By Neil Gaiman
Stardust is the epitome of an adult fairy tale. The story is filled with magic, adventure, mythical creatures, and, of course, romance. It is set in a fictional British village, bordered by a wall that separates the humans from a realm of magic. The lyrical sentences make the reading experience satisfying, and Gaiman’s whimsical description grips you from the first page, throwing you into this book’s bizarre world.
If you’ve seen the movie, forget it. Knowing the gist of the story from the film does not take away from the reading experience, and there are enough subtle changes – especially to the ending – that it doesn’t spoil anything. Plus, the romance in the book goes much deeper and has a more satisfying conclusion.
Tristan is trying to win the affection of a girl from his village who is playing hard to get, and he promises to bring her back a fallen star from the magical world beyond the wall. But when he reaches the star, he finds a beautiful woman. The relationship between Tristan and the star plays out like an enemies-to-lovers romance due to the circumstances of their meeting. The tension is palpable from the moment Tristan finds her, and their interest in each other builds slowly as they make their way back to the human world.
There are no standout negatives. The story is fast-paced, filled with hold-your-breath moments, and, if you’re anything like me, the ending will make you happy-cry. If you love fairy tales, then this book is for you. There is a reason it is a cult favourite, and as it is only two hundred and fifty or so pages, there is no excuse not to give it a try.
Descriptive writing: 9/10
Character depth: 7.5/10
Pace of the story: fast.
For fans of The Princess Bride by William Goldman.