Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Synopsis:
Life moves at a leisurely pace in the tiny town of Wall—named after the imposing stone barrier which separates the town from a grassy meadow. Here, young Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the beautiful Victoria Forester and for the coveted prize of her hand, Tristran vows to retrieve a fallen star and deliver it to his beloved. It is an oath that sends him over the ancient wall and into a world that is dangerous and strange beyond imagining...
My Review:
“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.”
Stardust is everything that a fantasy lover, a romantic, a historian, an astronomer, a lover of books could want. Gaiman has never disappointed me and has always over exceeded my expectations. Stardust is no exception to this.
Stardust is the beautiful story of Tristran Thorn and a fallen star. The story takes place in the village of Wall, but mostly in Faerie, located right outside of Wall. Every nine years, the inhabitants and creatures of the land of Faerie host a market right outside of Wall. People come from all over the world to visit the market where many magical things are traded for promises and contracts. Young Tristran Thorn is a product of this market as the reader will discover in the early chapters. Tristran falls in love with Victoria Forester, and on one night vows that if she will marry him, he will retrieve a fallen star that has fallen into Faerie. Stardust is the story of finding that star.
Everyone pursuing the star does so for a different, but elemental reason. Tristan seeks the star for love. Septimus and Primus, heirs to the throne of Stormhold, pursue the star for power. And the old witch searches for the star to regain her youth. These things - love, power, and youth (health) - are sought every day by all people in their different ways, meaning that the reader can connect with this story on many levels.
Stardust is one of the most magical books I have read in a long time. It pulls you into its magical world and makes you believe in it without question. There is a sense of modernism to the story that adds a complex element to the story. Many of the characters, even the magical ones, are recognizable as the heroes and heroines of modern stories, and the fairy tales we all heard as children. The love that drives Tristan Thorn to journey through Faerie, looking for his beloved’s star, is at once timeless and innocent. He remains innocent throughout the story, just like the young adventurers in the old stories.
Gaiman has an amazing ability as an author to pick the perfect word every time. I felt a warmth inside the whole time I read this book. It’s beautiful and everything that fantasy should be. He has a gift like no other with his power with words and ideas. This is very much a classic fairytale, but, he makes it just not another fairytale. There are witches, princesses, spells, talking things that don’t normally talk, castles, revenge, romance, yet it is such a beautifully unique book. The characters are engaging, funny, terrifying, and real. The setting comes alive on every page.
My Rating:
✬✬✬✬✬
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