Stardust - a slightly more grown up fairy tale (Stardust - Neil Gaiman)

Member Name: lady_natalie

Product:	Stardust - Neil Gaiman
Date:	26/08/09 (34 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: exciting, great characters, fantastically written, very re-readable

Disadvantages: not for children, or anyone expecting it to be just like the film

Already being a fan of Neil Gaimans, I read first Stardust a while before the film came out, and recently read it again, the first time I have since the film came out. I could half remember some parts being different from the films, but upon re-reading, I really was surprised by how much it does actually differ. So to begin with, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone wanting to read the-book-of-the-film.
Like the film, the book follows the story of Tristran Thorn, who passes through the wall which separates his village from the land of fairy, on the search of a falling star, which he has promised to give to the girl he loves. When he finds the star and it happens to be a girl called Yvaine. The story takes us along on their journey back to Wall, Tristrans home town, while they encounter vengeful ghosts, unicorns, witches, and a number of people also searching for the star which they must elude for Yvaine to reach safety.
Stardust is an action packed, fast paced, fairy tale for adults. It's really quite funny in places and I find myself not wanting to put it down once I've started to read it. Tristran and Yvaine encounter a lot of different characters on their travels who are all interesting and engaging. I think with reading any book, it does help if the main characters are truly likeable. By the end of the book (if not by the middle) you will find yourself rooting for the characters and hoping for a happy ending. Although the book travels quickly through the land of fairy, you do feel like you get to know it and its many secrets, the description is expressive and lush with detail.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves fairy tales, in any shape or form. But this isn't a children's book. It does contain one use of strong language, sex, and death.

Summary: action packed fairy tale romance for grown ups.