Are you into fantasy creatures and unknown realms? Do you love a good romance? Well then this book is most certainly for you. Stardust, by Neil Gaiman, is a sweet, mystical journey throughout the fictional town just beyond early London. Even though this book is fiction, there are several non-fiction, historical details mentioned in the book. The theme of the book is things aren’t always what they appear. I conducted this theme because the characters are often mislead by their past and can’t seem to see what things really are. Neil Gaiman is an English author who has also written short fiction, comic books, graphic novels, and novels in themselves. He grew up loving to read which inspired his love to write. Stardust was published in 1999 but was later adapted into a movie in 2007.
The story first revolves around young Dunstan but after the first chapter, roles switch to his son, Tristran. Tristran, youthful and still much of a juvenile, believes he is deeply in love with Victoria Forester, a blonde haired beauty that seems to catch the eyes of all the men in town. Victoria knows better than ever that Tristran is still foolish and infantile. As a joke she sends him on a mission to catch a fallen star, hence the title’s name, Stardust. Promising her hand in marriage she doesn’t believe he’ll actually go on the commission. Boy was she wrong. With nothing but a little bit of food, Tristran is swept outside the protective village of Wall and onto a journey he never thought would come.
Overall the book was very interesting and different then I thought it would be. For me it wasn’t as eye grabbing or page turning as other books. It was a bit of a slow process to read maybe because of the use of advanced vocabulary as well as the English writing style. I would not read this book again because there are many others I find far more stimulating. If I were to recommend this book to a certain audience I would recommend this to any grade between seventh and tenth. I would share this book with friends not because it was amazing, but because the quality of the writing was. The characters were vivid and the setting was descriptive enough to make me feel like I was in the book. Stardust is a must read for any fantasy loving reader. Thank you Neil Gaiman!