Book Review... Stardust dust dust

Stardust

By: Neil Gaiman
Published: September 2006 by Harper Perennial
Library Paperback 333 Pages 
Book Art: Based off the Motion Picture. I am normally a person who likes the original book art but I like how this cover shows more then just the two main characters.
Tags: Steampunk, Young Adult, Fantasy Fiction, Science Fiction, Motion Picture, Witches, Library 

Reason Why the Mad Scientist Picked Up This Book: Sometimes I read a book because it is planned... this one happened to be for a book club.

First Line:  There was once a young man who wished to gain his Heart's Desire. 

Concoction of  Review:

Neil Gaiman has a way with simple prose, bloody brilliant.  He spins together a unique world that I should not think you would want to miss. There are Steampunkery dirigible pirates, unicorns, evil witches, trees whom may talk to you, and many other magical world phenomenon that will keep your delicate fingers flipping pages. *grin* That is the way the Mad Scientist prefers it. 

Dunstan strolls the traveling market which culminates in a moment of abandon. Knocking boots results in a small bundle being pushed through the broken wall with a small name pinned to it... Tristan Thorn. How curious? *peaks eyebrow*

Young Tristan is an odd lad who wants nothing more then to woe his true love, Victoria Forester. In his quest for a sample of her lips he offers her everything under the sun. However, a lady never allows herself to be found in such a improper position with a gentleman, she politely declines his offers. Then a star falls near by which she declares that if he brings her the star she will accept is courtship proposal. Tristan is beside himself with delight and sets out on his quest for the most unusual object to win his lady loves kiss and hopefully her hand in marriage.

Tristan says farewell to his family in Wall and starts on his journey in Faerie after his Heart's request, the fallen star.

Young feet and a love sick heart fuels Tristan throughout Faerie along with a bit of good luck. He finds his fallen star, except this star is not what he thought he would find, nor I. Expecting a rock, we both gasp *gasp* when we find a beautiful young lady. This odd duo disagreed with each other to no end.  The star did not want to go with Tristan to be an object for his love, of course, that is all he wanted. *tsk tsk*  Lets just say she did not make his life easy. 

This book is not all mushy love.  Gaiman added a very interesting sub plot that intertwines pretty nicely.  The sons of Lord Stormhold were sent out on a most difficult quest, to retrieve a family amulet. The intriguing part is when the ghosts of the deceased brothers are about watching their kin kill each other off in attempt to grab ahold of the family throne.

Twisted in between these those two plots where these most wonderful witches who were searching for the star for a gruesome reason. They added a certain punch to the enchantment that already holds you.


Steampunkery Elements:  I just loved the pirates with a surprising vessel. The dirigible was a grand surprise for the Mad Scientist.  It just made me melt when I get to read about sweaty pirates sailing through the skies fishing for lighting bolts.

Motion Picture:  This book has been turned into a fantastic motion picture, although, I have not watched it as of late. The Mad Scientist did get the chance to watch the motion picture several years ago which I was sure that this brain had pushed aside all remembrance of it. Except for Michelle Pheifer looking really grotesque. But as I read the book the images of the movie came flooding back into my head. Most often that is exactly why a reader likes to read the book before watching the movie so the motion picture does not impede judgement. The Mad Scientist would have to say the movie images did not hinder this book for me in anyway, perhaps it improved it a bit. I might just have to go and borrow the movie again.

Rating:

4.34  Blasts

From start to finish Tristan's 
mission is hardly bland.

Quotes:
"I would not wish to marry someone who had already been married. It would be,' she opined, 'like having someone else break in one's own pony."

"The manly heroes of the penny dreadfuls and shilling novels never had these problems getting kissed."

"Every lover is, in his heart, a madman, and, in his head, a minstrel."