Stardust

The rural English town of Wall shares a border with the land of fairy. The wall that encloses a local field has a hole in it which occasionally the townspeople traverse to attend a fairy market.

Tristran is a young boy growing up in Wall who is largely unconcerned with the goings on in Fairy until the pretty girl he covets challenges him to find a fallen star in order to win her affections. The star fell far beyond the wall, and Tristran sets off immediately.

His simple quest will intersect with blood-thirsty nobles, witches, unicorns and many other strange denizens. Along the way he will discover his own peculiar heritage and power but nothing will prepare him for discovering the star who is actually a young girl.

I read this book for show more the first time when I was younger, and I think I enjoyed it. Obviously, the fact that the author is a monstrous sex criminal has colored my reading of it, but even without that context, one can only appreciate this story uncritically.

Tristran is a poor protagonist who's central character arch is learning that women are humans. The quest begins when Tristran refuses to accept the rejection of his crush, instead hounding her for some sort of job by which he can earn her love. He agrees to seek the star in order to force this unwilling girl to marry him.

When he finds the star, a young girl with a broken leg, he shackles her and forces her to walk back with him. Over the course of the story, he learns that this was actually wrong and that women are not his to overpower and own. And I guess the reader is supposed to be charmed and impressed by this moral awakening?

Of course the star is quite willing to fall in love with the man who enslaved her, because after all, he did eventually decide to let her go. And he said he was sorry. So obviously, no harm done.

I get that this is a fairy tale, and intended to be simplistic, but even the reformed Tristran is bland and dull and stupid. It's not clear why the star would love him, and it's hard for the reader to root for him. show less

When I’m in need of a comfort read, I always seem to return to Neil Gaiman’s books, since the stories are familiar and yet always seem to contain some surprises and details because of his wonderfully wrought writing style. Stardust is no aberration of this, and it’s been far too long since I’ve accompanied Tristran Thorn on his quest to find a fallen star to win Victoria Forester’s heart. I think the last time I engaged with this story it would have either been the graphic novel version or the film, because from the outset re-reading the book again felt like I was getting something completely new and wonderful. Gaiman’s story is at once a classic fairytale and a modern coming of age story, full of magic, unexpected twists show more and turns, and the occasional moment of frivolity (just for fun) which blend perfectly to create a modern masterpiece of the genre. We can’t help but laugh alongside Tristran’s many bumbles (unexpected hero of the best sort, is our Tristran Thorn), fall in love with the sarcastic fallen star Yvain (you would be cranky too if you were knocked out of the sky), and gasp as the full wrath of the intertwined stories are revealed in the final pages. I definitely need to make a point of re-reading this story more often, because it remains one of my top tales even after all these years and other stories. show less

It's a bit hard to write this review because on the hand I adored it. But on the other hand there were aspects I didn't enjoy at all, so they sort of interrupted my reading pleasure. These were the use of modern language in specific situations, the sex scenes (I have nothing against sex scenes, but to me they didn't quite fit the story), and also some of the things that I suppose should be funny but that to me weren't in tune with the overall style. I should explain that I love high fantasy and I'm not drawn to "funny fantasy" (I have no intention to ever read Terry Pratchett, although so many people tell me I must do so). I love a realistic style in fantasy, the feeling that there could be a world just like that - which is why J.R.R. show more Tolkien is my most favourite writer.
Gaiman's language is too artificial for my liking, and I had a hard time getting into the story and to let myself fall into this weird world of Faerie behind the wall.

But here's the thing: Despite of these aspects that I didn't like, I really, really loved the story. There was a moment when I held my breath and thought: "This is Faerie!" - in Tolkien's sense of Faerie, the Faerie of Smith of Wootton Major, the place we all need to be healthy and to stay sane. And sure enough, on the next page it was mentioned for the first time: Behind the wall there is Faerie, and if you go there, you will not be the same when you come back. So throughout this story, Faerie weaves its wonderful web and catches you - and I think no novel ever gave me such a Tolkienesque feeling, although on the other hand the style is so far away from Tolkien.

My edition contains two afterwords and the first chapter of a novel that was Gaiman's first idea about Wall, but that hasn't been written so far. My husband's edition contains an interview with Gaiman where he mentions Tolkien (referring, no doubt, to his lecture "On Faerie Stories") and explains that according to him, fairytales are not only for children, but for adults, too. It's an interesting interview about the history of fairytales, although I wish that it would have been longer, because I am curious to know more about Gaiman's influences. In the first afterword, he also mentions Tolkien's fellow inkling C.S. Lewis - and I am absolutely sure that if Gaiman had lived a few decades earlier, he would absolutely have been an inkling, too, and I think that's the highest honor I can give to any fantasy author! show less

Neil Gaiman's Statdust is a fairy tale for adults. Set in the last days of Victoria's reign, Tristan Thorn lives in the village of Wall, England and travels beyond the wall into the realm of Faerie to recover a fallen star for his beloved. Along the way, he encounters sky pirates, witches, murderous princes, and more. Those familiar with the film will find differences here, but Gaiman's writing evokes the best of classic fantasy and fairy tales, with characters and language both tragic and hopeful, ugly and beautiful, as befits the best stories. This gift edition contains art by Charles Vess that, coupled with its physical appearance, evokes the classic fairy tale volumes of the early twentieth century.

Once upon a time, many years ago, I saw the film version of Stardust and loved it so much that I have seen it multiple times (I'm not going to tell you how many, because it's too many to count) again since. How could one not be captivated by the adventures of Tristran and Yvaine? A world populated by fairies, unicorns, witches and flying pirate ships? That's exactly my cup of tea. So, imagine my delight when I finally discovered the existence of a book on which the film was based! Yes, my inner bookworm went something like this:

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Obviously, because I'm a busy bookworm with a massive TBR pile, it took me several years to actually read the book after I bought it. Until now!

This was my first Neil Gaiman novel, and I really liked it. show more I loved his writing style and the way he made his characters come to life, even the ones we didn't really know much about. My biggest disappointment when I came to the end of the book was that I wanted MORE. I sooo wasn't ready for this book to end. I wanted to know more about Tristran and Yvaine's adventures in the magical world! Even though I had a bit of trouble warming up to Tristran's character, eventually he won me over, and I actually ended up really liking him.

This was a great fantasy book, that I managed to enjoy while still retaining my love for the film. That's probably because the two are actually pretty different, especially when it comes to the ending. DO NOT READ THIS UNLESS YOU WANT THE ENDING TO THE BOOK AND THE FILM RUINED!
I actually preferred the film ending to the book. It was WAAAYYY more magical to have Tristran and Yvaine go live together among the stars after many years and a loving family on Earth. I was kind of disappointed to see that in the book they don't actually have children and Yvaine keeps on living and ruling alone forever after Tristran dies. It lost some of the magic (actually, on second thought, make that a lot of the magic).
And of course, I was really sorry to see that Captain Shakespeare didn't make an appearance, since he was one of my favourite characters in the film. I mean, seriously, how could you not love this guy?

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Overall, I enjoyed reading Stardust, and I still appreciate both the book and the film. Very well-written and interesting story, plus likable characters and fantastic settings equals a book fantasy-lovers should not miss!

Originally published on Book For Thought. show less

Summary: A youth of questionable parentage sets off on a quest to obtain a gift for the maiden he admires. The journey takes him beyond the ordinary world of mortals where he grew up and into the realm of Faerie. Intermingled with his adventure is a witch who seeks youthful immortality for herself and her sisters and a royal family of seven brothers, all of whom have reasons to divert him from his quest. There is a unicorn, an enchanted bird, and a flying ship of pirates as well as assorted magical entities and objects. The young man must manage all these encounters, while avoiding *other* witches and enchanted beings, in order to return to his home and come into his own as an independent being.

Neil Gaiman offers up a deft piece of show more story-telling, one that recycles and respects the old fairy tale motifs while incorporating humor and originality, the foremost example of which is a falling star who sustains a broken leg upon landing. Gaiman's use of language is entirely modern, but retains a flavor of folk tales; the story structure is clear and easy to follow. Rhythm and pacing of the story is precisely handled. Based on my reading of the book, he understands the function and requirements of the fairy tale and he honors that traditional form.

For more, see:
http://individualtake.blogspot.com/2007/07/neil-gaimans-stardust-review.html show less

I think the first of Neil Gaiman's novels I ever read was "Stardust" which I absolutely loved (whereas newer novels are more hit-and-miss for me, sadly). I was surprised to like it so much because it strongly felt like a fairy tale and I’m not exactly a fan of those.

At its core, "Stardust" is a classic adventure tale, full of magic and wonder. The story follows the protagonist, Tristran Thorn, as he embarks on a journey to find a fallen star in order to win the heart of his beloved. Along the way, he encounters a host of fantastical characters, from witches and pirates to talking animals and ghosts. Each encounter brings new challenges and surprises, and I found myself fully immersed in Tristran's world, eagerly anticipating what lay show more around each new corner.

What truly sets "Stardust" apart from other adventure stories, though, is Gaiman's masterful storytelling. His writing is both enchanting and evocative, painting vivid pictures of the world he has created. His characters are richly drawn, each with their own unique quirks and motivations. I particularly loved the character of Yvaine, the fallen star that Tristran seeks. Her transformation throughout the course of the story is both poignant and inspiring, and her interactions with Tristran are both touching and humorous.

Another thing I loved about "Stardust" was its clever use of fairy tale tropes. Gaiman takes familiar elements of traditional fairy tales, such as the quest for a magical object or the presence of a wicked witch, and puts his own spin on them, subverting expectations and keeping the story fresh and surprising. This makes for a truly delightful reading experience, as each new twist and turn feels both unexpected and satisfying.

Overall, I would highly recommend "Stardust" to anyone who loves a funny, emotional and slightly subversive adventure story.

Five stars out of five!

P. S.: The film is amusing but (as usual) by far inferior to the novel!

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