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MIRRORWORLD by Cornelia Funke Kirkus Star

MIRRORWORLD

From the Mirrorworld series

by Cornelia Funke & developed by Mirada

Pub Date: April 17th, 2013
Publisher: Mirada

A companion to Funke’s two-volume Mirrorworld series, driven by spectacular graphics and positively loaded with both worldbuilding detail and back stories for many of the characters and events in the books.

The wonders begin immediately after the title screen, with a mirror that “reflects” the viewer’s own face (via camera app) and ripples with repeated taps to open a 360-degree view of Albert Chanute’s Ogre Tavern. This is an atmospheric room studded with trophies that lead with further taps to eight original tales or poems and six collections of documentary material. The stories and poems range from Jacob Reckless’ first meetings with Chanute and with Fox to a gruesome yarn about a tailor who works with human skin. These are illustrated in a rich variety of styles and (optionally) read by the author. Five can also be experienced in “Spectacle” versions as a multilayer sliding panorama, a live-action video converted to shadow puppetry or in another animation technique. Juicy side features include a journal of notes on ogre types that ends abruptly with a splatter of blood and a motley set of “Child-Eating Witch Recipes” read with rather indecent relish by a cast of children. Navigation is easy thanks to a slide-in menu that offers quick trips to either the tavern or to a more conventional table of contents.

Not quite crash-proof but a thoroughgoing delight featuring new content galore and cutting-edge visual effects.

(Requires iOS 6 and above.) (iPad fantasy app. 10-14)