Are you ready to get the moon and the stars for your lady? Don't tell her that, as your lot might be like Tristan Thorn's. Then again, do tell her that and hope that your lot might be exactly like Tristan Thorn's. Stardust by Neil Gaiman is a story which gives the term "star-crossed lover" quite a new meaning.
Tristan Thorn of the village of Wall is unaware of a big secret: he was born beyond the "wall" (which gives the village its name), in the realm of Faerie. Growing up to be a normal young man, he faces the nightmare of every lovelorn man. His "love of the life", Elizabeth challenges him to live up to his words, and get a fallen star they have seen together and bring it back to her. Tristan goes beyond the wall and enters the realm of Faerie for the promise and his love.
Of course, things in Faerie are not like the normal world, and the star is a beautiful woman called Yvaine. Unfortunately, he is not alone in his quest. The star's fall is caused by a topaz called "Power of Stormhold," which marks the mastery of Stormhold, and three living sons of recently-deceased lord of Stormhold are searching for it, along with a witch queen called Lilim wants to carve the living heart out of the "star" to regain her youth. So now Tristan has to race against time, magic, evil, and desire of power to earn his love's desire.
Tristan is a young man set to do everything to earn his love, and it shows, but it is what he does not know which saves his life more than once. He gets aid from some surprising quarters, though the star he is to bring back is not exactly a happy companion. Although he is fated to get his "Heart's Desire" because of a boon his father received, you never know what that is exactly, do you?
Yvaine, the star, is having a really bad time. She is hit by a topaz which makes her fall to earth, and she has to carry it till someone asks for it. She has broken her leg in the fall, and the first person she meets binds her to himself with a magic chain. Her life doesn't get any better as she is hunted by a witch queen who wants her heart. All in all, you know why she spends most of her time being really grouchy.
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