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A review by monetp
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
4.0
4.5 stars
"And while that is, as beginnings go, not entirely novel (for every tale about every young man there ever was or will be could start in a similar manner) there was much about this young man and what happened to him that was unusual, although even he never knew the whole of it. The tale started, as many tales have started, in Wall." ~ [b:Stardust|16793|Stardust|Neil Gaiman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459127484l/16793._SY75_.jpg|3166179]
This is one of those few instances when I prefer the movie to the book, but the book is wonderful as well. The movie does an excellent job fleshing out all the major and minor characters and expanding the plot to be more in-depth. However, Gaiman's writing style is beyond lovely and I'm so glad I finally read the book! Yvaine is just as sassy as she is in the movie, the flying pirate ship is just as magical, and the witches are just as creepy.
I love how Gaiman sets the tone of the novel right away with his intense use of language. He immediately draws you into this enchanting Faerie and human world. Honestly, I never wanted to leave! I thought going in that I'd only be interested in learning about the Stormhold kingdom, but the village of Wall was adorable and so much fun to learn more about.
What the movie gets right is expanding the details of the book. For example, the pirate chapter of the story felt too brief. I wanted to know more about these awesome flying pirates! Robert De Niro does an excellent job bringing Captain Shakespeare to life in the movie adaptation. Also, the witches felt very underdeveloped. Like I understand their motivations, but after that initial attempt to steal Yvaine's heart at the inn, why did these characters disappear? It was like they were no longer important to the story! Then, the final scene shared between Yvaine and one of the witches feels lackluster. It felt like a vague attempt to tie up loose ends. I don't believe the witches wouldn't have fought harder for Yvaine's heart!
By the way, who gave the movie adaptation, and first and foremost the novel's imagery, permission to be this gorgeous?!?!
Some of my favorite quotes:
"Had you mentioned magic or Faerie to any of them, they would have smiled at you disdainfully, except perhaps for Mr. Dickens, at the time a young man, and beardless. He would have looked at you wistfully."
"For every nine years, the folk from Beyond the Wall and over the hill set up their stalls, and for a day and a night the meadow played host to the Faerie Market; and there was, for one day and one night in nine years, commerce between the nations."
"It was a cold, blustery day in late October, of the kind that always seems about to rain but never actually does, and it was late in the afternoon."
"I was a wood-nymph. But I got pursued by a prince, not a nice prince, the other kind, and, well, you’d think a prince, even the wrong kind, would understand about boundaries, wouldn’t you?"
"Adventures are all very well in their place, he thought, but there’s a lot to be said for regular meals and freedom from pain."
"And while that is, as beginnings go, not entirely novel (for every tale about every young man there ever was or will be could start in a similar manner) there was much about this young man and what happened to him that was unusual, although even he never knew the whole of it. The tale started, as many tales have started, in Wall." ~ [b:Stardust|16793|Stardust|Neil Gaiman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1459127484l/16793._SY75_.jpg|3166179]
This is one of those few instances when I prefer the movie to the book, but the book is wonderful as well. The movie does an excellent job fleshing out all the major and minor characters and expanding the plot to be more in-depth. However, Gaiman's writing style is beyond lovely and I'm so glad I finally read the book! Yvaine is just as sassy as she is in the movie, the flying pirate ship is just as magical, and the witches are just as creepy.
I love how Gaiman sets the tone of the novel right away with his intense use of language. He immediately draws you into this enchanting Faerie and human world. Honestly, I never wanted to leave! I thought going in that I'd only be interested in learning about the Stormhold kingdom, but the village of Wall was adorable and so much fun to learn more about.
What the movie gets right is expanding the details of the book. For example, the pirate chapter of the story felt too brief. I wanted to know more about these awesome flying pirates! Robert De Niro does an excellent job bringing Captain Shakespeare to life in the movie adaptation. Also, the witches felt very underdeveloped. Like I understand their motivations, but after that initial attempt to steal Yvaine's heart at the inn, why did these characters disappear? It was like they were no longer important to the story! Then, the final scene shared between Yvaine and one of the witches feels lackluster. It felt like a vague attempt to tie up loose ends. I don't believe the witches wouldn't have fought harder for Yvaine's heart!
By the way, who gave the movie adaptation, and first and foremost the novel's imagery, permission to be this gorgeous?!?!
Some of my favorite quotes:
"Had you mentioned magic or Faerie to any of them, they would have smiled at you disdainfully, except perhaps for Mr. Dickens, at the time a young man, and beardless. He would have looked at you wistfully."
"For every nine years, the folk from Beyond the Wall and over the hill set up their stalls, and for a day and a night the meadow played host to the Faerie Market; and there was, for one day and one night in nine years, commerce between the nations."
"It was a cold, blustery day in late October, of the kind that always seems about to rain but never actually does, and it was late in the afternoon."
"I was a wood-nymph. But I got pursued by a prince, not a nice prince, the other kind, and, well, you’d think a prince, even the wrong kind, would understand about boundaries, wouldn’t you?"
"Adventures are all very well in their place, he thought, but there’s a lot to be said for regular meals and freedom from pain."