I took the announcement The NeverEnding Story with great curiosity, because what comes from the Mamania publishing house usually appeals to me, and in addition, they are aesthetically issued publications. I also decided that it was time to get acquainted with the classic, the adaptation of which has been traveling to the edges of my memory for many years.
The cover makes the difference
While you shouldn’t judge a novel by its dust jacket, this is for me – a visual lover – one of the first factors that spark my interest in a publication. In the case of Bastian’s story, Mamania did a good job, as the hardcover with really beautiful graphics immediately arouses curiosity. The drawing that was placed on the cover is also consistent with the description in the plot, so after reading the relevant passage, we will appreciate it as well. After I flipped through the book for the first time, I was very surprised to find the content printed in two different colors. I remember, slightly irritated, writing to a friend asking if I had a faulty copy. Let me explain – this is a deliberate measure, thanks to which we distinguish Bastian’s adventures from what the boy reads in his book.
A bit of history about this story
The NeverEnding Story is a fantasy novel for children and teenagers written by German author Michael Ende, first published in 1979. On the basis of this book, films and series were created, and apparently (according to the information found on Wikipedia) it is even an inspiration for theater or opera performances. Mamania Publishing House recently released another title by this creator – Momo . If you are already around thirty years old, you can associate such cartoons as Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer or Wunschpunsch from television – they were also based on the works of Ende.
Books can change lives
The plot focuses on Bastian Balthazar Bux, an obese and specific child who is neglected by his father after his mother’s death. While escaping from bullies tormenting him, the protagonist ends up in Karol Konrad Koreander’s antique shop, where his interest is aroused by the book titled The NeverEnding Story . After stealing an intriguing title in a moment of weakness, the boy hides in his school’s attic and enters the magical world of Fantasia.
I could reach out earlier
The adventures of Bastian in the book version convinced me much more than the movie. At the same time, I feel that if I had read this story at a younger age, I would have been enchanted by it much more. With the current baggage of knowledge and readings, I did not take it away with such delight. The writer definitely had a gift for creating interesting characters and the amazing world in which the action takes place, but the idea for the plot is quite simple (the hero’s journey and development). Fortunately, in the course of subsequent events, threads such as the fight between good and evil, the power of imagination or losing oneself appear, which enrich the content with positive values. An interesting element is also a more abstract and less material enemy to defeat. In summary, it is a good novel both in terms of technique and content,
Worth suggesting before the movie
I guess I lost a lot by watching the movie first. It is because of him that specific visualizations of scenes and characters have already been created in my head, which made it difficult for me to look at the book with a fresh eye. At the same time, however, I am able to appreciate its value and I can see that it is suitable for recommending younger readers.
