Stardust by Neil Gaiman
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....
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A well-loved tale full of faerie, folktales, and adventure. Stardust was one of the more frequently watched DVDs in our collection when I was growing up. The story has everything you could ever want in an adventure/fantasy: falling stars, a magical land, Victorian gentlemen, pirates, witches, betrayal, murder, you name it, it’s in this tale. So colour me surprised when I realized that not only was it based on a book, but a book that NEIL GAIMAN WROTE!!! I knew it would be as amazing as the movie, if not more so. I was not disappointed. This book and its movie adaptation go hand in hand and I honestly, after reading, cannot decide which one I like more. This book is a fairytale for adults and it is the perfect getaway to a land with more magic than ours.
Tristran Thorn was born under abnormal circumstances and is raised in the village of Wall. The village takes this name because of the very large wall that separates it from the faerie realm beyond, with just one gap in the wall for travellers to come and go once every nine years. As an adult, Tristran ventures to find a fallen star for his lady love. The only problem? The star fell beyond the wall. And so begins Tristran’s adventure with the fallen star, Yvaine, to avoid dangerous obstacles, outsmart evil witches, and find their way back to the village. But Tristan may just find his true fate along the way.
This story is always going to be entertaining in whatever form in whatever decade. It truly is a fairytale for adults. Reminiscent of tales from the Grimm Brother’s but with a more mature audience in mind. The idea of an English village living in relative harmony alongside a magical land, especially during Victorian times, was intriguing and hilarious. Stuck up men with bland lives all about marrying because they have to and working until they die and women whose only purpose is to marry for security and social position living alongside a wall separating them from a world so very different from their own, full of opportunity and adventure. The different storylines that eventually converge bring levels of depth to the plot that keeps you hooked until the last page. Witches looking for youth and immortality, “noble" Lords fighting for power, an enslaved servant waiting for freedom, and a lovestruck young man the glue of it all, stumbling into a destiny he could have never imagined. Every page of this book was filled with magic and lore and there’s nothing I love more than that.
What struck me with this book was just how closely the movie and book were. Almost every single scene in the book was included in the film. The film even had additional scenes that, unlike other adaptations, didn’t change the story but added new depths to it. The characters were portrayed so well to how they were written and the magic of faerie was even more mysterious and enchanting than in the novel. One thing that I liked more about the film than the book was the climax of the story. I think the witches were given more depth and purpose in the film and were much more evil than in the book. I liked that the film had a bit of a “final battle” whereas the book had a smoother resolution. I preferred the movie ending because of this, it was just the slightest bit more exciting. However, Tristran’s backstory was more fleshed out in the book and I felt much more connected to him knowing more about his past. I’m happy to have enjoyed both versions of this tale as I was terrified the book would change everything for me.
All in all, it was a great read but I wouldn’t expect anything less from Neil Gaiman (aka my favourite author). If you’ve seen the film I’d say the book is extremely similar but has a bit more of a history in it whereas if you’ve never seen the film this book is a must-read especially if you’re interested in fairytales and folklore. 4 star read for me as it was an exciting and intriguing read but I do think the ending could have been a bit more exciting.