Title : The Neverending StoryAuthor : Michael Ende
Reading Dates : 27 May - 30 May 2010
Book Summary of The Neverending Story.
For those unfamiliar with Michael Ende
's The Neverending Story, never having seen the movie or read the book, it starts with a very unhappy young boy stealing the above book from Carl Conrad Coreander's bookstore. Bastian Balthazar Bux then proceeds to hide in his school attic and read the book. He finds more than he bargains for in reading the story of Atreyu's adventures while searching for a cure to heal the Childlike Empress of Fantastica. Bastian becomes a part of the story and becomes the saviour of Fantastica. The tale however does not end there for Bastian has his own set of adventures before he manages to finds his way back home .
's The Neverending Story, never having seen the movie or read the book, it starts with a very unhappy young boy stealing the above book from Carl Conrad Coreander's bookstore. Bastian Balthazar Bux then proceeds to hide in his school attic and read the book. He finds more than he bargains for in reading the story of Atreyu's adventures while searching for a cure to heal the Childlike Empress of Fantastica. Bastian becomes a part of the story and becomes the saviour of Fantastica. The tale however does not end there for Bastian has his own set of adventures before he manages to finds his way back home . Book Review of The Neverending Story.
Well, first off I must say that I enjoyed the first half of the book more. This is not to say the second half was no good, just that it was not as exciting. Atreyu was a pathfinder on an quest to save Fantastica while Bastian, whether he knew it or not, was a lost boy with a great deal of imagination and power. There is an urgency to Atreyu's story which is missing in Bastian's wanderings. If you do not know the story, Bastian's travels will appear simply like aimless meandering until the mystery of his disappearing memories is explained.
Still, there are many reasons to love this book. The first is as explained by Bastian is the idea of a story that never ends. Anyone with a passion for books will have at one time or another grieved the ending of a wonderful story. Saying goodbye to a character with whom you have shared many adventures can be as difficult as saying farewell to a beloved friend. But alas, the story does end and we have to bid adieu to Atreyu, Falkor and Bastian. At least for the time being.
The second is Fantastica's strange and wondrous denizens. As the story unfolds, you find familiar creatures such as witches, ghosts, vampires, elves, dwarves, centaurs and more. But there are also many more less recognizable like the rock chewers, wind giants, headfooters, four-quarter trolls, blondycats and others. There seems to be no limits to the writer's imagination.
And last but not least, The Neverending Story is also a story about love and responsibility. Either loving yourself or learning to love others. We learn by watching what Bastian goes through in Fantastica. At the start, Bastian seems intent on using his wishes to make himself into another person but by the end he learns the value of being himself, faults and all. Also wanting to gain the admiration of others and refusing to listen to honest advice of his friends, Bastian in his misguided attempts to help often ends up causing disastrous consequences both for himself and others. At the end of the tale, Bastian shows how much he has changed by owning up to the theft of the book and apologizes to the bookstore proprietor.
I'm glad I didn't miss this one. What about you ? Have you read the tale or watched the movie and what did you think of it ? Let me know.
Still, there are many reasons to love this book. The first is as explained by Bastian is the idea of a story that never ends. Anyone with a passion for books will have at one time or another grieved the ending of a wonderful story. Saying goodbye to a character with whom you have shared many adventures can be as difficult as saying farewell to a beloved friend. But alas, the story does end and we have to bid adieu to Atreyu, Falkor and Bastian. At least for the time being.
The second is Fantastica's strange and wondrous denizens. As the story unfolds, you find familiar creatures such as witches, ghosts, vampires, elves, dwarves, centaurs and more. But there are also many more less recognizable like the rock chewers, wind giants, headfooters, four-quarter trolls, blondycats and others. There seems to be no limits to the writer's imagination.
And last but not least, The Neverending Story is also a story about love and responsibility. Either loving yourself or learning to love others. We learn by watching what Bastian goes through in Fantastica. At the start, Bastian seems intent on using his wishes to make himself into another person but by the end he learns the value of being himself, faults and all. Also wanting to gain the admiration of others and refusing to listen to honest advice of his friends, Bastian in his misguided attempts to help often ends up causing disastrous consequences both for himself and others. At the end of the tale, Bastian shows how much he has changed by owning up to the theft of the book and apologizes to the bookstore proprietor.
I'm glad I didn't miss this one. What about you ? Have you read the tale or watched the movie and what did you think of it ? Let me know.
I haven't read this yet, but I recently bought it. I'm glad I did - and I look forward to reading it! Thanks for a great review! :-)
ReplyDeleteGlad I could be of some help. Let me know what you think of the book.
ReplyDelete