Stardust

by Neil Gaiman (Goodreads author!)

published	July 2001 by Harper Perennial
first published	1998
binding	Paperback
isbn	0060934719 (isbn13: 9780060934712)
url	http://www.neilgaiman.com
pages	272
literary awards	Mythopoeic Fantasy Award 1999
description	Stardust is an utterly charming fairy tale in the tradition of The Princess Bride and The Neverending Story. Neil Gaiman, creato...more [close] Stardust is an utterly charming fairy tale in the tradition of The Princess Bride and The Neverending Story. Neil Gaiman, creator of the darkly elegant Sandman comics and author of The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, tells the story of young Tristran Thorn and his adventures in the land of Faerie. One fateful night, Tristran promises his beloved that he will retrieve a fallen star for her from beyond the Wall that stands between their rural English town (called, appropriately, Wall) and the Faerie realm. No one ever ventures beyond the Wall except to attend an enchanted flea market that is held every nine years (and during which, unbeknownst to him, Tristran was conceived). But Tristran bravely sets out to fetch the fallen star and thus win the hand of his love. His adventures in the magical land will keep you turning pages as fast as you can--he and the star escape evil old witches, deadly clutching trees, goblin press-gangs, and the scheming sons of the dead Lord of Stormhold. The story is by turns thrillingly scary and very funny. You'll love goofy, earnest Tristran and the talking animals, gnomes, magic trees, and other irresistible denizens of Faerie that he encounters in his travels. Stardust is a perfect read-aloud book, a brand-new fairy tale you'll want to share with a kid, or maybe hoard for yourself. (If you read it to kids, watch out for a couple of spicy sex bits and one epithet.) --Therese Littleton [close]
date added	03-27-07 edit book

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L.h. rated it:

(review of isbn 0061142026)

08/15/07

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

Read in August, 2007

recommends it for: dreamers

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 o...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. The ever-growing fetus of imagination is hope, for when the surround world seems unbearable. 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 slow acting disease, 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.

Sincerely,
L.H....less

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Yosafbridg rated it:

(review of isbn 0061142026)

05/24/08

Read in July, 2007

In which we are regaled with YoSafBridg’s first foray into the mind of Neil Gaiman

Sometimes i get DVDs in the mail from Netflix which puzzle me as to why i ever placed them in my queue to begin with, but i figure that there must have been a reason, so i go ahead and watch them. This happens with books that come into the library for me from my hold list as well (and it has nothing to do with the movie coming out~i wasn't even aware of that occurance...) Neil Gaiman's fantasy novel Stardus...more
In which we are regaled with YoSafBridg’s first foray into the mind of Neil Gaiman

Sometimes i get DVDs in the mail from Netflix which puzzle me as to why i ever placed them in my queue to begin with, but i figure that there must have been a reason, so i go ahead and watch them. This happens with books that come into the library for me from my hold list as well (and it has nothing to do with the movie coming out~i wasn't even aware of that occurance...) Neil Gaiman's fantasy novel Stardust was one such book. Now what's a girl to do when such an event occurs but to read the book, even if nothing about it sounds familiar~because there must have been a very good reason~right? Right (didn't even notice until after i had read it that the movie is about to be released~maybe that's why someone mentioned it to me~so i'm completely unaware of things~i've noticed that even more so now that i spend less time in the car commuting, now that i have that LOVERLY five minute commute, and am kept busy enough at the desk not to cruise the internet headlines~and i refuse to watch the local news...) Now i must admit, this is my fist Neil Gaiman novel (or so i believe, my faith in my own memory is not the strongest of late...i'm not even sure if that's a shameful admission or not...)

Sometimes we might not know what our True Heart's Desire is until we get it. Sometimes we may think we know what it is only to find out we are mistaken once we have journeyed to seek it out. If there is a moral in that i'm not sure what it is (is there always a moral to be found in life?). This story starts out in the English village of Wall (so named for the Wall that separates it from the rather mysterious meadowland that no one is allowed to venture~well VERY occasionally they are allowed through but they are given a VERY stern warning AND there is the market that is held every nine years in the spring, and it is actually not all that much of a mystery because on the other side of the wall lies the land of Faerie, and there i go with my parenthetical run-on sentences again, oh well...)

A question like "How big is Faerie?" does not admit of a simple answer.

Faerie, after all, is not one land, one principality or dominion. Maps of Faerie are unreliable, and may not be depended upon.

We talk of the kings and queens of Faerie as we would speak of the kings and queens of England but Faerie is bigger than England, as it is bigger than the world (for, since the dawn of time, each land that has been forced off the map by explorers and the brave going out and proving it wasn't there has taken refuge in Faerie; so it is now, by the time that we come to write of it, a most huge place indeed, containing every manner of landscape and terrain. Here, truly, there be Dragons. Also gryphons, wyverns, hippogriffs, basilisks, and hydras. There are all manner of more familiar animals as well, cats affectionate and aloof, dogs noble and cowardly, wolves and foxes, eagles and bears.

This might give you some idea of the type of the of world you have stumbled into, in other words, a typical fairy tale, with the typical fairy tale fare, but told with a great deal more wit (if i may so declare.) Gaiman follows all the rules of good fairy tale telling, but with a modern twist and humour (tho the story is set at the turn of the nineteenth century).

Tristran Thorn has promised the beautiful Victoria Forester, the girl he (and everyone else) is incurable in love with, that he will retrieve the star she saw fall to the ground in the East (in the land of Faerie) for her, and she has, in return, promised she will do whatever he asks when he delivers it to her. So off he ventures into lands unknown (also unknown to him that his birthmother was from Faerie) to seek his fortune and his manhood.

Tristran is not the only one seeking the star (of course not, for what kind of story would that make?) We also have one of a trio of very wicked witches and a trio of brothers who are seeking the star to retrieve a jewel their father tossed into the air right before his death to determine who would inherit his kingdom of Stormhold (atop the highest peak in Faerie). Tristran encounters many characters along the way; helpful, hindering, and in-between, but all very colorful; as well as the feisty star, herself. Although perhaps predictable this is a wonderful fairy tale for adults and i don't think i'm giving much away if i tell you all ends somewhat happily~though with a healthy dose of gore and mild sex for all to enjoy.

This is a fast-paced, enjoyable story that could easily be read in an evening and leave one feeling satisfied. Makes for a nice little interlude spaced between more demanding fare (or if there is something you are trying to avoid, perhaps you/me are in denial about something...)

...less

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Jen rated it:

(review of isbn 0061142026)

02/06/08

bookshelves: fantasy

Read in November, 2007

recommends it for: Die-hard Neil Gaimon Fans

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 st...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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April rated it:

(review of isbn 0380804557)

06/27/08

Read in June, 2008

I'll admit that I like this Neil Gaiman book a bit better than the first one that I read, American Gods, but I still don't understand why the author has such mass appeal. Before I go into my reasons why, here's a disclaimer: I saw the movie version of Stardust first, and it is against that which I compare the book.

To begin with, I had a hard time connecting the eye candy of the movie with the book's narrative description. Gaiman's descriptions are almost spare for the genre, and where he doe...more I'll admit that I like this Neil Gaiman book a bit better than the first one that I read, American Gods, but I still don't understand why the author has such mass appeal. Before I go into my reasons why, here's a disclaimer: I saw the movie version of Stardust first, and it is against that which I compare the book.

To begin with, I had a hard time connecting the eye candy of the movie with the book's narrative description. Gaiman's descriptions are almost spare for the genre, and where he does elaborate, it feels either a little generic, vague, or confusing, which becomes even more apparent when there are more than a few characters in any one scene. For instance, when the Lilim are introduced, he describes six witches, and even after having seen the movie and knowing that three of those witches are actually the reflection of the other three, I still had a hard time following what was going on because he keeps the description of each witch and their surroundings at such a minimum that it's very easy to get all six figures confused. The scenes in which the living and the dead princes are in the same room were also confusing for me, though again I knew from the movie was what going on, and it was for the same reason. I could not easily distinguish one character from another or keep their names straight. This for me can make for some forgettable characters.

It is easier to follow when there are fewer characters in a scene, but even then I could wish for clearer descriptions. Gaiman sometimes withholds names of characters until you barely even need them any more, so pronouns and phrases such as "the little hairy man" give kind of a generic feel. Or sometimes Gaiman will give a well thought out name to a character and then barely develop him past the initial scenes, like with the sky ship's captain, who was ten times more developed in the movie version than in the book version. Ironic, considering that the book's somewhat developed "little hairy man" (whose name I think is Charmed) isn't in the movie version at all.

Story-wise, I prefer the movie version. The beginning moves more quickly and gets to Tristran's part of the story almost right away, and the ending is more exciting and satisfying. The book's ending was actually almost anti-climactic; it feels like a proper fairy tale ending with a poignant note added to give it some character, but next to the movie ending, it sort of fizzled. However, I do like that the slower beginning gives a better look at the how and the why of the setting as it does at Tristran's parents.

As for the middle, there were scenes that I felt the author merely glossed over, as though he never actually got past the outline or synopsis stage in those areas. They felt almost like montage scenes where there shouldn't be any. Tristran's and Yvaine's time on the sky ship is a good example of what I mean, which actually I wouldn't have minded so much in that particular instance if Tristran's scenes with the little hairy man weren't light years more detailed. There was an opportunity during the sky ship traveling to show the two main characters really starting to care for one another much more deeply than before.

But all in all, I liked the story. I love the concept of a man falling in love with a fallen star, and I found that a lot of the heart of the story was original. I just think that the execution of the story could have been much better done, the characters a little more interesting; it felt a little unfinished to me, not as well developed as they could have been.

If I hadn't seen and loved the movie so much, I might have given this one less star than I give this now. [Edit: I've removed the extra star.] I don't know. I can't help but feel that the movie's imagery provided the book with a visual aid of some kind, thus giving it a boost.

I'm willing to try another Neil Gaiman book just to test this theory. This time I'll stick with a book I haven't already seen in movie form.

Finished reading June 26, 2008....less

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Shannon rated it:

(review of isbn 0061142026)

05/27/08

bookshelves: 2007, fantasy

Read in August, 2007

I'll be honest: the only reason I read this was because it was voted as the September book for Bookworms Inc. book club. I didn't vote for it, but I'm always happy to read a book I wouldn't otherwise have picked up. Lots of people on the Lj book communities have recommended Gaiman, and others weren't too impressed. I find I've fallen into the second category, and I still don't feel inclined to read anything else by him.

The movie's out at the moment, and a preview I saw at the cinema was the ...more I'll be honest: the only reason I read this was because it was voted as the September book for Bookworms Inc. book club. I didn't vote for it, but I'm always happy to read a book I wouldn't otherwise have picked up. Lots of people on the Lj book communities have recommended Gaiman, and others weren't too impressed. I find I've fallen into the second category, and I still don't feel inclined to read anything else by him.

The movie's out at the moment, and a preview I saw at the cinema was the first time I'd even heard of this book - I guessed it was a book, since adaptations of fantasy books is very popular at the mo. I saw loads of ads for it before I read the book, and have to say, first off, that there seem to be few similarities.

Tristran Thorn is the son of Dunston Thorn and a woman-cat-person-thing from Faery, which lies beyond the wall which gave the village of Wall, in England, it's name. There's a gap in the wall, which they take turns to guard, to stop people from going through into Faery. Every 7 years there's a market held in the meadow beyond the wall, the only time the villagers go through the gap.

While trying to woo beautiful Victoria Forester, Tristran promises to bring back the star they just watched fall over the mountains in Faery. So begins his journey to find the star, which, because it fell in Faery, is not a lump of rock but an equally beautiful young woman with a bit of a temper.

Also looking for the star, called Yvain, are three sister witches who use the heart of the star to give themselves youth and beauty; and the sons of the 81st Lord of Stormhold, who threw his amulet at the star which is what made it fall in the first place. Because he has three remaining sons when he dies (they had already killed the other four), the one who gets the topaz stone back will become the 82nd Lord of Stormhold.

Naturally, Faery is populated by all sorts of creatures, including sinister woods, hairy little men, unicorns, the usual. And because Tristran is half-Faery himself, he fits right in.

Stardust is written with a light touch by British-born and raised Gaiman (now US resident), that reminded me - as it was probably meant to - of Douglas Adams and William Golding (Princess Bride), but the humour, the wit, the irony, isn't really there. The tone and style and pacing makes you expect more than it delivers. It's called an "adult fairy tale", but I don't think including a weak, rather embarrassing sex scene and several references to relieving yourself make it adult, and I didn't find it particularly insightful or allegorical. The ending is rather unsatisfying, being anticlimactic, long-winded and dull.

The quality of the writing didn't strike me as very inspiring. It's very "this happened then this then this", almost a kind of pain-by-numbers. And predictable, very predictable.

Maybe I'm missing something. I know there's a lot of people who will totally disagree with me, but, for me, it was too lacking in so many areas. I don't think reading the original, graphic-illustrated version would improve things much, since it's the quality of the story itself that I'm disappointed with....less

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Morgan rated it:

(review of isbn 0061142026)

04/28/08

bookshelves: magical-fiction

Read in April, 2008

recommends it for: not a lot of people...

My sil, Kirstin, recommended this movie to Jon and I. I enjoyed it, but felt that there was something missing, some fundamental understanding in regards to the world of "Stardust" that I was missing. I also felt it was a bit cheesy and overdone. I knew it could've been better, and was wondering what caused the director to head the direction he did. Well, you can imagine how pleased I was to find out that it wasn't only a movie, it was a book as well! Finally, the missing answers! ...more My sil, Kirstin, recommended this movie to Jon and I. I enjoyed it, but felt that there was something missing, some fundamental understanding in regards to the world of "Stardust" that I was missing. I also felt it was a bit cheesy and overdone. I knew it could've been better, and was wondering what caused the director to head the direction he did. Well, you can imagine how pleased I was to find out that it wasn't only a movie, it was a book as well! Finally, the missing answers! Finally, the understanding in regards to this whole world of Faerie! Finally, the deep and intimate truth!

Well, yeah. Let's just say, I'm not really impressed. How they created the movie from that book is beyond me. There were a lot, A LOT, of liberties taken in the plot of the movie that were no where found in the book. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. The book was actually quite slow moving. Both the book and the movie revolved around the same concept. The city of Wall, England, on the border of Faerie, which no folk can pass into except once every 9 years when a fair unites people from all over the world. The young Tristan Thorn is born after a late night rendevous between a slave girl on the Faerie side, and the ever reliable Mr. Thorn from the sleepy village of Thorn. Young Tristan grows up never knowing his true roots, and assuming he will spend all his life in Wall. But one night, after walking home his one and true love, Victoria Foster, they see a shooting star. Tristan promises Victoria he will go and retrieve that star for her. But once he does, she will have to marry him. Victoria, being the ever flaky female character, laughs him off and assumes he is merely jesting. That night, Tristan sets off into the unknown world of Faerie to collect that star for his truest love. Little does he know what awaits him in the land beyond.

Okay, the storyline is cute enough, but here's what really bothered me:
1) I assumed this was a kids novel, but was not. After a saucy love scene I had to keep my eye out. Also, it was a bit, well, rough. The author used phrases like, "Primus strode over to the ledge to piss..." Piss, really? Was that necessary? I think not. I mean, I know he used it for a reason, but I didn't know why.
2) The plot moved very quickly, and I never felt that we stayed in one place long enough. I was really excited to read about their time aboard the ship, and it was like 2 pages. He simply skims over time by saying, "Later in his life, Tristan would always look back his time on the ship as one of the happiest of his life." Okay, a little more on WHY he enjoyed it so much? Please?
3) SOOOOO anti-climactic. The ending? Seriously? It was a joke.

I will say I really enjoy the interactions between Tristan and Yvaine, but that was about the only thing that was really great about this book. It's somewhere between 2 and 3 stars, but not one that I would quickly recommend. There are far better magical works than this one....less

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Hustinetten rated it:

(review of isbn 0061142026)

02/10/08

bookshelves: literaturainglesa

Read in January, 2007

Cuando me enteré de que una de las historias del nuevo libro de Susanna Clarke ocurre en Wall, o lo que es lo mismo, en Muro, el pueblo en el que también comienza Stardust, de Neil Gaiman, supe que ésta debía ser mi próxima parada literaria, antes de echarle mano a The Ladies of Grace Adieu, la compilación de relatos cor...more Cuando me enteré de que una de las historias del nuevo libro de Susanna Clarke ocurre en Wall, o lo que es lo mismo, en Muro, el pueblo en el que también comienza Stardust, de Neil Gaiman, supe que ésta debía ser mi próxima parada literaria, antes de echarle mano a The Ladies of Grace Adieu, la compilación de relatos cortos de la madre del Sr. Strange. Y es que además hacía tiempo que quería leer algún libro del señor Gaiman en donde que no hiciera su aparición el Señor del Sueño (The Sandman lo llevo por la mitad, además de haber pasado por Los Cazadores de Sueños).

Una pena que la lectura me la hayan amargado un poco la traducción y la edición...¡Que eventually no significa eventualmente, leñes, sino finalmente! ¡¡Y las letras no se comen!! ¡¡Caca!!
Es por eso que miré a cuánto se cotizaba en amazon la edición original ilustrada por Charles Vess de Stardust. Que por cierto, es preciosa, pero la portada te destripa totalmente el final. Menos mal que no la he visto hasta ahora. En realidad no se trata de algo grave, nada que nadie en su sano juicio no oliera venir al leer la historia. Pero yo, particularmente, no me lo esperaba.

Y es que me ocurre una cosa curiosa: La experiencia me ha dado un alto grado de previsión en cuanto a el desenlace de historias se refiere, sobre todo si son sencillas, folletinescas...películas de las de mediodía de Antena 3, vamos.
Peeeeeeeero claro, cuando la historia me gusta y me atrapa, quedo ciega, y no veo gran parte de lo que puede ocurrir en los capítulos siguientes. Yo, personalmente, lo considero una virtud, así disfruto el doble y conservo el apreciado factor sorpresa.

En el caso de Stardust, no es que sea un folletín. Peor: es un cuento. Con todos sus actantes, muchas de las treinta y una funciones de Propp, encantamientos, reyes, brujas y demás. Sencillo, al menos en apariencia, porque en realidad el señor Gaiman se las apaña para manejar como si nada varias historias confluyentes entrelazadas. Y lo hace como los grandes narradores de la historia del cuento: permitiendo que lo increíble parezca cosa tan mundana como ir a compra el pan. Hilando los sucesos como si la conexión entre unos y otros parezca lo más obvio del mundo pero, al mismo tiempo, sigas maravillándote con su relato y preguntándote qué ocurrirá a continuación. Siguiendo los esquemas clásicos fielmente, pero introduciendo con habilidad ciertos elementos subversivos. Y al final...

No quiero destripar ni lo más mínimo. Sólo decir que los últimos capítulos me los he leído y disfrutado del tirón, aunque me doliera horriblemente el cuello por estar tanto tiempo en la misma posición, y, por supuesto, me diera muchísima pena despedirme de los personajes. Menos mal que la historia es corta y no me dio tiempo a cogerles demasiado cariño esta vez....less

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Kurtis rated it:

(review of isbn 0061142026)

02/01/08

bookshelves: all-time-faves

I have very little interest in books in which humans pass into the mystical realm of Faerie, and my eyes glaze over when somebody describes such a plotline. Why, then, have two of the best novels I’ve read recently involve exactly that premise? The first was Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and the second is Stardust. (An interesting footnote to this is that Gaiman helped Clarke get published after reading her short fiction, but Clarke’s excellence would have been discover...more I have very little interest in books in which humans pass into the mystical realm of Faerie, and my eyes glaze over when somebody describes such a plotline. Why, then, have two of the best novels I’ve read recently involve exactly that premise? The first was Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and the second is Stardust. (An interesting footnote to this is that Gaiman helped Clarke get published after reading her short fiction, but Clarke’s excellence would have been discovered sooner or later).

I loved Gaiman’s American Gods and Anansi Boys, so I was willing to give Stardust a chance. I really think it’s his best book that I’ve read… it’s succint, charming, and poignant, with a good dash of humor and a very fast-paced adventure. Though it’s billed as a send-up of fairy tales in the style of William Goldman’s Princess Bride, Stardust is refreshingly straight-forward, without much cute postmodern touches. That is to say, it’s just a fairy tale, but a marvelous one, and with as much subtle meaning as the ones endlessly analyzed by the Bettelheims and Blys of the world.

Tristan Thorn is the book’s young hero. Unbeknownst to him, he is half faerie himself, the result of a sudden indiscretion of his father. He lives in the town of Wall, an English village that is otherwise ordinary, but rests at the gap in a wall between England and the magical land of Faerie. Tristan impulsively promises a young sweetheart anything, and she impulsively calls his bluff, asking him for a star seen falling far beyond the wall.

Needless to say, Tristan tries to make good on his promise, and sets out on his adventure. Here is where lesser authors would lose my interest, setting their heroes plodding through their inevitable setbacks and successes. Where Gaiman succeeds is imbuing practically every character, however fleeting, with a real and interesting persona… the witches and would-be kings racing Tristan to the star for their own selfish ends, and the various helpers and aids that Tristan meets along the way.

Among other things, of all the fantasy books I’ve read by men, this has the most respect for its female characters — the Star herself and Tristan’s fairy mother prove to be the most heroic characters, while the witches and even Tristan’s vain, pretty sweetheart back home are given actual personalities, rather than serving as mere plot devices. ...less

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Kevin rated it:

(review of isbn 0061142026)

05/05/08

Read in February, 2008

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 Amer...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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Cobweb rated it:

06/07/08

Read in June, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

I hate to say this, but I enjoyed the movie better than the book. The book had such a sad ending. Yvaine is all alone for the rest of her life. Her true love died, and she is stuck in Faerie.
When I read this, I expect that it would be as happy and adventurous as the movie. I was disappointed. I'm sure if I read the book first, I would have enjoyed the characters a whole lot more, and I wouldn't be able to stand the movie. That's Hollywood for you.

Summary:
Tristran's father...more I hate to say this, but I enjoyed the movie better than the book. The book had such a sad ending. Yvaine is all alone for the rest of her life. Her true love died, and she is stuck in Faerie.
When I read this, I expect that it would be as happy and adventurous as the movie. I was disappointed. I'm sure if I read the book first, I would have enjoyed the characters a whole lot more, and I wouldn't be able to stand the movie. That's Hollywood for you.

Summary:
Tristran's father made love to a slave girl in the land of Faerie. After that he married Daisy and had a daughter with her. Tristran was found at the wall as a baby, and his father took him in. He grew up to believe that Daisy was his real mother.
Tristran had a crush on Victoria, and she promised that she will give anything that his heart desired if he found the falling star that they saw. He left to Faerie to look for a fallen star.
The first person he met was a hairy old man. Tristran saved him from some trees. The man discovered that he knew Tristran's father, and gave him what was left of a Babylon candle. With this candle he can find the star much faster.
Once he found the star, they were bickering constantly. She had a broken leg and was not walking that great. A unicorn came and helped them. While Tristran was looking for food, the unicorn and the star disappeared.
Tristran hitched a ride with Primus, and together, they traveled to an inn that a witch made, so she could captured the star. The witch killed Primus and the unicorn, as Tristran and the star escaped with a jimmy rigged Babylon candle. Tristran and the Star ended up in the clouds. A captain from a ship that captures lightning saved them. During this time we learned the star's name is Yvaine.
Once they left the ship, Tristran met Madame Semele. She had a very colorful bird. She transformed him into a mouse and took him to the city of Wall. Once they arrived there, she turned him back to a human.
Tristran left Yvaine and went over to his hometown and discovered that Victoria was engaged to Mr. Monday. He gave them his blessing, and went back to Faerie. After Victoria married, the colorful bird from Madame Seleme's turned was freed. The bird was actually Tristran's mom, and the first born of the lord of Stormhold. Since Tristran was the last male heir of the Stromhold's lineage, he was to be the next Lord of Stormhold.
Tristran died of old age and Yvaine continued to rule Stormhold, to this day.

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Kathryn rated it:

(review of isbn 0380804557)

02/15/08

Read in February, 2008

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...more

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John rated it:

(review of isbn 0061142026)

10/15/07

Read in October, 2007

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 do...more

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Nechan rated it:

10/06/07

Read in May, 2007

[sebuah novel fantasi dari seorang pengarang graphic novel "sandman"]

"ini adalah dongeng untuk orang dewasa"

tagline yang langsung menarik perhatian gw dalam sekejap pas lagi jalan2
di kino-senayan. Ditambah lagi desain coverbuku yang seolah buku ini
adalah buku tua bersampul kulit usang yang termakan usia. interesting.

Ceritanya sendiri tentang perjalanan seorang Tristran Thorn, pemuda lugu
belasan tahun, menembus negeri peri demi membawakan bintang jatuh untuk ...more

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Angela rated it:

(review of isbn 0061142026)

07/09/08

Read in July, 2008

The one stupid thing I did in relation to this book was see the movie first. As such, my mind's full of comparisons between the two, and it's hard to accurately pinpoint my opinion of just the book.

I liked the book, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. For that, I blame the movie. The movie fleshed out minor characters, and gave more detail to certain events, plus the the scene where the hero meets the main villain is infinitely more climactic, opposed to the blink-a...more

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Darcy rated it:

(review of isbn 0061142026)

08/18/07

Read in August, 2007

I just read this book and saw the movie today.

The book –
I would define the writing as whimsical. For instance, “It was night in the glade by the pool and the sky was bespattered with stars beyond counting. Fireflies glittered in the leaves of the elm trees and in the ferns and in the hazel bushes, flickers on and off like the lights of as strange and distant city."

The charming prose was offset by a complete lack of character development and a rushed ending. Thus, there arose ...more

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Jessica rated it:

(review of isbn 0061142026)

07/20/08

Read in July, 2008

Stardust is a short novel (or novella) that covers the journeyings of Tristran Thorn. Born of a short liaison between his father, a citizen of Wall, England, and his mother, a citizen of Faerie, Tristran has never really fit in. In love with Victoria Forester, he promises to fetch her a fallen star in return for his heart’s desire.

Tristan crosses the wall into Faerie and becomes part of a race to find the fallen star. Other star-seekers include the Lilim, a witch coven that needs a star...more

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Juliette rated it: