Stardust

 

Description:

Go and catch a falling star . . .

Tristran Thorn promises to bring back a fallen star for his beloved, the hauntingly beautiful Victoria Forester—and crosses the wall that divides his English country town from another, more dangerous world of lords and witches, all of them in search of the star. Rich with adventure and magic, Stardust is one of master storyteller Neil Gaiman's most beloved tales.

My review:

“There was once a young man who wished to gain his Heart’s Desire.” 
― Neil Gaiman, Stardust

...that was the first sentence in chapter One. Combined with the ones that followed, I was hooked and set early on to take a ride through Fairy Candy land of words and wonder. 

Tristan Thorn, a young lad, lives in the city of Wall. This city is surrounded by land that no-one ever returns from. Once you leave the guarded city and its wall, you are not let back in. The only time to mingle with the magical folk that live on the other side, is when the big market is held together every few years. And it is a spectacle of allure, illusions and spells. 

Tristan sets out to bring a fallen star for Victoria Foster. The girl of his desire. That is what she sends him off to do to prove his love. Packed with some cheese, bread and fruit in his backpack, he sets forth unknowing what lies ahead. On his journey he encounters many fairy creatures of different kinds. Goblins, witches, unicorns, queens, Gods, transformed creatures etc. They all add a touch to the story, the eventful paths he takes and his ultimate fate. 

At first captivated by the sheer beauty of its prose, I was not expecting the dark and adult aspects sprinkled in that changed this novel from a whimsical "Seuss-a-fied" fairy tale to an at times “Grimm-a-fied” bewitching “Hobbit” adventure. BUT IT WORKED! 

The novel has to come together at the end. If you don’t finish reading it, you will not know or understand all the opened doors along the way without seeing what’s behind it. And it may just all be a different then you thought. Pay attention to the play of words that take turns and twists of the unexpected. 

I enjoyed it like a kid eating Starburst candy with my imagination lost in Gaiman’s Stardust world. A page turner if you enjoy magical tales. Disclaimer though: It is not for kids. It contains mature content. 
If you haven’t read it. READ IT!