[Book Review] Ghost Knight by Cornelia Funke

Title: Ghost Knight (Originally Geister Ritter)
Author: Cornelia Funke
Translator: Oliver Latsch
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Date of Published: May 1st, 2012
No. of Pages: 352
ISBN: 978-0-316-05614-4
Format: Hardcover
Category: Fiction
Genre: Fantasy, Ghost, Childrens
Literary Awards: Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production Honor (2013)
Bought at: Periplus Pondok Indah Mall for IDR 77,500

From international phenomenon Cornelia Funke, the bestselling author of Reckless and Inkheart.

Eleven-year-old Jon Whitcroft never expected to enjoy boarding school. Then again, he never expected to be confronted by a pack of vengeful ghosts, either. And then he meets Ella, a quirky new friend with a taste for adventure…

Together, Jon and Ella must work to uncover the secrets of a centuries-old murder while being haunted by terrifying spirits, their bloodless faces set on revenge. So when Jon summons the ghost of the late knight Longspee for his protection, there’s just one question: Can Longspee truly be trusted?

I didn’t plan to buy this book. I just browsed through childrens and fantasy books on sale, and I found this one along with the other book (I’ll read and reviee the other one later).

I haven’t read Cornelia Funke’s book, but I bought the Ink series and Reckless. I didn’t expect anything, just let it flow and hope Ghost Knight didn’t disappoint me. On the contrary, I looooove this book to the core. Let me tell you why I love Ghost Knight:
1. The main character is just an average boy who’s not happy with his mother’s remarriage.
2. His roommates are weird XD
3. He has a quirky sidekick.
4. Yes, he goes to the boarding school. I’m a sucker for boarding-school books. Reminds me of St. Clare.
5. Ghost stories are always compelling. I just can’t get enough, though I’ll most likely chicken out whenever I see them in real life.
6. The story sets in England. Spooky old buildings.
7. The illustrations are beautiful.
8. This book is a serious page-turner.
9. Humors everywhere. I love funny books.
10. The glossary contains historical events and people.

This Jon Hartgill was sent to a boarding school and he started to see ghosts. Not just ordinary ghosts, but vengeful ghosts who were after Jon’s great-great-great grandfather. His name is Stourton.
Jon met Ella, a quirky girl who’s been in touch with supernatural things. Her grandmother is a witch/ghost hunter and together they help Jon who was haunted by this vengeful ghost. Ella taught Jon to ask an old ghost to help him. This led to ghost-fight and bloodshed.

I enjoy every page of it. I gasped many times, even held my breath everytime I read ghost fighting scenes. Totally entertaining.

We make our best friends in dark times because we always remember how they helped us out of the darkness. (p. 210)