Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

19 reviews

annasbookjournal's review against another edition

adventurous funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

 After watching the movie, I was really excited to read the book (the movie was one of the most comforting and wholesome films I’ve ever watched). 

 

There were definitely some comforting bits (the hairy man helping Tristran for a long time, just because Dunstan helped him once many years ago, the captain of the ship giving them a hand unprompted). However, I didn’t remember this many gory details in the movie (maybe it’s been too long?). I read that Neil Gaiman purposefully kept them in so that people knew that this wasn’t a fairytale for children - it was a fairytale for adults! 

 

What I liked most about the book was the fact that, because of the way that Neil Gaiman writes, there seems to be inside jokes between the narrator and the reader. Something that only we know throughout the story. 

 

But the thing that made this book lose a whole star in the rating was the subtle, bad representation of women that I felt. All of the female characters were either there to be pretty and be the object of desire of a man, or if they were smart they were always an enemy (like the witch, who at one point is called “the bitch”). Even Yvaine, who is supposed to be the main female character, does not do anything to move the plot; it’s just Tristran who’s doing actions that make the plot go a certain way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Sexual content, Slavery, and Murder

13geese's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death

renardthefox's review against another edition

lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.25

Read for A233.

Reread, and it's still not very good. Hate to say it, but the film is better.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, and Blood

Moderate: Slavery and Kidnapping

crimsonash606's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A wonderful read for those seeking fantastical realms to escape to.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

saltycoffee's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Slavery, Blood, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

probablytoolate's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Sexual content, Slavery, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

seforaflorian's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

mirandyli's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

A cute fantasy novel that was a fun quick read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Confinement, Misogyny, Kidnapping, and Injury/Injury detail

chrisljm's review against another edition

adventurous relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I love star motifs, and so I loved the concept of this book - a journey to retrieve a fallen star, which turns out to be a young girl. I enjoyed how whimsical and relaxing this book was, which is fitting for its tone of traditional fairytales/fantasy. I loved how each character was so intricately tied together and seeing it come to fruition throughout the story arc. However, I do wish we were able to see more of a development between Yvaine and Tristran, because the love between a human and a star is one of my favorite story ideas to date. Another story concept I loved was Yvaine, the fallen star. I loved her as a character as she was by far the most interesting to me, and I wish I had gotten to know her more. I would love to read more tales about her. 

I also listened to the audiobook narrated by the author as a companion to reading it physically and Neil Gaiman is such a talented reader. He truly brings the story to life by giving it another layer of depth. 

I can't wait to watch the movie after this, and then maybe after that the illustrated story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexual content, Slavery, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Racism and Grief

wwwdotmimi's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death

Moderate: Animal cruelty

Minor: Death, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail