Discussion time = from now on! :)
Stardust the movie introduced me to Neil Gaiman, so I don't think I really have the best experience of the book. I've seen the movie (and loved it) so many times that when I came to read the book it was very difficult to not read the movie! I'm going to try reading it again though, and hopefully I'll be able to appreciate the book a bit more. I've read and loved a lot of other Neil Gaiman books!
So, let's talk! ;)
I'll put in my 2c then :)
Like Cat, the Stardust movie was my intro into Neil Gaiman's writing. Since then I've read Good Omens as well XD but not quite gotten around to reading any of his others.
Stardust the book - I know this is the story in it's original, intended format, but I think my love of the movie coloured my judgement too much.
It's not that I didn't like it, it's just one of those rare occasions, where I've enjoyed the movie so much more. I'm not sure exactly what it was about it that didn't make me fall in love with the book. Perhaps my preconceived ideas about the characters, who were so wonderful and loveable, or horrible for the baddies, that I expected them to be something they're not. It was very hard to disconnect from the movie versions of the characters. And since they were so vivid, and the book versions were slightly less so...well, that's the only reason I can think of as to why I like the movie more.
I was most upset about the pirates. They had a fairly significant role in the movie, but in the book I think they were mentioned for all of two pages, and then not even named?
What I did like about it was at the very beginning, from memory, where he explained the town and that every 4 years (from memory) they had a load of weird people in the village, who were all travelling through the wall to go to the markets on the other side.
I'll be interested to read if anyone here read it before they saw the movie, and if your thoughts are complete opposite :P
I liked in the book that Tristian could point to everything in the other world, and had no idea where stuff in the real England was (except Wall).
I just read Coraline recently so that I don't have the same problem with that! I'm sure Stardust the book is great, but I like you just couldn't read it as something seperate from the movie. I just kept waiting for the next movie scene to happen and ignoring what was actually happening.
15 years ago
Sun Aug 23 2009, 11:21pm
[act]holds up 'I saw the movie first too!' sign[/act]
The thing I found disappointing about the book was the ending. Although it makes far more sense in terms of the plot, in that the problem from the very beginning was that Yvaine couldn't be returned to the sky, the fact that Tristan dies and Yvaine just keeps on living is rather sad, and a little bit LotR in that way. Although, having said that, I'm pretty sure that had I read the book first, I would instead be complaining about the typically Hollywood ending of the movie.
I do love Gaiman's writing though, so setting aside my impressions of the movie, the book was a really good read.
So that's my one cent, since it's half the size of Min's two :P
I'm seeing Coraline on Tuesday! I think it'll work really well as a movie, and I've heard good things about it so far, so fingers crossed!
Oh, I remember thinking that was a very LotR ending! I like the Holywood version better, but maybe that's just 'cause it's nice :P
Well I haven't actually read it but I loved the movie and have seen it quite a few times now...I just thought I would add to what you guys were saying about the fact that, having seen the movie first, it kinda affected how much you liked the book - my sister (who had already read the book) saw it with me at the movies when it first came out and she sat there mumbling away the whole time about how this and that wasn't right (much like what I do in Harry Potter ;D) and then she said at the end, "typical hollywood and their belief that the only good ending is a happy one" ;P So there you go...
She did still think the movie was quite good though...just not as good as the book.
Yeah, I guess that's always the problem. They're two totally different media and you have to do things differently and leave things out, and some aspects work better in movies and others in books so stuff is changed. It's fair enough, it's just so hard to seperate the two in our brains!
I'm thinking I should read the book again soon now that it's been a while since I've seen the movie (although I've seen it so often I'll never be able to get to that "I can't remember what happens" stage!) that I might be able to appreciate the book a bit better.
Mystic Ward
15 years ago
Mystic Ward
Twentyfamilies Gypsy
I've seen the movie and didn't think much of it so never bothered with the book but if i can ever get my 'to read' pile down to an exceptable level I might give it a go
