October 10, 2017

REVIEW| Stardust [Audiobook]

Stardust
Neil Gaiman [Written and Read by]


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Synopsis:

Stardust is an utterly charming fairy tale in the tradition of The Princess Bride and The Neverending Story. Neil Gaiman, creator of the darkly elegant Sandman comics and author of The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, tells the story of young Tristran Thorn and his adventures in the land of Faerie. One fateful night, Tristran promises his beloved that he will retrieve a fallen star for her from beyond the Wall that stands between their rural English town (called, appropriately, Wall) and the Faerie realm. No one ever ventures beyond the Wall except to attend an enchanted flea market that is held every nine years (and during which, unbeknownst to him, Tristran was conceived). But Tristran bravely sets out to fetch the fallen star and thus win the hand of his love.
Review

The Cover

The cover really doesn't give much away about the story other than the indication of the title and the falling star in the centre. Like most Neil Gaiman's older works the cover is rather formulaic but look good when they are all kept together. 

The Content

If you have watch the film adaption, throw all your expectations out the window. 
Do it. 
Go. 
Gone. 
Is it gone? 
Good.
This isn't a child's fantasy story. This is an adult fairy tale. Not so much by the increased references to sex, or the odd bit of swearing, but just by the comprehensible way Gaiman uses language and overall themes. That's what I like about this book. It needed to be just that. 

If you like audiobooks, I would recommend picking up the version read by Neil Gaiman, himself. There is something magical about hearing an author read out their own work, as they had intended. Gaiman's prose is simple, easily accessible and creates an ease to reading and flying through the story. that you just fly through as he paints the world of faerie. 

The reason I didn't give it five stars is because I didn't get overly attached to any characters.  I really liked the dramatic irony, as a reader, that I knew of Tristan's heritage and how that plays its own 'magic' in the way that he navigates Faerie.

1 comment:

  1. Fantastic review, I love your honesty! Shame you didn't really connect with the characters. Stardust has always been on my TBR. I listened to him narrating Norse Gods and loved it so will give Stardust on audio a go :)
    Cora ❤ http://www.teapartyprincess.co.uk/

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