Stardust

Apr 08, 2012 L.h. rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: dreamers

Shelves: fantasy-and-science-fiction, fiction-and-literature

Dear Mr. Gaiman,

Damn you. Damn you straight to hell. You've written beautiful faerie stories in your plainspoken postmodern prose, and left my own projected frontiers woefully trodden. It has nothing to do with your brilliance. Had I been born before you I would most likely be the one writing clever novels about fallen stars and sly gods. I would've, I swear!

But instead, I was born forty years too late, and your Faerie, Neil, -do you mind if I call you Neil? Your Faerie, like all of your creatio...more Dear Mr. Gaiman,

Damn you. Damn you straight to hell. You've written beautiful faerie stories in your plainspoken postmodern prose, and left my own projected frontiers woefully trodden. It has nothing to do with your brilliance. Had I been born before you I would most likely be the one writing clever novels about fallen stars and sly gods. I would've, I swear!

But instead, I was born forty years too late, and your Faerie, Neil, -do you mind if I call you Neil? Your Faerie, like all of your creations, is a perfectly plausible reality, praised by literary critics, the literate's dollar, and even the behemoth Movie Adaptation. Your prose is simple, if you'll pardon my saying so, not elevated, with exotic adjectives, but simple and modern, easily accessible, solid, quality prose. This reflects nothing upon you, of course -your authorship is the perfect marriage of your own writing talent and our modern culture. Shakespeare's work seems ridiculously complicated to us now, but he wrote for the masses, just like you. Our masses do not value rhetorics, metre, or internal rhyme, or I'm sure you'd write with such tools.

No, Neil, you write with one very powerful tool -distilled imagination. Escapism, unreality, creativity, novelty, and all their side effects. When the surrounding world seems unbearable, the ever-growing fetus of imagination is hope. In slavery, in misery, in poverty, in isolation, a person can escape into the brighter day of dreams, or the unknown future, or the magic of Faerie.

And in a world where the demons in the closet are thrust into a florescent laboratory, where telescopes and cameras record the crags and terrain of places where once there were dragons, where we identify which crannies of the human mind are responsible for fear, or love, or sorrow, and even plot out their corresponding hormonal compositions for manipulation and control... perhaps in such a world we must desperately escape into the unexplorable reaches of Faerie.

The rules are simple there. Help anyone in need, and graciously accept their payment. Stick with unerringly polite manners, but never let down your guard. You need a sharp wit to go with a good heart. Never eat faerie food.

Popular vote does not elect poor leaders in Faerie. Weapons are easily recognizable, not hidden in letters or water bottles. Death stands tall with his scythe and cowl instead of creeping behind health care bills and drug overdoses, and when he does come, death was either justified, or will be avenged. Villages in Faerie are rarely overrun with "revolutionaries" toting machine guns or skeletal toddlers with distended bellies. The old do not die alone there. Despite enchanted princes and disguised witches, Faerie makes more sense than our world, and if it doesn't, it's alright. It's Faerie.

So we escape into your novels, Neil, and into the worlds of Harry Potter and Lyra Silvertongue, and we love you for it (or in my case, hate you). We are too jaded to suspend disbelief, yet we ache for magic. We won't creep into a darkened room for the show, but demand that you blossom crystal snowdrops here in Times Square, your right hand outstretched for our inspection while your left clutches a Starbucks cup. We cannot leave our world for Faerie anymore, so you bring it to us in pleasurable words, easily explainable, hidden just beyond an English countryside wall, or under our feet, or in corners we don't examine too closely.

Please keep it up.

Sincerely,
L.H.(less)

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Feb 06, 2008 Jen rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Die-hard Neil Gaimon Fans

Shelves: fantasy

A friend gave me this book and I decided to read it before going to see the movie, since I'd heard so many rave reviews of the film. If the movie hadn't been my carrot, though, I never would have made it through the first chapter, let alone the entire story. Let me say that I adore the fantasy genre (check my book list), so this is not outside my interest. However, in attempting to write a "fairy tale for adults" Gaimon completely missed the mark. Apparently his idea of what makes a story "for a...more A friend gave me this book and I decided to read it before going to see the movie, since I'd heard so many rave reviews of the film. If the movie hadn't been my carrot, though, I never would have made it through the first chapter, let alone the entire story. Let me say that I adore the fantasy genre (check my book list), so this is not outside my interest. However, in attempting to write a "fairy tale for adults" Gaimon completely missed the mark. Apparently his idea of what makes a story "for adults" is generous sprinklings of gore, violence, and sex. Considering that the rest of the story is written with child-like simplicity these sections are jarring, to say the least. When I stumbled across the first somewhat graphic sex scene within a few dozen pages, I literally stopped to double check what book I was reading. Call me a prude, but I don't think words like "nipple" and "thrust" really flow well in a fairy tale. Also, I defy any fantasy lover to not flinch in horror at Gaimon's brutal and gore-spattered murder and subsequent dismemberment of the heroine's unicorn. "Pooling bodily fluids"? No, thank you.

Still, it's not so much the sex & violence that disturbed me (although if I liked that kind of thing I wouldn't be reading fantasy); it was that they were included in a tale lauded for its childlike adventure and whimsy. Even the description here on goodreads compares it to Princess Bride & the Neverending Story - an insult beyond comprehension to works which demonstrate that, with skill, an author can in fact write a fairy tale for adults without employing R rated tactics.

Lest you think I am allowing several instances of violence and sex to ruin my opinion of the entire work, let me address the actual plot line and writing. Gaimon can write, obviously, but the plot is riddled with fantasy travel cliches (oh, he slept in a hayloft? How original!) and tiresome caricatures. The hero is an unsympathetic clod, the star is referred to almost exclusively as "the star", rendering her more an inanimate object than a living being, and the rare nuggets of interest, such as the lightning pirates and the mysterious "kingdom brotherhood" are glossed over in a few paragraphs. And for a book that does not flinch from sex, where is the romance between the star & hero? We endure their pedantic bickering the entire book, only to be rewarded with a passionless declaration of love betwixt them by the end.

The ending is predictable yet less than satisfying, since the evil witch queen escapes justice and ultimately the star faces a lonely immortality bereft of her love. Not exactly the stuff happy endings are made of.

UPDATE: I finally saw the movie, and let me say how grateful I am that it is NOTHING like the book! Other than borrowing the majority of the plot & character names, the movie is night & day different, employing a vast amount of humor & charm where the book was violent and grim. I only wish my perspective had not been tainted by the book!(less)

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Aug 20, 2011 Kat Kennedy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fun-fantasy, kat-s-book-reviews

Quick question: how many Daleks does it take to conquer Neil Gaiman?

Answer: I don't know - since I am a blasphemous wench and have never seen a Doctor Who episode. Nor do I actually know what a Dalek is and what it does.

To add to my nefarious ways, I'm also not a Gaiman fan (though not for lack of trying!)

Clearly, whilst I am a scifi fan - I'm not the RIGHT kind of scifi fan!

It's rather like two Star Trek fans meeting on the street:

"So which episode of Enterprise is your favourite?" The first T...more

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May 01, 2012 Kirstine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This is the one case, the ONLY case, where I prefer the movie to the book. I know it's a sacrilege and you can all burn me at the stake, but it is nonetheless the truth. It's also one of the few times I watched the movie before reading the book, simply because I had no idea the book existed. And I loved the movie. I mean, really, really loved it.

So of course when I discovered it was based on a book, I rushed to get it. Now, please don't get me wrong, it's a good book. It's a very very good book...more

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Dec 07, 2012 Jonathan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-challenge, fantasy, neil-gaiman, books-with-films, favourites

Update: having just seen the film I find myself wondering why I didn't give this four stars to begin with. How lax of me. I name it in my best film and book combinations. Ask me sometime what my others are. I'm about to fall asleep.

Stardust follows the adventure of one Tristan Thorn from his unusual birth through to his eventual marriage. Well this is a modern fairytale for older audiences after all. He desires to win the love of one girl called Victoria whom he names the most beautiful of all....more

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Feb 15, 2008 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Since I saw the movie before I read the book, I must preface my review with that fact since a comparison between the two was inevitable and, moreover, greatly influenced my opinion of the book. I loved the movie! I liked the book. Unlike most book-to-film adaptations, however, I felt that the movie had more character development and more details; and, indeed, more heart and more humor. I cannot objectively consider the merits of the book because I missed so many aspects of the movie-story as I r...more

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Sep 22, 2009 Ben rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2009, good-fiction, like-magic

I can only do fantasy novels every so often; I much prefer literature. Still, I find it important to read these things on occasion, because they provide such an excellent escape: that leap into worlds that are nothing like ours; the way they enable our going beyond ourselves and render us capable of expanding our consciousness; the way they can temporarily alter us in ways non-fantasy novels are incapable. We could all use that kind of escape once in a while.

And Stardust was great for just that....more

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Apr 17, 2009 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites, fantasy, romance, fairytales

I just finished rereading Stardust, this time in the illustrated edition. The art is all by Charles Vess, and it's gorgeous. He has his own style, but the art is all accessible and pretty. I particularly liked the illustration of Tristan and Yvaine kissing, on page 202, and the design of Lady Una. I like the way he's portrayed all of the characters, really. It brings them to life in a lovely way, and the art is arranged nicely -- not distracting from the story, but adding to it.

I've always loved...more

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Jul 25, 2011 Patrizia O rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-e-fantascienza

Mai giudicare la bontà di una torta dalla lista degli ingredienti! Magari ci sono proprio tutti quelli che ci piacciono di più, ma poi quando, già con l'acquolina in bocca, diamo il primo morso ci accorgiamo con delusione che i vari ingredienti non sono stati ben dosati: l'impasto non ha la giusta consistenza, il ripieno è insipido, la granella sa di stantio e l'unica cosa che si salva è la decorazione (ma, ahime, non è commestibile!)
Così se dovessi giudicare Stardust dagli elementi della tra

...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Cary rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned, 2012, favorite

I felt betrayed by the movie! LOL!

I just can't believe that I was able to put off reading this work of Gaiman for a year now. The movie adaptation of this book was actually one of my favorites last year that I decided to try the book as well. Besides, I've been hearing good things about Neil Gaiman from my bookworm friends. Well, I'm glad I did because I enjoyed the book as much as the movie.

Stardust is a fantasy story about a lovestruck man, Tristan Thorn and a fallen star, Yvaine. Initially, T...more

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Oct 12, 2008 erry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

STARDUST

Semalam aku pergi ke dunia fantasi. Dunia yang hanya ada dalam mimpi dan imaginasi. Peri, elf, penyihir serta makhluk makhluk dan tanaman aneh yang tak pernah kulihat sebelumnya. Tempat yang penuh dengan makhluk-makhluk ajaib, tempat-tempat eksotik dan benda benda unik. Sihir, penyihir, mantera, jimat, kekuatan gelap, mitos dan kekuatan cinta.

Di dunia mimpi aku seakan bisa menyaksikan perjuangan seorang pemuda dunia nyata yang mencari bintang jatuh demi pujaan hatinya. Pertemuannya denga...more

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May 05, 2008 Kevin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am becoming something of a Neil Gaiman fan. It started, as much has these days, with my Kindle. I was browsing for some inexpensive books that I could read and stumbled upon Stardust. And just to prove how clueless I can be, I didn't realize this had been made into a movie until after I had finished reading it. I was vaguely aware that the movie had come out but I just never made the connection between the book and movie in my mind (more about my reaction to the movie later.)

I enjoyed American...more I am becoming something of a Neil Gaiman fan. It started, as much has these days, with my Kindle. I was browsing for some inexpensive books that I could read and stumbled upon Stardust. And just to prove how clueless I can be, I didn't realize this had been made into a movie until after I had finished reading it. I was vaguely aware that the movie had come out but I just never made the connection between the book and movie in my mind (more about my reaction to the movie later.)

I enjoyed American Gods but wasn't blown away by it, but I really loved Stardust. While American Gods was long and messy and complex, etc. Stardust was charming, and simple, and nearly perfect. It made me realize why I read stories like this.

What is impressive about Stardust is the skill with which Gaiman introduces the characters and settings in order to set up this fairy tale. He has a very light touch that allows him to set up the back story and introduce the reader to this alternate world in a way that piques their curiosity and pulls them in.

There are a number of story threads but he weaves them in skillfully so that there is both an action adventure side to it as well as a fairy tale/myth side. That these different dimensions work together and compliment each other says a lot about Gaiman's skills as a writer.

And it is also worth noting that he uses an admirable economy of words. The book packs an amazing amount of character development and adventure into less than 300 pages. He has a way of capturing a character's personality with just a short anecdote or description.

I really enjoyed the book's tone/voice. It has a sense of humor and is quirky without being campy or slapstick. It is in many ways a beautiful love story, and a deeply romantic one, but there is an ever present sense of tragedy as well. It has a sense of innocence and humility and yet also a sense of deeper knowledge. It captures the excitement and mystery of myths and magical stories and makes you wish you could connect to such a world.

Some may think this is just another fairy tale story, but that is easier said than done. It isn't easy to take a well known style, or to use a fancy word: trope, and make it your own; do something both familiar and yet different. Gaiman has pulled this off with style.

Stardust was one of those instant favorites. I highly recommend it no matter what your normal reading style or taste.
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Oct 15, 2007 John Beeler rated it 3 of 5 stars

I saw the movie first, and read the book second.

Gaiman does a great job of convincing readers that the world of Fairie could and does exist. And like all good fantasy, it's clear that the borders don't stop with his pages. Indeed, that the movie expands on aspects like the three witches and the lightning pirates, where the book spends barely any time at all, shows that there's many more stories to tell in the world of Fairie.

Gaiman is out to make an adult fairy tale, and I suppose he does, but...more

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Oct 10, 2007 Dini rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Finally finished this book after six days and an array of distractions.

It was an enjoyable read! A true fairy tale with all the wonder, adventure and magical creatures--and a lot of humor as well. The story tells about the faerie world which is only separated by a wall from the human world. The young, innocent hero Tristran Thorn decides to venture to the other side of the wall in search of a falling star to win the heart of his loved one. But little did he know that some others are also after t...more

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Jul 10, 2011 Callista rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels, fantasy-adult, magic-slingers

I'd been curious about the story, and a friend loaned me the illustrated version. The story took a while to grow on me. Victoria is awful, and Tristan is a sap for wanting her. Yvaine's tetchiness is certainly understandable, and I don't like how Tristan treats her at first. The royals are a bunch of backstabbers, and the witches are horrible. The whole thing is definitely the dark side of a fairy tale. And I did not appreciate what happens to the unicorn. (I can't help it; my inner little girl...more

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Oct 14, 2007 Todd Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a great, simple little story. A lot of people in the reviews here seem to be upset that it lacks "umph" and "meat," and suggest books to read instead, so that you can get your share of meaty umph. And, if you're looking for meaty umph, I really think you should follow their advice. Some recommend Jonathan Strange, which you should read anyway. But Stardust never sets out to be anything like Jonathan Strange. It's a fairy tale for adults. It's light-hearted, you can read it in a couple of...more

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Sep 10, 2008 Sarah Payok rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

There is not a lot I can say about this book. It is an adult fairy tale unlike anything I have read before. I loved the movie, but could easily draw parallels between that and The Princess Bride movie. Yet if I compare the books, Stardust is miles above The Princess Bride (which I love). After hours of thought, the only book that has generated any degree of the same emotion when I read it is Nick Bantock's Griffin and Sabine, and even that does not compare. I think I am done with fiction for a w...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Savanna rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, reviewed

My high expectations for this book (the first I've read of Gaiman's) were badly disappointed. The writing was poor, the story cliché and shallow, and the content problematic. I've read that Gaiman is better with graphic novels, and that seems likely. He obviously has some talent, so I'm hoping this book is just a miss.

One issue I had with Stardust was the writing itself. Gaiman tries to write an "adult fairy tale" with what I think are terrible results. The tone is light-hearted and sarcastic, b...more My high expectations for this book (the first I've read of Gaiman's) were badly disappointed. The writing was poor, the story cliché and shallow, and the content problematic. I've read that Gaiman is better with graphic novels, and that seems likely. He obviously has some talent, so I'm hoping this book is just a miss.

One issue I had with Stardust was the writing itself. Gaiman tries to write an "adult fairy tale" with what I think are terrible results. The tone is light-hearted and sarcastic, but it really isn't funny when it tries to be. Perhaps to make his story "adult," Gaiman is sure to include occasional scenes of sex and grotesque violence, but they seem awkward and out of place in the otherwise juvenile text. The plot and character development are extremely simplistic (as is the dialogue) in a way that would be better suited to a parable, but Stardust otherwise follows a more usual novel tone, so the suddenness and implausibility just come off as poor writing. The writing basically seems like a failed attempt at Piers Anthony's Xanth novels that is neither clever nor funny nor original.

This book makes heavy-handed use of basically every fantasy trope in existence. From the dry tone, it seems as though Gaiman's poking some deserved fun at them, but if there's meant to be an undertone of light-hearted criticism in Stardust, I couldn't find it. Why draw so heavily and randomly from these devices when they do nothing to round out Stardust's unimaginative world of Faerie, or to flesh out the flat characters and plot? By haphazardly including every familiar trope, Gaiman makes his story bland. I'm left wondering what the point was since it didn't seem to be satire but clearly tried for a sardonic approach. I'm sure he could have made an original, immersive, and interesting world filled with unique institutions and creatures, but he didn't even try. I don't get it.

My third and biggest complaint with Stardust was just how utterly offensive the protagonist, Tristran, is. I don't think good books need to have likeable characters, but Tristran is so problematic yet presented so uncritically (none of the book's sarcasm seems directed at him and his goodness is emphasized throughout) that I get the feeling I was supposed to like him, or at least not find him intolerable. I'm surprised not to have read more criticism of Tristran since for me he was such a dickhole. I'll briefly sum up some of the story here to show why, so if you care about vague spoilers, ignore the rest of this review.

Tristran sets out to capture a fallen star for the woman of his dreams. Who is she? What background have they shared? Why is this man so dedicated to her? All questions that could have fascinating answers, but irritatingly Gaiman employs the tired old story of a man being hopelessly in love with the most conventionally beautiful woman he knows entirely because of her beauty. (I'm again confused by this choice since Stardust is allegedly meant to shake up the genres of fairy tale and fantasy.) Pretty objectifying, sure, but he's young, so I cut him some slack initially. Then we read about how Tristran is just so darn ~*in love*~ that he regularly hangs out outside her window and watches her undress. This is not portrayed as weird or predatory; the book implies a "boys will be boys" attitude about this super creepy invasion of a woman's space. That's when I started to call shenanigans on the story, but it just got worse.

Tristran finds out that the fallen star is actually a woman. He finds her crying because she broke her leg falling from the sky. (Yes, it seems the plot is derived from the world's worst pickup line.) So surely our hero, who is by all accounts a nice young man, and who is after all so very in love with his girl back home who doesn't want anything to do with him (poor Tristran! I can't imagine why) will help this damsel in distress! Wrong. He tricks her, literally shackles her with a magic chain, and FORCES HER TO WALK WITH HIM ON HER BROKEN LEG SO THAT HE CAN GIVE HER AWAY AS AN OBJECT SO THE HOTTEST GIRL IN TOWN WILL SLEEP WITH HIM. That actually happens. Cue a series of typical fantasy adventures. The star (who has a name, Yvaine, but is mainly just referred to as "the star" by protagonist and author alike) begs him to release her, tells him how miserable she is, and cries all the time.

A true manic pixie dream girl, though, she's sure to tell Tristran to make sure he eats enough and doesn't wear himself out—fulfilling her secondary female role as indiscriminate caregiver alongside her primary role as piece of ass. But then she manages to escape, and Tristran feels betrayed and upset. Why won't the sexy ladies in his life just let him abuse them yet!? He suddenly comes to the realization that she's a human and that it's pretty fucked up to have enslaved her, but despite this abrupt stroke of sanity, he's determined to capture her again. He doesn't seem concerned about how fucked up he's being: he simply can't help it because he's in love (an answer everyone else and the author himself seem to accept). Cue more tired scenes with random descriptions of nipples and gore, and he's caught her again.

Then as suddenly as every other development in the story, "the star" seemingly develops Stockholm syndrome when they conveniently arrive at their destination and finds herself now to be in love with our dear, admirable, and ever so refreshing protagonist. Too bad she's a present for the other sexy lady! What I presume was meant to be luckily for her, our poor Tristran is friendzoned again when the object of his infatuation confesses that she loves someone else. She doesn't even want her present (how ungrateful!). Dejected Tristran wanders back to Yvaine, where they abruptly declare their undying love for each other and proceed to live happily ever after.

A dick through and through, Tristran also exerts his masculine, manly machismo when his estranged mother is freed from her own lengthy period of slavery to announce at the end that Tristran is actually heir to a powerful kingdom. (Of course he is!) Mom says how important it is to her that they go back in grandiose procession as a family after her forty years living as a slave in a wagon, but brave, manly, virtuous Tristran sticks up for himself with brave, manly virtue and tells his freshly liberated mom (also a perfect 10) that that's not his style (how humble!) and that he and his lady-object will show up sometime unannounced instead. He sure showed her! Way to stand up for yourself, Tristran!

What I find most disturbing is that Tristran's blatantly misogynistic tendencies seem to be regarded as acceptable by Gaiman himself, while Yvaine's quantum of independence is laughed off as bitchiness. Tristran, who unabashedly objectifies women and literally enslaves Yvaine, is continually described as sentimental, passionate, and caring. Meanwhile Yvaine is described throughout as "hot-tempered" (even in the synopsis), yet the only things she does that aren't hyper-subservient are to insult Tristran (her slaver) and run away after making sure he's resting and has had enough to eat. This character is so mild-mannered and forgiving that she forsakes her independence (what's left of it) to spend her life with the man who so powerfully abused and degraded her. More than that, at the book's weak ending, when the witch who has been hunting her the entire time confronts her, Yvaine forgives the witch and KISSES HER ON THE FOREHEAD before wishing her well. Yet it is the absurdly gentle and obscenely forgiving woman character who is so stereotypically dismissed by Gaiman as uppity, emotional, and wild while the grotesquely selfish and openly cruel male protagonist is celebrated as a victim of passion. This is a sickening reinforcement of rape culture that is neither innovative nor subtle.

So on top of the bad writing, confusing style, and general flatness, I found Stardust pretty offensive because of its treatment of women (I could go on about the lesser characters but I won't). It seemed like Tristran's misogynist exploits were all presented without a hint of reproach, as he won all the typical fantasy hero rewards and was described as sensitive and kind. I've definitely been super critical of him for this, but these weren't incidental issues within the story: they were central to the plot. Plus, in a book written by a contemporary author trying to challenge convention, it's extra difficult to let slide a story that's both poorly executed and deeply rooted in sexist stereotypes.

BONUS BIGOTRY: I also noticed Gaiman twice used the pejorative racial slur "Gypsy" (which is never okay unless you happen to be Roma) and described Native Americans as "savages."(less)

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Mar 21, 2013 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reads

You can also find this review here on my blog, PaperFantasies

I’m trying to remember why I thought Gaiman’s prose wouldn’t be as good as his Sandman graphic novels. The multitude of voices proclaiming him a one-hit wonder? His almost non-existent presence in nerd culture? The horrible reviews I’ve seen for his other books?

Truth is, all of that is the exact opposite of what I actually knew about his work prior to reading Stardust. He’s been proclaimed a creative genius by many of my trusted pee...more You can also find this review here on my blog, PaperFantasies

I’m trying to remember why I thought Gaiman’s prose wouldn’t be as good as his Sandman graphic novels. The multitude of voices proclaiming him a one-hit wonder? His almost non-existent presence in nerd culture? The horrible reviews I’ve seen for his other books?

Truth is, all of that is the exact opposite of what I actually knew about his work prior to reading Stardust. He’s been proclaimed a creative genius by many of my trusted peers and idols, and yet I still persisted in my misguided notion that I wasn’t missing anything by not delving into more of his worlds.

This novel has effectively cured me of that. Expect to see me go on a Gaiman binge in the near future.

What do you think of when you think of an adult fairy tale? Cinderella with blood? Snow White without the Prince Charming ending? Or maybe, Snow White getting naughty with those seven dwarves while Charming watches?

Ew. No. Get your mind out of the gutter I just callously thrust it in with that unsavory image and think more of the first two.

The world of Stardust is what would happen if we didn’t edit out the scary bad things in order to spare our children’s sensibilities. Faerie exists just behind the city of Wall, full of whimsy and magic, elves and unicorns and vicious, murderous princes and witches. It is there that main character Tristran and his fancied Victoria Forrester see a falling star land. With one thoughtless promise, Victoria sends Tristran on a journey beyond Wall to get that star and deliver it to her…where unexpected things happen, and a star turns out to be more than Tristran could have ever imagined it to be.

Stardust is written exactly how we would expect a whimsical fairy tale for adults to be written; with whimsy. The words flow and capture, giving us a sense of nostalgia for the days spent on our parents’ laps, being read our favorite stories, but without all the campiness they contained. This is a novel written for the child that lives in the adult, and I love it to pieces for that reason.

Now I have something to admit; I, queen of finding at least one thing to nitpick about in even my favorite books, honestly can’t think of a thing to criticize, which is almost making me want to bump the rating up to a full 5 stars. Almost because, while I can’t think of any technical criticisms, it just didn’t feel quite like one of those elite reading experiences to me. A highly recommended read, fantastic escapism that fell just short of remarkable, but still deserves heaps of praise and every fraction of the four stars I give it.

And oh! Quick shout-out to my dear friends Pixie and Taylor for recommending this to me and finally showing me why Neil Gaiman is such a hyped-up author, and for dealing with my incessant “Omg I just got to the part where _____ happened!” texts. (Seriously, I don’t know how they put up with me, but I’m glad that they do. They’re my main go-to peeps, and I’d be lost in this sea of books and blogging and blogging about books without ‘em.)
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Jun 24, 2012 Carlos Bennett rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Stardust" transcurre en una época no revelada (se asume como Victoriana), en el ficticio pueblo de Wall. Esta pequeña aldea se caracteríza por estar cerca de un muy viejo muro con una grieta, la cual nadie nunca atraviesa (los mismos habitantes del pueblo se turnan para hacer guardia). La grieta es la entrada al mundo de Faërie, el cual esta estrictamente separado del mundo real salvo en una ocasión: cada nueve años se realiza la Gran Feria de Wall, en la cual diversos hombres y criaturas del m...more "Stardust" transcurre en una época no revelada (se asume como Victoriana), en el ficticio pueblo de Wall. Esta pequeña aldea se caracteríza por estar cerca de un muy viejo muro con una grieta, la cual nadie nunca atraviesa (los mismos habitantes del pueblo se turnan para hacer guardia). La grieta es la entrada al mundo de Faërie, el cual esta estrictamente separado del mundo real salvo en una ocasión: cada nueve años se realiza la Gran Feria de Wall, en la cual diversos hombres y criaturas del mundo de Faërie acuden a vender sus mercancias. En esa fecha, Wall se llena viajeros de todos los pueblos vecinos (y también lejanos) que acuden a la feria: todos atraviesan la grieta y comparten con los habitantes de Faërie por un día. El libro trata básicamente de las aventuras de Tristran Thorn, un chico de 18 años nacido del affaire ocurrido entre un granjero y una mujer (esclava de una bruja), ocurrido durante una feria. Tristran rompe las reglas de la villa de Wall y traspasa la brecha del muro para ir a buscar una estrella fugaz caída en Faërie, con la intención de llevarsela a Victoria Forrester, la chica de la que está enamorado, y así ganar su mano.

"Stardust" es para mí la quintaesencia del "Fairy Tale"; una clásica novela fantástica/de aventuras con un cierto aire etéreo, narrada en un lenguaje a veces un tanto infantil (wikipedia me informa que es deliberadamente el lenguaje que se usaba en la época pre-Tolkien de la fantasia, influenciado principalmente por Lord Dunsany). Es una muy buena novela, y pasare a enumerar por qué:

1) Humor: es humor blanco, reconozcamoslo, pero aún así es ingenioso. Los personajes saben insultar con estilo (especialmente Yvaine, la estrella caída -sí,la estrella es una persona- y Madam Selene, una de las brujas). Insultar con estilo es una cualidad muy importante.
2) Buenos villanos: esto es absolutamente imprescindible en una buena historia. Los villanos de turnos son Madam Selene (una bruja menor), Secundus (uno de los pérfidos hijos del rey que quiere a toda costa asesinar a todos sus hermanos) y la Reina de las Brujas (cuyo nombre esta perdido en el tiempo). Esta última se roba la película. Todos los villanos tienen algo rescatable; ninguno es malo por que sí.

Bueno, ya he dado algunos spoilers pero los spoilers reales vienen ahora. Quienes no hayan leído el libro y no quieran saber más cosas, o quienes hayan visto la película y NO quieran saber las diferencias con el libro no sigan leyendo!

Spoiler --- Spoiler ---- Spoiler ---- Spoiler

3) Pequeños giros en la trama que le dan un muy leve toque oscuro, algo picante a la historia: reconozco que ví la película primero, así que había cosas que no me esperaba. No me esperaba, por ejemplo, que el niño pobre al que la Reina de las Brujas convierte en cabra para que tire su carroza terminara muerto sin mayores explicaciones. La misma bruja es atravesada posteriormente de un lado al otro por el cuerno de un querible Unicornio al que ya nos habíamos encariñado; no me esperaba que se safara del cuerno, matara al Unicornio a cuchilazos y tiempo después le cortara la cabeza para usarla en sus hechizos (cabeza que posteriorente llevaria para todas partes). Bueno, cosas así se agradecen.

Mi pasaje favorito del libro esta cerca del final. La bruja finalmente encuentra a la estrella (a la que está persiguiendo para arracarle el corazón, el que necesita para recuperar su juventud). Hay un breve diálogo que no relataré (sería lo único que faltara para que contara el libro entero), pero es lo que ilustra mejor el libro para mí. Si alguien se ha leído Stardust y recuerda ese párrafo, por favor díganme que les pareció!

Al final, como buen defensor de la fatasía en general como género válido, este libro me ha puesto a pensar. Escrito 50 años después de Tolkien, rechaza muchas de las cosas que este propone (¿será significativo que Gaiman le agradezca al final a gran parte de su influencias, citando desde Lord Dunsany hasta CS Lewis omitiendo olimpicamente a Tolkien?). Claramente el mundo de Wall carece (en ejecución y en intención) de la vastedad y detalle del mundo de Tolkien. Por otra parte, tiene personajes que si bien no tienen la complejidad de la supuesta gran-literatura, si al menos tienen un par de dimensiones (más allá de los orcos malos y los elfos buenos de la Tierra Media). ¿Habrá algún camino específico para que la literatura fanstástica pueda pasar a ser considerada ficción "literaria"? Y es así, ¿cual es? ¿La coherencia, elegancia y vastedad del mundo Tolkeniano (y otros intentos de la escuela, como Frank Herbert, Úrsula Le Guin...)? ¿La narración etérea, pero con chispa, de Gaiman, de Terry Pratchet? ¿La prosa cuasi-poética, atmosférica, de Crowley, de Bradbury? ¿¿Y donde diablos clasificamos a Sussana Clarke?? (pucha que es bueno "Mr Norrell & Jonathan Strange").

(Si alguien que realmente sepa de literatura fantástica lee mis divisiones y agrupaciones de escritores probablemente se atraganta. Todos los fanáticos de la literatura o del cine de género son muy asiduos a la taxonomía, lo sé, y las clasificaciones son muy importantes). Bueno, el punto - si es que hay un punto en todo esto - es que al final solo hay una clasificación que importa: Libros buenos y malos. Este es bueno.
Que viva Gaiman.

PD: Al final me sentí mal por la bruja. Ojala hubiera ganado.
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Jun 15, 2010 Bookseller Cate rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have a new dream. When I get Ghita's story published, I would like a Neil Gaiman blurb on the cover, please.

I've been reading Gaiman's blog and following him on Twitter for ages, as I tend to do with authors who have been recommended to me. If I like them, I tend to eventually try their books. I'd read a couple picture books of Gaiman's before but this was the first novel I tried.

Stardust was, for me, just delightful and pretty darn close to perfect. It's the kind of story I want Ghita's to...more

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Aug 29, 2009 PurplyCookie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, graphic-novel, personal-faves, mythic-fiction, fave-author, romance-novel, witchcraft, faerie

This edition of "Stardust" was the first I've read & truly loved of Gaiman's works. It touched the child in me & got me interested in the fantasy genre once more. What's more it's graced with Charles Vess's exquisite 175 illustrations -- delicate, colorful, ethereal, and full of little details and shadowy corners. He captures every shred of the magic that Gaiman's words are able to conjure, and a little bit more than that.

What is intriguing is the proposition that some time ago, mortal m...more

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Feb 08, 2008 Seth Hahne rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people with eyes and souls

It's been a long time since I'd read anything near the neighbourhood of Truly Enjoyable as Stardust. This was truly a treat. It was also well-written enough that pretty much everything I've read since just seems like a pale imitation of good writing. I'm going to need to read a lot of crap over the next month and wash my mind's ears of Gaiman's work here so that good writing once again sounds good—instead of the practice in hackery it currently seems.

Gaiman's writing is always pretty good, but i...more

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Aug 20, 2007 Res rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sff

The one where a young man goes to Faerie to bring back a fallen star for his indifferent true love.

I was lukewarm about the movie, which inspired me to re-read the book.

Two of the finest things in the book are the sense of Faerie's breadth and depth, of all the stories happening in the corners where you only get the smallest glimpse of them, and the feeling the book has for the passage of time and the way it wears away old enmities and old loves.

The first time I read it, I hadn't read Lord Du...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Jason Koivu rated it 4 of 5 stars

A magically good read!

Stardust has been the most fanciful Neil Gaiman book I've read so far. This farcical fantasy might be a tad silly, but he makes it work. I felt drawn to the main characters, repulsed by the villains and enchanted by the story and imagery. It has a bit of an everything-in-the-fantasy-genre-and-the-kitchen-sink feel to it and some might say that many of the elements are not unique. But in my eyes, this is a Gaiman original masterpiece, regardless of what ingredients he used....more

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Feb 06, 2013 ☪ℒiℱ ☚☠☛ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Masal-masalımsı kitapları seviyorum ki bu kitapta da aynı şey söz konusu. Açıklama kısmı konuyu özetlemiş güzelce zaten, bana sadece keyifle okuduğumu söylemek kalıyor.

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Sep 21, 2011 Kim rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, mmxi, meh-at-you

"There was once a young man who wished to gain his Heart's Desire."

So it begins. Fine. Yep. These are the stuff fairy tales are made from-blahblahblah. Sure thing. What else you got?

I really don’t get the point of this novella. I mean, yes, I see that there once was a man who made a journey to capture the uncapturable (a fallen star) for the woman that he loves. Wait. Does he really love her? Do I really care? I spent half the book thinking his name was Tristan not Tristran, so I guess the answ...more
"There was once a young man who wished to gain his Heart's Desire."

So it begins. Fine. Yep. These are the stuff fairy tales are made from-blahblahblah. Sure thing. What else you got?

I really don’t get the point of this novella. I mean, yes, I see that there once was a man who made a journey to capture the uncapturable (a fallen star) for the woman that he loves. Wait. Does he really love her? Do I really care? I spent half the book thinking his name was Tristan not Tristran, so I guess the answer is no. Yes, he thinks she’s a hottie. Yes, he stalks her like a bedazzled Margaret Mary Ray rumbling around in Letterman’s bushes. Christ! He sits in trees and watches her undress. What of it? Where is the love? Has he sat down and had coffee with her? Does he know her favorite book? Whether she likes boxers or briefs? Seriously?

So, he leaves his boring town of Wall to enter Faerie and find this star who is actually a beautiful young woman.(YAWN) He meets colorful filler characters along the way…yadda yadda yadda. But wait, we have another story line going on about some princely brothers who want to take over their kingdom but have to find a topaz that their father threw out the window, towards that SAME fallen star, before he croaked. And wait, there’s ANOTHER story line where 3 old witch hags also want that fallen star because her heart will given them some much needed youth. SEE HOW THEY INTERCONNECT?

Good, because the rest of it is really just a ‘she did this, he did that, they fought, they died, they tricked, he smartens up..’ kind of story. I didn’t really know the characters, I really didn’t care who ended up with who. They all kind of irritated me. The action was pretty dull. What happened to EPIC? Not like ‘dude, that frat party was so epic…’ but like Princess-Bride-Epic or Long-Island-Lolita-Epic… C’mon, Gaiman..bring it on. I know you can do it.. People wouldn’t be so enamored of you if you couldn’t. Right?
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Feb 26, 2009 Jenn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-owned, 2009-reads

It's hard to believe that the same guy who wrote half of Good Omens wrote this book. The writing style seems to be completely different, with chuckle-enticing parts few and far between.

The story is basically about a young man who's obsessed over a girl in his village. She promises "whatever he desires" if he will fetch her a star they saw fall from the sky. The rest of the book is about his journey to find the star and then bring it back.

First off, I just have to mention how much I hate the movi...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Naomi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, fiction

Tristran Thorne lives in the village of Wall; so named because there is a very large wall separating the village from the meadow beyond it. in this meadow every nine years a faerie market is held and that is where Tristran was conceived; his father had a bit of a tryst with an enchanted/enslaved shop girl at the faerie market. Tristran is delivered to his father’s door nine months later and has no idea of his origins.

Later, Tristran, the love-struck young man, promises to retrieve a fallen star...more

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Mar 05, 2009 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

My first Neil Gaiman - why have I not read everything Neil Gaiman until now? I'm utterly, totally, eternally in love with this book, and I'm glad that my introduction was narrated by the author. His narration - a bit wry, a lot affectionate - allowed me to do my part: to imagine the towns, the forest, the mountains, and every character, whether human, animal, or creature.

I love faerie tales that are written for adults - The Wood Beyond the World by William Morris comes to mind, as do the books b...more

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