The Neverending Story

Synopsis Setting Plot Structure and Development Mood/Atmosphere Style of Writing Characteristic Opinion Links

The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
translated by Ralph Manheim
published by penguin group

Part legend, part fable and wholly fascinating. A magical story that is sure to satisfy your adventurous mind and a good companion for children.

Synopsis
   Small, fat and insignificant Bastian Balthazar Bux is nobody's idea of a hero. He was always the subject of laughter and humiliation, always running for his dear life and was constantly bullied by others. However this was about to change...
    One day he steals a mysterious book and hides away to read it. Miraculously, he found himself stepping through its pages into the world of Fantastica.
    Enchanted, perilous Fantastica is falling into decay. Its people are doomed, until Bastian appears as their Saviour. The great task of making things well again falls on Bastian. He has to overcome his fear and believe in himself to be able to defeat the evil Xayide. With the help of his friends, Atreyu and Falkor, he has to travel through magical places and meet strange creatures of Fantastica to reach the ivory tower to save the Childlike Empress (empress of Fantastica) and Fantastica. The fate of thousands of Fantasians lies in his hand and only with trust, he is able to succeed.

Setting
A beautiful and magical place, unlike the world we are living in. Everywhere you look, there are tons and tons of colourful, enchanted flowers and plants. If there are neither plants nor flowers, there would be magnificant rock structures. It makes one curious as this is a setting which is very different from reality.

Plot Structure and Development
As the story develops, the plot thickens. Bastian not only had to fight to save Fantastica, but he also had to fight to save his own life. Any mistakes he made will be the cause of his death and the fall of Fantastica. His task was not as simple as it seems. He had to overcome his weakness to defeat the evil Xayide. He also had to learn to trust the right people.

Mood/ Atmosphere
There is a mixture of suspense, excitement and love. As the story slowly unravel, a persistent question always arise," Will Bastian succeed?" In what ever Bastian does, there is always a possible hint of danger. We are also able to feel the warmth of the love between friends. The care and concern they show would bring tears. .

Style of writing
The story may have a few bombastic words but it is actually quite simple. With its simple language, it gives a vivid description of the setting and people. There are many descriptions of people that are out of this world, that have features of an alien which are sometimes humorous.

Characteristic
The creatures in Fantastica may be unbelieveable but all of them have attitudes like us, human beings. Some are evil, some are petty, some are smart nut absentminded and some are just plain stupid and clumsy. They are not perfect creatures but creatures with flaws and weakness.

Opinion
    The best part of the story would definitely be the encounter between Bastian and Xayide. During this time, Bastian did not know that Xayide was evil and was drawn in by temptations. He befriended Xayide who gave him a magical belt that grant wishes as a gift. Unknown to Bastian, this was one of Xayide's plan to conquer Fantastica. Atreyu and Falkor found out Xayide's evil plan and tried to tell Bastian but was treated coldly. Hurt by the betrayal, they left him.
    Every gifts comes with a price. With every wish Bastian made, a portion of his memory would be deleted. Only Atreyu and Falkor could safe him but only if they would come through for him.
    As a reader, we know that Xayide is bad and that Bastian is in danger. It gives one the urge to yell out to him to wake up, stop being a fool and see the truth. It makes one nervous and worry for this naive Bastian. It makes you want to carry on reading, wanting to know if Bastian was saved.

My favourite character would be the mythical dragon, Falkor who supposedly bring good luck but he doesn't. He is a huge, long whitish dragon who is very loyal and hilarious. He was the one that came through for Bastian in times of danger. He is Bastian's best companion and teacher. His wisdom has guided Bastian during his journey to the ivory tower.

This book has brought me to a world of magic and fantasy, a world beyond reality. It takes one away from the boring life he or she leads. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading and I believed you would too. The story is very original, very different from the other stories I have read, and fascinating. There is not a single dull moment in this book. It is a mixture of humour, adventure and danger. Above all, I find that it has a glowing warmth and love. Learning also takes place. After his heroic adventure, he learnt that courage comes from within and to believe in himself, not to be pushed around. The description is vivid. I could picture the landscape of Fantastica as if I were there. It is impossible to put it down once you have started reading.

If you are a die heart fantasy reader, this is one book that you should not missed. If not, this is one book that allows your imagination to run wild.

This is the end of my review for the Neverending Story. Hope it has been helpful to all. =)