Review: Stardust

There is nothing I love more than a good fairy tale.  Which is why I was so impressed by the novel Stardust by Neil Gaiman.

The book was overall a great read.  It follows the tale of Tristran, a half-fairy boy growing up in a small, mundane town.  Tristran falls in love with what he believes to be the most beautiful girl in existence. She has no interest in him, although she promises to give him whatever he desires if he brings her back a fallen star.  This sends Tristran off on a journey to find the star and return it to his unrequited love.
Meanwhile, a trio of witches are searching for a way to remain youthful.  They plan to locate the star as well and eat her heart. Naturally, Tristran and the star are not too keen on this plan.
 The star is probably my favorite character in the novel.  She is headstrong and spirited, and I love that the author made her into a person rather than an object.  As a character she is much more interesting and compelling. I also thought that the romance was portrayed well.  You see several different forms of it: quick and passionate, longing and rejection, gradual and pure.  It's not exclusively a love story, although there is a lot of love.
It's so rare that I come across a fantasy novel written for young adults, and I'm glad to have stumbled upon this one. Stardust had a nice blend of whimsicality and wit, and I definitely recommend to anyone and everyone!