The Neverending Story (Firebird) by Michael Ende Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Neverending Story (Firebird)
Book Review: Essence of metafictional writing
Summary: 4 Stars
This book by Michael Ende, although thought to be no more that a piece of children's literature, explores the realm of metafiction through self reflection and recursive features. The story of Bastian, a boy who enters the world of Fantastica, itself is an amazing and interesting tale but when you truly understand the metafictional qualities, it will blow your mind. Book Review: fantastical
Summary: 5 Stars
this is one of the most beautiful books i have ever read. i come back to it because i feel that there is a very important message in it.
in buddhism there is a profound experience called anatta, also known as no self or the unborn. this experience where you no longer have an 'I' is an experience of pristine emptiness. a bit like the emptiness of pure water... you can see and feel it within you... well my emptiness was attacked by this grey meaningless 'nothingness' and i found that i had to create a new 'i' for myself. otherwise, i think i would have been lost totally in limbo.
since this experience, i have come even more to see this story as true and a real magical interface with our aspect of reality. nothingness is real and it is attacking our world. just look at the grey concrete tower blocks, the grey streets in some of our cities. the unemotional coldness and indifference so many people feel nowadays.
this man did not write this story, it birthed itself. michael ende merely held the pen and bastian bulthazzar bux leaped through a magical doorway into our world.
so watch out for the nothingness, the grey wolves are on the prowl...
love snow-flake xxx
Book Review: Good Book
Summary: 5 Stars
This book will take you away,,, to the neverending story. I like how the book differenciates the story itself with different color print (the book the boy reads is in a different color) so you know which part is the story and which part is the book the boy in the story is reading! Buy it in hardcover, it gives you a sense of permanence.Book Review: To Find What You Truly Want
Summary: 5 Stars
If you've never seen the movie version of "The Neverending Story," then read the book first. If you have seen one of the movies, then read the book as soon as possible, since neither of the movies do the book justice.
The story starts out with young Bastian Balthasar Bux going into a bookstore and stealing a book entitled "The Neverending Story." For reasons he can't explain, Bastian felt that he had to have the book. Shutting himself up in the school attic, he reads about Atreyu, the chosen messenger to find a cure for the Childlike Empress and prevent The Nothing from destroying Fantastica. Atreyu discovers that the Childlike Empress needs a new name, and that only someone from the human world, the savior, can give her one. The savior turns out to be none other than Bastian himself! He thinks of a new name for her once he reads about her, but he must say her name out loud for Fantastica to be saved. Fearing what the Childlike Empress will think of him once she sees him, Bastian holds off saying the name aloud. Eventually, when Fantastica's destruction is imminent, Bastian says her new name out loud, and he is drawn into Fantastica, and transformed into a handsome, heroic-looking figure. The Childlike Empress tells Bastian that whatever he wishes for will come true, until he finds out what he truly wants. Unfortunately, he soon finds out that for every wish, he loses a memory of his life in the human world. I will leave off at this point, except to point out that Bastian journeys in his wishes from self-centeredness to self-giving.
"The Neverending Story" is a multi-layered work that people of all ages can enjoy. In addition to being a wonderfully readable fantasy/adventure story, it is rich in philosophy and symbolism. For example, The Nothing that is slowly destroying Fantastica could be symbolic of people losing their capacity for imagination and creativity. In addition, Bastian's quest to find out what he really wants is immensely rich in its philosophical implications, not to mention Campbell-ite hero quest overtones. Hopefully a movie will be re-made (possible as a mini-series) that will follow the book more closely and do this great work justice.
Book Review: Present
Summary: 5 Stars
I like many other people have seen the movie, and I love it. Last Christmas a friend gave me the book.
It is a beautiful story and a classic.