Sunday, December 27, 2015

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Publication Date:  February 1, 1998
Publisher:  William Morrow Paperbacks
Pages:  250

Series:  Stand Alone
Genre:  Fantasy
Synopsis:  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, curses whose effects rebound, binding conditions with hidden loopholes and all the rest.



Review:  I think it is safe to say that 2015 has been the year of Neil Gaiman, and to conclude such a spectacular year of reading, I finished with none other than Stardust.

As with every single Gaiman novel, Stardust captures magic and creativity on page.  It is reminiscent of classic fairy tales in its style of writing, and just as whimsical.  It is, without a doubt, a genuine fairy tale for adults.


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. 

However, even more true to the fairy tales you grew up with, this novel is just as one-dimensional and lacking in depth as a traditional Grimm's or Hans Christian Anderson story.  It is an utterly believable and tangible world of fairies and magic and fallen stars, but none of it is explored to the extent it could have been.


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

The plot progresses at a languid pace at times, and at others events transpire in a flash. This is not a complaint, however, since I felt each fit the current situations quite well. The few individual story lines advance in their own, but all interconnect on the main adventure throughout the course of the novel in increasingly clever ways, as is the trademark of a Gaiman novel. 


Have been unavoidably detained by the world. Expect us when you see us.

The characters I found to range from curious to one-dimensional, the latter unfortunately lying with the main character, Tristan Thorn.  A silly boy on a silly quest who encounters stranger and far more intriguing creatures along the way.  This includes the fallen star herself, a peculiar little hairy man, and the other protagonists:  three brothers claiming their right to rule, a dark witch with an even darker goal, and even a unicorn and sky pirates.   

Stardust is infused with the whimsy and character of a classic fairy tale, but is exponentially more enjoyable and filled with twists and turns that reflect the skills I have come to expect from Neil Gaiman.  All I can say is, although it is clearly one of Gaiman's earlier works, it is worth reading.






12 comments:

  1. I love Neil Gaiman's books! He is an amazing story teller, and his stories are always so creative and magical. I can't wait to read this one!

    Tasya // The Literary Huntress

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    1. So do I! He has a unique style of writing I like very much. I hope you enjoy Stardust! Thanks for commenting! ❤

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  2. This is one of my favorite books, but I totally get why it sort of didn't work for you. Your review made me realized that yes, that was so on point when you mentioned that Stardust lacked of depth. But still, I'm glad that you enjoyed reading this anyway! :)

    Nice review, Erin! xx

    Fiona | A Girl Between the Pages

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    1. While Stardust DOES lack depth, I REALLY enjoyed reading it! Neil Gaiman writes some awesome stories and I can't wait to see what he does next. Thanks for commenting, Fiona! ❤

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  3. This seems like a really interesting book... I might have to pick it up sometime!

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    1. Stardust is a very enjoyable read! I hope you like it. Thanks for commenting! ❤

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  4. I seriously want to read this! It's been on my TBR FOREVER and I kind of just want to read ALL Gaiman's books someday because the 4 I've read were all absolutely amazing. <3 Addicted and not even sad about it. XD

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    1. You will definitely like it if you love Gaiman like I do. He is blessed by the writing gods. Thanks for commenting, Cait! ❤

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  5. This book sounds so intriguing! "the slow dance of the infinite stars" - I really like that quote. And I really like the title - "Stardust" just outright implies whimsicality and a fairytale-esque read and I'm glad it lived up to it for you! I think it is about time that I read something written by Neil Gaiman. What would you recommend to start with? :-)
    As always, a brilliant review Erin - you know how much I love your reviews! <3

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    1. It is a really enjoyable read and I definitely think you would enjoy it! Neil Gaiman is a brilliant author, my favorite of his being The Ocean at the End of the Lane, so maybe start there? Anyway, I always love reading you comments, Rebekah--they make my day, always! ❤

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  6. I've heard some really amazing things about Neil Gaiman! I have his book Ocean At The End Of The Lane, which I plan on picking up next year since I made a goal to read more backlisted titles in 2016! I'm glad you enjoy this one.

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    1. Neil Gaiman is a fantastic author! The Ocean at the End of the Lane is my favorite book of his and I hope you love it as much as I do! Thanks for commenting, Martika! ❤

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