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Stardust
by
Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author)
Hopelessly crossed in love, a boy of half-fairy parentage leaves his mundane Victorian-English village on a quest for a fallen star in the magical realm. The star proves to be an attractive woman with a hot temper, who plunges with our hero into adventures featuring witches, the lion and the unicorn, plotting elf-lords, ships that sail the sky, magical transformations, cur
...more
Paperback, 250 pages
Published
August 29th 2006
by William Morrow Paperbacks
(first published February 1st 1999)
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David
This answer contains spoilers…
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Community Reviews
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3,000)
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
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
Inevitably I was reading this against the movie, and I'm here to say that I think the movie and the book are both brilliant. So ha!
I love the movie. It's absolutely wonderful. And I loved the book. .. But they are quite different. The novel definitely feels more adult. Not because it has "adult themes" just in the overall tone and language. The movie is definitely more "family friendly." The movie is wittier and funnier and sillier and faster paced, and the book is slower and more whimsical and ...more
I love the movie. It's absolutely wonderful. And I loved the book. .. But they are quite different. The novel definitely feels more adult. Not because it has "adult themes" just in the overall tone and language. The movie is definitely more "family friendly." The movie is wittier and funnier and sillier and faster paced, and the book is slower and more whimsical and ...more
Feb 06, 2008
Jen
rated it
did not like it
Recommends it for:
Die-hard Neil Gaimon Fans
Shelves:
fantasy
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This is the one case, the ONLY case (so far) (edit: not anymore, Bridget Jones gets the honor too), 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 d ...more
So of course when I discovered it was based on a book, I rushed to get it. Now, please d ...more
The more Gaiman I read, the more I understand why people are so caught up in the magic he wields. Because that is basically what he does. He's not an author, he's a magician, painting magic pictures of rich, exciting worlds that come to life so quickly. Worlds that somehow seem complexly developed after just two chapters of Gaiman's writing. Gaiman is simply a master storyteller. He creates moods that permeate entire novels and, whether you happen to be reading his adult or young adult works, he
...more
Nov 28, 2015
Lola Reviewer
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
young-adult,
fantasy,
magic,
witches,
adventure,
family,
prince-and-princess,
love,
kingship,
3rd-person-pov
*3.5 of 5 shooting stars*
...more
‘‘For a kiss, and the pledge of your hand,’’ said Tristran, grandiloquently, ‘‘I would bring you that fallen star.’’ He shivered. His coat was thin, and it was obvious that he would not get the kiss, which he found puzzling.
The main heroes of the penny dreadfuls and shilling novels never had these problems getting kissed.
‘‘Go on, then,’’ said Victoria. ‘‘And if you do, I will.’’
‘‘What?’’ said Tristran.
‘‘If you bring me that star,’’ said Victoria, ‘‘The one that just
That is all.
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
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
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
DNF. ALRIGHT. At the risk of sounding like a complete moron, here's my story. Truth is, this is my second time trying to read Stardust. When I watched the movie some years ago, I loved it. Absolutely adored every one of these characters, from ill-advised Tristan (sorry guy, but really) (view spoiler) to sarcastic Yvaine...
YOU TELL HIM.
... Not to mention Captain Shakespeare and Bernard! Bernard was fun - and the somewhat simple but magical plot enchanted ...more
I hate Tristan Thorn, though I do suppose that everybody has been in his shoes at one point in their life. Everybody was young once and everybody has been naively in love with someone they barely know. I can’t blame Tristan for his natural puppyish passions, he is only seventeen after all, but I can hate him for it nonetheless; he is completely unbearable at the beginning as his love-sick foolishness knows no bounds. Indeed, when Victoria Forester, the woman he thinks he in love with, agrees to
...more
Dec 12, 2012
Savanna
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
speculative-fiction
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
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
Oct 04, 2010
Maciek
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Shelves:
owned-books,
favorites,
fantasy,
own-in-paperback,
read-in-2010,
reviewed,
journeys-and-quests
To tell the truth, I didn't believe it was possible. My copy of "Stardust" promises so much just by images on the cover - and the volume is so slim, barely reaching 200 pages. How will all these events and characters fit in such slim space? - I asked myself, and started reading on the evening of October, 2nd. By 4AM, October 3rd, I learned that not only it is possible, but also that Neil Gaiman is a talented, gifted writer with gorgeous imagination and invaluable, rare talent for recreating the
...more
Everything about this one just worked for me. I loved it. The characters, the writing style, the plot, the romance, the magic. It was brilliant. This edition had a forward explaining that it was written as a fairy tale for adults that would have live in the 1920's, and it hit the mark so well. One of my favorite Gaiman books so far that I've read.
What a beautiful way to end my reading year!
And that ending -
THE PLOT
A whimsical and atmospheric story which follows the adventures of an eighteen year old, Tristran Thorn, as he ventures out into the magical world of faerie-a world which borders his own little town, Wall. And why you ask did he undertake such a journey? Well, it's very simple. He did it for love. Stupid, blind, na ...more
And that ending -
THE PLOT
The stars were laid out like worlds or like ideas, uncountable as the trees in a forest or the leaves on a tree
A whimsical and atmospheric story which follows the adventures of an eighteen year old, Tristran Thorn, as he ventures out into the magical world of faerie-a world which borders his own little town, Wall. And why you ask did he undertake such a journey? Well, it's very simple. He did it for love. Stupid, blind, na ...more
Every lover is, in his heart, a madman, and, in his head, a minstrel.¡Qué libro! El quinto que leo de Gaiman y, como siempre, me deslumbró con su habilidad para mezclar una atmósfera oscura con una infantil y, hasta cierto punto, tierna. El universo de realidades que crea es de lo mejor que leo en el género.
Al principio se me hizo un poco pesado y, aunque me duela decirlo, aburrido, pero conforme iba avanzando, me atrapaba más y más. También no saber bien qué era lo que sucedía fue una manera ...more
Neil Gaiman and I have a love-hate relationship, and I hope that bothers him as much as it bothers me. He's a gifted writer and I keep thinking that I ought to love everything he writes, but so far his books have struck me either as:
• so bizarre and off-putting that I couldn't get into it <---American Gods,
• hauntingly beautiful but kind of confusing <---The Ocean at the End of the Lane, or
• having a marvelous setting but being a little on the predictable side <---Neverwhere.
Stardust f ...more
• so bizarre and off-putting that I couldn't get into it <---American Gods,
• hauntingly beautiful but kind of confusing <---The Ocean at the End of the Lane, or
• having a marvelous setting but being a little on the predictable side <---Neverwhere.
Stardust f ...more
Zvjezdana prašina ima priču koju mi jedino Gaiman može učiniti zanimljivom, jer nisam baš veliki fan fantastičnih romana, a još manje tih bajki za odrasle.
No, kod Gaimana je to samo površina, platno u koje je upleo mnoge male mudrosti koje je ili shvatio ili prepisao odnekud. Kako god one su tu i uvijek na pravom mjestu, nikada ne guše samu radnju i uvijek ih izgovore pravi likovi ili budu u samom opisu. Napisane su sa dozom odličnog humora i nepretenciozno.
Kod njega se čini da mu ideje i pisanj ...more
No, kod Gaimana je to samo površina, platno u koje je upleo mnoge male mudrosti koje je ili shvatio ili prepisao odnekud. Kako god one su tu i uvijek na pravom mjestu, nikada ne guše samu radnju i uvijek ih izgovore pravi likovi ili budu u samom opisu. Napisane su sa dozom odličnog humora i nepretenciozno.
Kod njega se čini da mu ideje i pisanj ...more
This book was my favourite read of Neil Gaiman's so far! Not that I didn't love the two I had previously read but this was also the first adult book of his that I've read and that definitely made a difference. There was no holding back and I loved the mixture of magic, adventure, intrigue and romance that surrounded this novel. Neil Gaiman is ever the clever and witty writer and this came out in a whole new way for me in this adult novel.
Tristran lives in the town of Wall that borders the land o ...more
Tristran lives in the town of Wall that borders the land o ...more
Very cute adult fairytale.
I think this is one of the few times that I preferred the movie to the book. That isn’t to say that I didn’t like the book but I think the movie expanded on a few of the ideas and the ending was very different. I might have liked the movie more only because I loved it and I saw it first.
I think this is one of the few times that I preferred the movie to the book. That isn’t to say that I didn’t like the book but I think the movie expanded on a few of the ideas and the ending was very different. I might have liked the movie more only because I loved it and I saw it first.
Stardust follows the adventure of one Tristran 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. And to win her love he must hunt down a star fallen from the sky who has ended up deep within Faerie. And so begins a most unusual adventure at once reminiscent of The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales, Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland an ...more
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
And Stardust was great for just that. ...more
Wavering between 3 and 4 stars, so I'll settle with 3.5
I saw the film years ago before I'd even heard of Neil Gaiman, so I had no idea it was based on a book. The movie is one of my favorites as far as fairy tales go, and after finishing the book, I have to say that it's an excellent modern fairy tale (though very much a mature one, considering it involves sex and violence more so than the fairy tales I grew up with). It's written very much in the vein of Grimm's or Andersen's classic stories, a ...more
I saw the film years ago before I'd even heard of Neil Gaiman, so I had no idea it was based on a book. The movie is one of my favorites as far as fairy tales go, and after finishing the book, I have to say that it's an excellent modern fairy tale (though very much a mature one, considering it involves sex and violence more so than the fairy tales I grew up with). It's written very much in the vein of Grimm's or Andersen's classic stories, a ...more
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.
It is my experience that the movie versions of books are usually not as good as the book itself. So after watching the movie, I thought I was in for a real treat.
but I was wrong.
In Gaiman's defence, this book was written in the style of an old adventure story or Grimm brother's tale- not so much description or character development. But while that sort of writing may work for a short story, It gets old in a full-length book. (though I'm glad it was a book- otherwise we wouldn't have the movie!) ...more
but I was wrong.
In Gaiman's defence, this book was written in the style of an old adventure story or Grimm brother's tale- not so much description or character development. But while that sort of writing may work for a short story, It gets old in a full-length book. (though I'm glad it was a book- otherwise we wouldn't have the movie!) ...more
I have heard Stardust by Neil Gaiman described as a fairy tale told for adults, and I think Gaiman himself said something of the kind. That is as succinct a description as comes close to this very entertaining novel.
Actually it is a Faerie tale, since Gaiman depicts a journey into that magical world and the village of Wall, which is a “boundary” between the two worlds. Though the author pays homage to nineteenth century storylines, he eschews the flowery language and opts for more post-modern p ...more
Actually it is a Faerie tale, since Gaiman depicts a journey into that magical world and the village of Wall, which is a “boundary” between the two worlds. Though the author pays homage to nineteenth century storylines, he eschews the flowery language and opts for more post-modern p ...more
Feb 22, 2015
Branwen Sedai *of the White Ajah*
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites,
fantasy-science-fiction
"He stared up at the stars: and it seemed to him then that they were dancers, stately and graceful, performing a dance almost infinite in its complexity. He imagined he could see the very faces of the stars; pale, they were, and smiling gently, as if they had spent so much time above the world, watching the scrambling and the joy and the pain of the people below them, that they could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does
...more
علاقه ای به رمان و داستان هایِ خیالی ندارم، ولی این کتاب اثری شاهکار از « نیل گیمن» است... اگر از او و در اینجا ستایش نمیکردم بی انصافی بود
ماجرایِ داستان را تعریف نمیکنم، چون از جذابیتش کاسته میشه
ولی جملاتِ زیبایی را انتخاب نمودم که ننوشتنِ آن در اینجا حیف است
جملۀ اول: هیچ ستاره ای تا زمانی که عاشق نشود، نمیتواند بدرخشد
جملۀ دوم: « یاوین» همان دختری که ستاره بوده و با گردنبند به زمین برخورد کرد، خطاب به « تریستان» پسرِ موردِ نظرِ این داستان، گفت: وقتی از بالا به زمین نگاه میکنم از رفتار و کردارِ ...more
ماجرایِ داستان را تعریف نمیکنم، چون از جذابیتش کاسته میشه
ولی جملاتِ زیبایی را انتخاب نمودم که ننوشتنِ آن در اینجا حیف است
جملۀ اول: هیچ ستاره ای تا زمانی که عاشق نشود، نمیتواند بدرخشد
جملۀ دوم: « یاوین» همان دختری که ستاره بوده و با گردنبند به زمین برخورد کرد، خطاب به « تریستان» پسرِ موردِ نظرِ این داستان، گفت: وقتی از بالا به زمین نگاه میکنم از رفتار و کردارِ ...more
This is a charming journey of self-discovery on the part of a character who has a dual nature, human and fairy. He makes it work for himself, with the assistance of sundry others. He begins his journey seeking his heart’s desire, only to find by the time he returns home that what he truly values has changed. The characters are…well..fairy tale characters and we should not be looking for great depth here. There is darkness, evil and real risk for our nicer types, and bad guys who are really, real
...more
Jan 25, 2015
Gwen (The Gwendolyn Reading Method)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites,
best-fantasy
third time through. still adorable.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Around the Year i...: Stardust, by Neil Gaiman | 11 | 50 | Apr 15, 2016 09:14AM | |
| Addicted to YA: Stardust | 8 | 73 | Apr 15, 2016 01:11AM | |
| Is there a way to mark re-reading books? | 8 | 100 | Dec 31, 2015 07:35PM | |
| B.B.B.C.: Bookish...: Stars Can't Hold a Candle to Wolverine | 2 | 5 | Nov 12, 2015 02:27PM | |
| Fictional Fortress: Book Discussion (Stardust) | 1 | 11 | Oct 05, 2015 06:00AM | |
| Fictional Fortress: Pre-discussion Thread - Stardust | 2 | 15 | Sep 20, 2015 10:31AM | |
| Restricted Sectio...: Stardust - FULL DISCUSSION | 9 | 75 | Sep 02, 2015 08:30PM |
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“She says nothing at all, but simply stares upward into the dark sky and watches, with sad eyes, the slow dance of the infinite stars.”
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“Have been unavoidably detained by the world. Expect us when you see us.”
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