Stardust - Book Review by Chelsea

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

In Neil Gaiman’s book, Stardust, readers are taken on an incredible journey. The main character, Tristran Thorne, is willing to go to desperate lengths and do whatever it takes for love. The passion he has for love bounces off of every page. His determination drives him on, and his commitment keeps him on task. He travels great distances through treacherous places and faces intense obstacles to prove his love for Victoria Forester.
From the first line of the story, to the last punctuation mark, readers are captivated and hungry to learn about the strange town of Wall and all of the mysteries that are held on the opposite side of the historical wall of Wall. Tristran’s journey begins from a promise made to him by Victoria. “If you receive that fallen star, I will be yours.” Upon hearing this promise, Tristran begins his grueling journey. He leaves his safe town of Wall knowing that he will encounter incredible difficulties and creatures completely unknown to him. But, none of these thoughts stop him; he escapes the town of Wall and leaves everything he is familiar with on the other side of the large gap in the wall.
Tristran’s journey brings him many hardships. He has to make tough decisions and do everything for himself. The trip to the fallen star is much easier than the trip back home. When Tristran discovers that a fallen star is not just a rock, but a person, he realizes that convincing a person to follow him home will not be easy. Unfortunately, Tristran does not realize that he is not the only one after the fallen star. Though he reaches the fallen star first, different creatures manage to steal the star away from him. The journey home turns into a daunting and grueling process of retrieving the star, protecting the star, and losing the star again.
On his journey, Tristran begins to realize that the star is someone he enjoys being around. He finds her beautiful and loves her company, even if she does frequently argue with him. Through their journey home, they spend a lot of time together, and by the time they return to Wall, Tristran has forgotten his original mission and Victoria Forester. The star reminds him of her purpose, and he sets off to find Victoria. When he finds her he discovers that she is already engaged to be married, and that his journey was nothing but a distraction. Tristran realizes exactly what he wants at this moment, and her name is not Victoria. He returns to his star on the outskirts of Wall and makes a decision to spend the rest of his life with a certain star that goes by the name Yvaine.
This story gives a twist to a typical love story. It takes the readers through the rough details and shows them the happiness that can be found at the end of a long journey. Neil Gaiman’s book, Stardust, is captivating from cover to cover.

Review by Chelsea