Sunday, July 20, 2008

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Title: Stardust

Author: Neil Gaiman

# pages: 248

Date published: 1999

Genre: fantasy

Challenge(s): July Book Blowout, Raved About Reads, Shelfari Play Book Tag, Shelfari Tag it to the Max


Rating:






(very good)


Setting: fantasy kingdom of Stormhold


First Sentence:

“There was once a young man who wished to gain his Heart’s Desire.”


Synopsis: In the sleepy English countryside of decades past, there is a town that has stood on a jut of granite for six hundred years. And immediately to the east stands a high stone wall, for which the village is named. Here in the town of Wall, Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the hauntingly beautiful Victoria Forester. One crisp October night, as they watch, a star falls from the sky, and Victoria promises to marry Tristran if he'll retrieve that star and bring it back for her. It is this promise that sends Tristran through the only gap in the wall, across the meadow, and into the most unforgettable adventure of his life.


Random Thoughts: I enjoyed the beginning of Stardust and I loved the way the book ended, but I have to admit that I struggled through the middle of the book. The character didn’t seem connected at all. Now that I’ve finished the book, I realize that they were, but at the time I kept thinking to myself “who are these people and why do I care what they’re doing?” I am glad that I got past all of that to finish the book, though, because I thought the ending was fabulous!


Stardust has been made into a movie, too. Has anyone seen it? What did you think?


Any other Gaiman books that you would recommend? Any that didn’t sag in the middle ;o)?


Favorite scene: When Tristran returns from his journey and reminds Victoria that she promised to give him his heart’s desire.


Also reviewed by:

Just a (Reading) Fool

Reading Adventures

SomeReads

Bookworms and Tea Lovers

Trish's Reading Nook

Lost in a Good Story

Sophisticated Dorkiness

Bold.Blue.Adventure

Chain-Reading

Books Love Me


Reviews of other works by Neil Gaiman:

Neverwhere -- Just a (Reading) Fool

Let’s give people a variety of opinions! If you've reviewed this book (or a book by this author), leave me a link to your review in the comments and I'll link to your review, too!


9 comments:

Anonymous said...

The movie is much better than the book in my opinion and a few other people whom I've read agree.

I've only read two Gaiman so far, this and Neverwhere with Neverwhere being my favorite between the two. Next up from Gaiman: American Gods.

Here is my review of Stardust and I will add a link to yours by tomorrow.

Stephanie said...

I am plowing my way through all of Gaiman's books! I loved Stardust!! I reviewed it last year...I'll have to look for the link!

I did see the movie. Although it was different than the book in some ways, it was really good!!

Marg said...

This one took a while to get going for me but in the end I liked it.

My review is here

joanna said...

I've read this too, my review is here:
http://lostinagoodstory.blogspot.com/2008/02/stardust.html

I saw the movie before I read the book and LOVED it. It's enchanting.

Anonymous said...

I liked the movie version a bit better than the book, but enjoyed both. I linked to your review, and you can find mine here -- http://grayskyeyes.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/review-stardust-wg-12/

Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness)

Anonymous said...

I am really looking forward to reading this soon and hope I don't find it lacking in the middle. I recommend Neverwhere and American Gods (my personal favourite so far). I loved the film but not sure if it would be quite as good after reading the book.

Shelley said...

I think I did a four-word review for this one, but I don't know how to do a link in a comment! Anyways, I was a little lukewarm about the story and characters too, but I loved the way he described the setting.

Kim L said...

I really liked this book. I did review it here.

All of Gaiman's books have a distinctive style but they are very different from each other. American Gods is a very serious, intense book if you are in the mood for that. Anasazi Boys is a fun, kind of silly read. I liked both of them!

Josette said...

Hi, I think that the movie's better than the book. The movie's hilarious and it's one of my favourites. The book was okay and worth reading. Tristran in the book has more special ablities too unlike Tristran in the movie.

Anyway, here's my Stardust review. :)