unfortunately, Orpheus knows him as well as anyone, and before Dustfinger realises it, he is in more trouble than he can handle. Knowing his remaining family will be following him into almost insurmountable danger only increases his anguish, as once again it is all his fault.
Our verdict:
The Colour of Revenge is an amazing, original, and exciting book, which draws the reader in and takes them on a fascinating journey with so many twists, turns, and unexpected cliffhangers that it is almost impossible to put down. There is a “who’s who” at the start, which is very useful, and the backstory from the previous books is gradually explained as the story progresses. So, there are spoilers throughout, but if you are new to this series, both are necessary!
The story is beautifully written, enabling the reader to see inside the minds of reluctant heroes, arch-enemies, and those who live in a world slightly removed from the main protagonists. The Shadow Readers are able to harness nature in both positive and negative ways, and their influence and assistance are vital to both Dustfinger and Orpheus alike. There is an obvious advantage to having visited this literary world before, but I hadn’t and was still able to really enjoy everything this story has to offer.
The author doesn’t go into great detail about the locations, but there is just enough information for it to appear, fully formed, as you read. The multiple points of view help show why the main protagonists make the decisions they do and how these decisions impact their friends and foes alike.
The need for family and friends is central to this story and is expressed both in the trust Dustfinger has in the Black Prince and in his determination to reduce the danger he knows he can lead them into. Orpheus, by contrast, is only interested in personal gain and so ends up fighting pretty much alone. This is shown in almost everything he does, but by seeing it from his point of view, the reasons are much clearer.
Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:
- Dustfinger and Lilia have special abilities that help them in their fight against Orpheus. What abilities or superpowers would you choose for yourself?
- Can meeting your heroes spoil your view of them? Orpheus still has some hero worship going on, but Dustfinger isn’t the man he thought he was. Can you love and hate someone at the same time, as he does?
- Do you prefer stories written in the first person or from multiple viewpoints? Do the extra perspectives help or hinder if the story is a fantasy? What about other genres?
- A cross-curricular activity could involve the creation of an imaginary world in either art or geography. What would be the most important consideration in each secondary subject?
- Read a free extract.
Many thanks to Chicken House for the review copy.
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If you like The Colour of Revenge by Cornelia Funke you might also like: our reviews of Dungeon Runners: Hero Trial by Kieran Larwood & Joe Todd-Stanton, When the Wild Calls by Nicola Penfold, The Island at the Edge of Night by Lucy Strange, Aya and the Star Chaser by Radiya Hafiza and Alyssa and the Spell Garden by Alexandra Sheppard.
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