Stardust - A Review

Neil Gaiman's Stardust has been called a fairy tale for adults.

It takes place in Victorian times, starting off in a town called Wall - a borderland that connects England and Mythic Fairy. Guardians of the Gate stand watch making sure no one passes through the opening in the wall. After all, the wall connects as well as separates. Humans are not encouraged to go exploring in a world that is not their own.

Two men, Tristan and his father, both ignore this accepted restriction when they are young men, stepping beyond the known into a liminal realm where few dare go. And this has made all the difference for them.

This novel, now turned movie, is a romance about a boy becoming a man. It is enduring to watch Tristan, starting out as a gawky young man, reach for his deepest starseeds while exploring unfamiliar people, places, and things, greening and growing his true self. Salutations on achieiving your shining self, Tristan - may we all be as lucky (or as courageous) to take our own journeys to selfhood.