By Neil Gaiman with illustrations by Charles Vess
This is the enchanting fairy tale that was adapted into an enchanting movie by the same name. I was surprised how closely the movie followed the book, though its ending is somewhat different and oddly enough, more satisfying. Like many people, I thought this was a graphic novel, and you may find it shelved there in the young adult section. But in reality, it is like one of those old children’s book, lavishly illustrated. Charles Vess created nearly 175 water colour paintings that are reminiscent of Arthur Rackman’s or Edmund Dulac’s work for Neil Gaiman’s story.
Like any number of fairy tales, this one is about the journey of our hero Tristam, on a quest for true love, but finding adult hood, via an adventure through Faery. There’s the usual fantastical creatures and places (unicorns and witches and princes and castles and inns), and some unusual creatures and places (hairy night visitors and fallen stars and flying ships that capture lightning and quaint English villages that are anything but). But in Gaiman’s capable hands, they are old toys given a loving polish and most importantly, always entertaining. Don’t be fooled by the genre. This is not a children’s story, but more like the original Grimm’s tales. Frightening and graphic things happen here, as well the breathtakingly beautiful, but what would expect to find when you travel in Faery?
This is the enchanting fairy tale that was adapted into an enchanting movie by the same name. I was surprised how closely the movie followed the book, though its ending is somewhat different and oddly enough, more satisfying. Like many people, I thought this was a graphic novel, and you may find it shelved there in the young adult section. But in reality, it is like one of those old children’s book, lavishly illustrated. Charles Vess created nearly 175 water colour paintings that are reminiscent of Arthur Rackman’s or Edmund Dulac’s work for Neil Gaiman’s story.
Like any number of fairy tales, this one is about the journey of our hero Tristam, on a quest for true love, but finding adult hood, via an adventure through Faery. There’s the usual fantastical creatures and places (unicorns and witches and princes and castles and inns), and some unusual creatures and places (hairy night visitors and fallen stars and flying ships that capture lightning and quaint English villages that are anything but). But in Gaiman’s capable hands, they are old toys given a loving polish and most importantly, always entertaining. Don’t be fooled by the genre. This is not a children’s story, but more like the original Grimm’s tales. Frightening and graphic things happen here, as well the breathtakingly beautiful, but what would expect to find when you travel in Faery?
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