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For detailed information, please consider checking out the article on our affiliated wiki, the wiki specifically dedicating to the Inkheart trilogy: Elinor Loredan on Inkipedia.
"Yes, Elinor is quite rich, but she'll probably end up poor as a church mouse because she spends so much money on books. I think she'd sell her soul to the devil without thinking twice if he offered her the right book for it."
Mo about Elinor
Elinor Loredan
Elinor Loredan
Helen Mirren as Elinor in Inkheart
Home Northen Italy
Gender Female
Family members Unnamed man (father)†

Teresa Folchart (niece)
Mortimer Folchart (nephew-in-law)
Meggie Folchart (great-niece)
Dante Folchart (great-nephew)

Hair colour Gray
Race/Species Human
Fate Residing in the Inkworld
Appearances Inkheart

Inkspell
Indeath

Portrayed by Helen Mirren

Elinor Loredan is the aunt of Teresa Folchart, the aunt-in-law of Mortimer Folchart, and the great-aunt of Meggie Folchart and Meggie's little brother, Dante Folchart.

History[]

Resa Meeting Mo[]

While her niece Resa was visiting her, Elinor happened to have Mo over helping her bind books. Resa and Mo eventually married and had a daughter, Meggie.

Inkheart[]

Main article: Inkheart

Inkspell[]

Main article: Inkspell

Inkdeath[]

Main article: Inkdeath

Physical Appearance[]

"The woman who came out was older than Mo, quite a lot older-although Meggie could never be sure how old grown-ups were. Her face reminded Meggie of a bulldog, but perhaps that was more her ferocious expression than its features. She wore a mouse-gray sweater and an ash-gray skirt, with a pearl necklace around her short neck and felt slippers on her feet, the kind of slippers Meggie had once had to wear when she and Mo had visited a historic castle. Elinor's hair was gray, too. She had pinned it up, but strands were hanging down everywhere as if she had done it impatiently and in a hurry. She didn't look as if she had spent much time in front of a mirror."
—Narrator about Elinor's appearance Inkheart, page 34

Elinor has gray hair, eyes that are repeatedly described as pebble-like and cold, and a short neck. It is implied she doesn't care much for her clothes, which tend to be gray.

Personality[]

Elinor loves books and has a hobby of buying old and valuable books, and in Inkspell is accompanied by Darius most of the time. It is known she receives book catalogues. Elinor is not very social, receiving very few visitors, preferring the company of her books, though after she meets Meggie, Mo, and Resa, realizes books aren't her only friends. She isn't really a nervous person. Elinor cares little for her appearance. She is rather impatient and often irritated, cursing at herself very, very often. Elinor doesn't like children, because she feels that they harm her books, shown when Mo reassures her that Meggie would not "get jam on your books or tear out the pages to wrap up dead frogs".

Relationships[]

Meggie Folchart[]

Meggie dislikes Elinor at first but they gradually warm up to each other.

Theresa Folchart[]

Elinor and her niece, Resa, were very close. Resa is Elinor's favourite niece. It was at Elinor's house Resa met Mo, her future husband, who presumably was helping Elinor repair her books.

Mortimer Folchart[]

Having been fixing Elinor's books when meeting Resa at Elinor's house, Mo comes to Elinor for a place to sleep when Dustfinger gives him a warning in Inkheart. Later, they live in Elinor's house (Mo, Meggie, and Resa, along with Darius).

Darius[]

Darius, a reader who they save from Capricorn with a silver tongue as well, stays at Elinor's house with the Folchart's. They spend much time together, buying books, and Elinor even gives him a too-big bathrobe for a gift.

Dustfinger[]

Elinor doesn't trust Dustfinger when Mo brings him to her residence. This dislike deepens to hatred when they realise Dustfinger has betrayed them to Capricorn.

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