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David McK (3801 KP) rated Stardust in Books

Jan 30, 2019 (Updated Apr 30, 2021)  
Stardust
Stardust
Neil Gaiman | 2005 | Fiction & Poetry
6
8.4 (35 Ratings)
Book Rating
My first exposure to Neil Gaiman was when he co-wrote Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch with Terry Pratchett.

This, I believe, was the first of his solo novels that I read.

Circa 2006, not all that long before the movie on which it is based came out.

It was also a, how do we put this?, 'normal' prose novel: not a graphic novel; nor even an illustrated novel (as this is). Indeed, I didn't even know at first that the prose version which I read had previously been issued as an illustrated novel, until I saw it mentioned 'based on the work by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess' at the end of the movie.

It then took me approximately a good decade or so before I finally got round to actually reading that version of the work, when I came across it on sale via Comixology. And, I have to say, the illustrations do add a certain Je Ne Sais Quoi to the work: a work which, while the main beats may be familiar to the reader from the movie version, is also very much its own thing and which includes elements not in said movie (Tristran’s wider family, for one, or even the much sadder ending in this)
  
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Raelucie (4 KP) rated Coraline in Books

Jan 25, 2019  
Coraline
Coraline
Neil Gaiman, Chris Riddell | 2013 | Children
6
8.4 (41 Ratings)
Book Rating
I have loved the movie since it came out. I have raved about it's stunning visuals and unique story. So I finally dedicated time to read the book. I felt I was finally able to read the story without comparing the two.
I immediately loved her sass from the beginning. However, I felt there were several times throughout the story where Coraline's emotions were lost. I have read Neil Gaiman before, and it is typical that emotions are stark and factual, and not easy for the reader to find empathy.
If it had not been for the existing love of Coraline and her story, I think I would have really struggled to finish this.
  
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David McK (3801 KP) rated Stardust (2007) in Movies

Aug 3, 2019 (Updated Apr 6, 2021)  
Stardust (2007)
Stardust (2007)
2007 | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
6
7.9 (89 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Starring a pre-Daredevil Charlie Cox and based on the book of the same name by Neil Gaiman, this actually sticks pretty close to it's source material for the majority of its runtime: that is, up until about the last 30 minutes or so when it goes off in completely its own tangent.

I also have to say that I found the inclusion of Ricky Gervais to be completely out of place (I find his whole schtick to be incredibly annoying anyway), and Robert De Niro playing against type as Captain Shakespeare also took me quite by surprise the first time I saw it (but good on him for being game enough to do so).