As I've been reading this book, I've found so many passages that stick in my head. Funke uses such wonderful words to create vivid imagery.
pg. 195..."She let the world snow melt on her tongue like a delicious, creamy chocolate."
When I read this, I literally pictured the receptionist letting the word roll off her tongue in a dreamy, soft manner, as if she was so delighted by the snow that she couldn't help but smile and think happy thoughts as she said it.
pg. 235..."She looked at the bare white walls that surrounded her. For the hundredth time, she closed her eyes so she could see another room in her mind's eye, one with a curtain full of stars, and a mattress surrounded by books that whispered their stories to her at night."
In this passage, I feel so sad for Hornet. She's stuck in this cold, plain place, but as she closes her eyes and pictures the other place, I can see it with her. I picture a room dressed in red, with bright yellow stars, and animated books smiling back at her, where she's sitting on a plush thick matress; almost like a queen.
pg. 247..."Prosper heard the canal water slosh against the base of the wall."
I just love her word choice; "slosh." I can really hear the water "sloshing" against the wall. There's no better word to describe the water.
This book has such great imagery. Cornelia Funke knows what she's doing to captivate the reader.