Stardust by Neil Gaiman Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Stardust
Book Review: A bit disappointed
Summary: 3 Stars
I must echo another reviewer in saying that I was first drawn to this story from the movie, but sadly I fear (and I have never said this about a book before) the movie was better. The character development I felt was minimal and the story seemed to have a lack of spark between it's main characters. Personally I enjoyed the movie more.Book Review: A good, old-fashioned fairy tale
Summary: 5 Stars
This isn't an original concept. Typical fairy-tale, following archetypal models. However, this IS Neil Gaiman we're talking about, so the story telling is so powerful that you get completely taken in. The writing is excellent, the plot is strong and the characters are well-thought-out. Gaiman takes us on a classic journey through a fantastic land peopled with brilliant, quirky characters. The story can be brutally real at times, while still maintaining the mystique of mythology and folk tale (something Gaiman does particularly well). A must read for fairy tale enthusiasts and fans of Gaiman alike.Book Review: A riveting adult fairy tale perfectly told
Summary: 5 Stars
We often talk of a book, movie, or short story being a "fairy tale," but Neil Gaiman's STARDUST is literally a fairy tale. Though the past century has seen a host of stories of the supernatural, the world of the fairies generally has been neglected. And indeed, even here most of the characters are human, witches, stars, or other kinds of creatures. The book is enough to convince me that our writers have neglected fairies to our own detriment. Some refer to STARDUST as a graphic novel, which is incorrect. This is an illustrated novel and the difference between the two is significant. The text of a graphic novel cannot stand on its own. If you took away either the visual or textual component of any graphic novel the work would fall to bits. Neither component is in any sense optional. But with STARDUST, you could easily read the text alone with little or not loss of all of the essentials of the story. The text is fully self-contained. The illustrations are, in this case, optional -- though delightful -- embellishments. Had Neil Gaiman chosen to publish STARDUST with no illustrations the book would have been very nearly as good. Thankfully Charles Vess's (not sure why they have violated standard contemporary punctuation practice and not added an "s" to show possession on the cover of the book -- virtually all standard guides such as the MLA Handbook and the Chicago Manual of Style would have had the cover read "Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess's Stardust).
With reluctance I have decided to write a spoiler free review. Often I will post a spoiler warning at the beginning and then proceed to write a review that touches upon occasional spoilers. But I think STARDUST is best read with as clean a slate as possible. Instead, let me write about it in far more general terms. STARDUST is above all about a special part of the world, a world in which fairies are real, where witches truly exist, and where magic governs life. It is a world in which a magical glass flower cannot be bought with money, but can be purchased with a kiss. It is a land where many seek and hope to find a fallen star. It is a world in which the very woods are alive. It is not, however, always a very happy story. There are many, many dark moments (though this was true as well in the Grimm brothers' stories) and you heart will often ache for some terrible misfortune.
Ultimately what makes this such a delicious story is Gaiman's impeccably good taste and fertile imagination. Many of the elements of the story can be anticipated, but the particular way that they are resolved cannot. For instance, I was surprised by the final scene involving the main witch and by the end of the search by the three brothers for the medallion that will be found with the fallen star. That is the challenge with a story like this. There are some elements that almost any such story will be forced to include, the challenge being resolving those elements a a new and satisfying way. In this Gaiman succeeds again and again. By the end of the story the reader will have a wonderful sense of having explored marvelous and magical places through a wonderfully and perfectly related tale. Not everything in the story is explained. A healthy number of bits of the story are left wrapped in mystery, such as the precise identity of the protagonists traveling companion and benefactor when he first enters the land beyond the wall. And we learn very much about the man in the top hat who makes appearance both early in the tale and late. But I found absolutely nothing to criticize at the ending of the story. It truly is a perfectly told story.
Although this is a review of the book and not the film, I have to state a bit of regret that Sarah Michelle Gellar was not able, due to scheduling conflicts, to take the role of Yvaine. I can't imagine anyone who would have been more perfect for the role and while I like Claire Danes, she doesn't have quite SMG's ethereal beauty. SMG says that her husband was scheduled to film something in New York and she chose to be with him rather than make the movie. But with her career languishing following the ending of BUFFY, she really needed/needs a role to break her out of her doldrums. This would have been that role. Mr. Prinze's role better have been a great one to deprive his wife of such a plummy role as this one.
Warning! My review is of the illustrated version of the story. There is to accompany the newly released movie a simply godawful mass-market paperback edition with the actors from the film on the cover. Boycott that edition! The sooner it goes out of existence the better. I think movie tie-in editions are an abomination of publishing.
Book Review: Absolutely Precious!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read this book multiple times over the last couple years and for anyone who loves fantasy, or just loves to revisit that childhood mystical innocence, will enjoy this book. Don't be fooled though, Stardust is not a children's story. Gaiman throws a little sex, violence, and pure insanity into the mix, as usual! It's why his fans love his writing. It's never quite what you expect...Book Review: Another Great Novel by Gaiman
Summary: 5 Stars
I really enjoy Gaiman's fantasy novels, and STARDUST is no exception. This is essentially a fairy tale story, written in a simple style, but with a lot of grown-up elements thrown in. The results are quite magical, and this is one of the most purely enjoyable books I've read in a while.
If you like STARDUST, you should also try Gaiman's NEVERWHERE and CORALINE, which are both written in the same spirit. Personally, I believe NEVERWHERE is the best of the three books, but they are all exceptionally good.