Title: Stardust Author: Neil Gaiman type of book: Fantasy call number: YA/FIC/FAN and FAN

This book is strong in character, story and setting.

Summary:
In the village of Wall (where the east wall is the boundary to Faerie Land), Dunstan Thorn meets an elf girl at the Market Festival, which takes place every nine years. She is his Heart's Desire and has one night with her, before she goes back to Faerie Land. He goes home and marries his girl from the village, but nine months after his night with the elf girl, Dunstan's son, Tristan Thorn, is left at the opening of the eastern wall.

Tristan grows up and falls in love with the most beautiful girl in Wall (Victoria Forester, who already secretly loves another). She promises to marry him if he brings to her the fallen star they saw together walking home at night. Victoria believes Tristan will never go and that it is "safe" to make such a promise.

However, Tristan leaves immediately for the Faerie Land. On his journey he meets a little hairy man. With his help, Tristan finds the Fallen Star (Yvaine), who is actually a very beautiful girl. Yvaine holds the power amulet for the rightful heir to Stormhold, the biggest kingdom in Faerie Land.

Tristan also gets assistance from all other sorts of creatures like talking trees that were once wood nymphs and an unknown uncle. He also meets not so friendly people like the witch queen, who wants the heart of the Fallen Star because of its power, and Semele, the old witch who enslaved his mother as a colorful bird.

I would recommend this book!

Why?
This story contains wonderfully interwoven elements of high fantasy, fairy tales, and old myths. It borrows from the old to create a new and refreshing telling of the age-old quest myth story. Readers will begin cheering for Tristan to succeed and the narrative brings vividly into the reader's mind the lush and fantastic land of the Faerie. Older teens with an interest in fantasy literature, especially Lewis and Tolkien, or anyone who loves to read a well-written adventure story, will highly enjoy this book.

Other interesting information about this book:
The story is also available in graphic novel format.

Employee Initials: KS Review Date: February 2003

Read other reviews by this staff member.