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Cover of Stardust by Neil GaimanStardust
Modern · Fiction, Fantasy

Stardust

by Neil Gaiman
1997 · 368 pages · Fiction
67.2Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 9 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Tristran Thorn promised to bring back a fallen star for his beloved, the beautiful Victoria Forester. So he crosses the wall at the edge of his English village into the enchanted realm beyond, and finds that the star is not what he expected.

Why it's worth reading

It's one of Neil Gaiman's most beloved tales, a grown-up fairy tale that inspired the hit film.

You'll love it if you liked

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The Princess BrideWilliam Goldman
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NeverwhereNeil Gaiman
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The Ocean at the End of the LaneNeil Gaiman

Good to know

It's short and charming, with some adult content. The illustrated edition by Charles Vess is beautiful.

By the numbers

67.2Must-Read Score
  • Readers59 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller36 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Reads as

Adventurous

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 1990sTop 25 · 273 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Stardust worth reading?

Yes. It's one of Neil Gaiman's most beloved tales, a grown-up fairy tale that inspired the hit film. It ranks #1,624 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.2 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Stardust about?

Tristran Thorn promised to bring back a fallen star for his beloved, the beautiful Victoria Forester. So he crosses the wall at the edge of his English village into the enchanted realm beyond, and finds that the star is not what he expected.

How long does it take to read Stardust?

About 9 hours (368 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Stardust?

If you liked it, try The Princess Bride by William Goldman, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman or The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman.