Title: The Neverending Story
Author: Michael Ende
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (1997 Edition)
Source: Own
From GoodReads
Shy, awkward Bastian is amazed to discover that he has become a character in the mysterious book he is reading and that he has an important mission to fulfill.
First of all, I was more than a little surprised when the above was all GoodReads had to say about The Neverending Story. There is so much to this book, and that kind of description just doesn't do it justice!
I will admit, I read The Neverending Story the first time because the original movie is one of my favorite films. I so wanted to BE the child-like princess growing up, it wasn't funny (even walking around with a necklace in my hair in order to look more like her). As an adult, I wanted to read the book to see if it was as good as my childhood memories of the movie. And, not surprisingly, the book is so much better.
Bastian is still the main character, but the first movie leaves off just part of the way through the book. Once the child-like princess is named, there is still a lot of story left to tell. I think one of the reasons this book remains a favorite is because it is a story-lovers story. Who hasn't read a book and wished they could be an actual PART of the story? Who hasn't read something they found so captivating that they wanted to call out to the characters and change the course of events?
Reading, for me, has always been an escape from the normal. Reading is a chance to experience places I would never visit and meet people I would never see in real life. Reading is about falling in love and experiencing loss. It's about high adventure and high stakes. It's about finding your way and making a difference. It's about sacrifice and loss. And, The Neverending Story is all of those things and more.
If you love books, and love STORY, you need to read this one at least once in your life. This edition is pretty awesome, too. The text is in different colors depending on if you're reading Bastian's story, the book he's reading, or the ultimate combination of both.
Be a part of The Neverending Story and read it today!
Final thoughts: Worth owning, but definitely a must-read!
I loved this book when I read it years ago (like you, I adored the movie, and wanted to see what the book was like). I liked the sections that would deviate from the main plotline and then say, "But that's another story". It made it clear that it really was a neverending story.
ReplyDeleteCD, exactly. There is so much about STORY in this book, it's amazing. I love the idea that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves and that we can influence the world. Still one of my favorites after all these years!
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