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A review by moth_meg
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Have been unavoidably detained by the world. Expect us when you see us.
A playful coming-of-age story wrapped up in a world of mischief and magic. This genre-bending story embraces aspects of traditional fairytales while subverting the scale and stakes typically associated with the fantasy genre.
Stardust is an adventure, but the story maintains a lighthearted nature and emphasizes character beats over political tensions or apocalyptic prophecies.
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.
Gaiman is able to weave this story in such a way that it captures the nostalgic charm of fairytales (for me, evoking the feeling of reading my childhood favorite Ella Enchanted) while also playing to an adult audience with the language and humor.
Like many others, I saw (and adored) the movie adaptation before reading the book. The major difference between these two versions of the story is the way in which characters conquer the obstacles they encounter. In the book, protagonists always resolve these situations with wit, compassion, or help from a friend.
It occurred to him that any progress he had made on his quest so far he had made by accepting the help that had been offered to him.
In contrast, the movie leans into the action, adding sword fighting and a final battle. While I can see why the writers chose to add more conflict to the movie, I appreciate the book’s resolution and think it suits the established tone quite well.