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 in this case, it makes me honestly joyful that there are languages and that communication is possible.

Stardust is, in its simplest description, a faerie tale. And one well-told. Some things surprise, some things delight. And I enjoyed every last minute of my time with the book.

I only have one disappointment. For reasons beyond imagining, the book is published in very different formats: one with Charles Vess' page-by-page illuminates and one without. My copy is lamentably without. The story is amazing, but so was Vess' artwork* and I feel ill-used by the publisher.

*note: Example 1; Example 2