Stardust

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It's a hit!

Watching the movie interested me in reading this book and because I watched the movie first there was something tiny that I dreaded about picking u... (show more)

Watching the movie interested me in reading this book and because I watched the movie first there was something tiny that I dreaded about picking up the book. Often times the movie has a faster pace than the book and I am left impatient at the comparative slowness of the book's plot. Needless to say I was rather surprised and pleased to find that the book matched the movie's fast pace. I was also surprise that events in the movie and the book were rather much the same, except for a few differences in minor details.

Gaiman's writing, although simple in a sense, is able to splendidly capture the details of the landscape in a few quick and concise sentences. The way the book is written makes it sound as if the author is telling a story (perhaps oral) and is not limited to the strict grammatical rules of the literature world. Perhaps my only complaint with the book is that the reader almost has to assume that they live in the world of the story, that such things like talking animals and witchcraft are all very normal in everyday life (which, of course, we know it doesn't). It is because of this "assumption" that few details are given to actually describe how the world in the story works. Although perhaps not necessary, it has the potential to leave the reader in state of confusion. Another minor problem would be that there are a few unimportant descriptions set in parentheses, and although they are often there for enjoyment, it can prove to be distracting and leave the reader finding the need to once more connect to the storyline.

Other than that, Gaiman weaves a wonderful and magical tale about a young boy who leaves his village to bring back a fallen star in order to capture the heart of his young love and the adventures he goes on on his return journey. I was able to finish the book in one sitting and found it difficult to put it down. (show less)

 

 

by Facebook User

No, it's a flop!

I saw the movie before I read the book and it inspired me to want to see how the book was. I have to say in all honesty it didn't live up to my exp... (show more)

I saw the movie before I read the book and it inspired me to want to see how the book was. I have to say in all honesty it didn't live up to my expectations and hopes. It wasn't the best writing style, and many scenes the movie had that added a comically enjoyable light to the story were not in the book so it left one wanting for more. I feel like parts of the book most certainly would not have made sense to me or I'd be really confused for a long time if I had no had seen the movie to relate back to and compare with. The characters seemed dull and somewhat flat, just generally underdeveloped. The main problem seemed to just go away and stop being a problem. And as far as the star and Tristan falling in love, there was no lead up to it, it just sort of happened without warning.
I would reccommend the movie anyday over the book, especially for the younger audience. (show less)

 

 

by Lauren Smith

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  Neil Gaiman’s Stardust is a magical book, I picked it up and started reading it while a storm raged outside, blew my kitchen window in and sent my barbeque cart wheeling into my neighbour’s yard.
  Tristran Thorn is a teenager who is madly in love with the prettiest girl in the village of Wall. He was walking her home one night and expressed his love for her, a star fell and she told him to bring her the star and she will give him whatever he desires.
  And so he sets off on a magical adventur... (show more)

  Neil Gaiman’s Stardust is a magical book, I picked it up and started reading it while a storm raged outside, blew my kitchen window in and sent my barbeque cart wheeling into my neighbour’s yard.
  Tristran Thorn is a teenager who is madly in love with the prettiest girl in the village of Wall. He was walking her home one night and expressed his love for her, a star fell and she told him to bring her the star and she will give him whatever he desires.
  And so he sets off on a magical adventure that had me turning the pages until the wee hours of the morning. If I could sit Mr. Gaiman down I’d ask him how he does it, but I think he would just answer that there’s magic in the story.
  Stardust is by far one of my favourite stories that I have read by Neil Gaiman. He had me on the edge of my seat and talking to the characters in the book telling them not to do this and not to do that. His imagery is beautiful and his pace is astounding. If you haven’t read it, pick it up, you’ll find yourself enjoying the hell out of this one. (show less)

   

  by Jason Matthew Inglis on Apr 28, 2009 at 06:04PM

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  Alright, going to start out the same as everyone else and admit that I saw and enjoyed the movie before I read the book. That being said, I've been reading Gaiman for a while and before I ever saw any movie he'd been associated with, so I was prepared for the differences. Both forms of media were enjoyable in their own way. The changes made for the movie made sense because the story is told in Gaiman's style. The changes were to push the story along and make it much more approachable to a... (show more)

  Alright, going to start out the same as everyone else and admit that I saw and enjoyed the movie before I read the book. That being said, I've been reading Gaiman for a while and before I ever saw any movie he'd been associated with, so I was prepared for the differences. Both forms of media were enjoyable in their own way. The changes made for the movie made sense because the story is told in Gaiman's style. The changes were to push the story along and make it much more approachable to a move goer. The book however, had the depth and meandering of Gaiman's storytelling abilities, with the highlights of his understanding of British myth and fairy tales that noone can match. It's far from his best work, but it's better than most things out there today. Read it if you enjoy Gaiman or if you were curious about the movie. It's a fun and deep story with the twists, turns, and wry sense of humor that Gaiman brings to the table. (show less)

   

   

  by James Calhoun on Jan 04, 2010 at 12:34AM

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