Stardust in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

Dec 28, 2016 Nadine in NY Jones rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy-and-sci-fi, fairies, saw-the-movie-b4-i-read-the-book, mythopoeic

As they traveled, the star cursed the day she had fallen to this wet, unfriendly world. It had seemed so gentle and welcoming when seen from high in the sky. That was before. Now, she hated everything about it, except the unicorn; and, saddle sore and uncomfortable, she would have even happily spent time away from the unicorn.

I was a little nervous to read this. I loved the movie, my kids and I have watched it a bunch of times, and a lot of reviews say the movie was better than the book. I u

As they traveled, the star cursed the day she had fallen to this wet, unfriendly world. It had seemed so gentle and welcoming when seen from high in the sky. That was before. Now, she hated everything about it, except the unicorn; and, saddle sore and uncomfortable, she would have even happily spent time away from the unicorn.

I was a little nervous to read this. I loved the movie, my kids and I have watched it a bunch of times, and a lot of reviews say the movie was better than the book. I usually love Gaiman but every once in a while ... I don't. So I wasn't sure about this.

I should not have worried! This book is (dare I say it?) PERFECT. Really. (It should be noted that this is a book for grown-ups, not for kids! that startled me a bit, since the movie is an all-around family movie ... granted, with some violence and grown-up jokes.)

Adventures are all very well in their place, he thought, but there's a lot to be said for regular meals and freedom from pain.

Still, he was alive, and the wind was in his hair, and the cloud was scudding through the sky like a galleon at full sail. Looking out over the world from above, he could never remember feeling so alive as he did at that moment. There was a skyness to the sky and a nowness to the world that he had never seen or felt or realized before.

Some of it is quite like the movie; the dialogue has the same feel. And this run of insults is worth remembering:

I shall turn your bones to ice and roast you in front of a fire! I shall pluck your eyes out and tie one to a herring and t'other to a seagull, so the twin sights of sea and sky shall take you into madness! I shall make your tongue into a writhing worm and your fingers shall become razors, and fire ants shall itch your skin, so each time you scratch yourself ...

Yes, it's not exactly like the movie. (Would you really want it to be, though?) It's neither better nor worse than the movie. It's quieter, more meaningful, more of a fairy tale. And the movie is, of course, a MOVIE with swash and buckle and flash and pomp and a big happy Hollywood ending and all that. What's really kind of fun is that the end is different. Not drastically different, but different enough.

And this final bit deserves to be quoted, because this is the only time I've known Gaiman to be actually romantic but it's kind of spoilery if you haven't seen the movie yet. (view spoiler) ...more

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Apr 09, 2020 Jessica Haider rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, book-to-film

3.5 stars. Not my favorite Gaiman.

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Jan 23, 2008 Courtney rated it it was amazing

Amazing amazing amazing. I love this book. I just finished it last night- read it in one day- and I'm tempted to pick it back up and read it again. I just love the fairy tale aspect of it. I love the falling star and the witches seeking youth and the charms and the curses. Ah! I love it! And it's one of those rare situations where the movie is just as good as the book. Good times all around. Read it if you haven't already. ...more

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Nov 22, 2007 CrystalIsReading on StoryGraph rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy

This reminds me a little bit of the old cartoon shorts called Fractured Fairy Tales. It was creative and cute, although not my favorite book ever. the characters were vividly drawn, the villains were convincingly creepy and repulsive, and the main character was a plucky young man. the story before his story, explaining his existence, kind of threw me--I was just getting involved in his father's story when it segued into the son's story. I heard there's a movie, which I might watch sometime. this ...more

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Mar 16, 2019 Crystal rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: aty-2019

Overall good, but I felt that the ending was flat. (view spoiler) ...more

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Dec 04, 2017 Alexis rated it it was amazing

This was a fantastic fairytale! I'd seen the movie ages ago and loved it so I had to read the book. The twists and turns of Tristran's journey and the surprises in the plot were so entertaining. I will be rereading this one! ...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Ana rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019-april, 2019-magicalreadathon, fantasy, 2012, 2012-may, 2019

Was a good story.

April 23, 2019
A great fairy tale. I loved how many twists it turned on its head. I loved the world with all it’s added magic and loved the characters and the plot.

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