The Neverending Story

The Neverending Story – Michael Ende

The entire story of the land of Fantastica exists in a book that is being written while simultaneously being lived by all the inhabitants of the land. The catch with Fantastica is that its existence also depends on the human world, and when humans forget about Fantastica, Fantastica begins to lose its reality. Every so often, Fantastica needs a human to visit and rename everything to continue the story of the land. Bastian Balthazar Bux finds himself reading the story of Fantastica before he is summoned to come to Fantastica and rename everything so the cycle of existence can continue. As the he joins in the simultaneous telling/living of the story of Fantastica, he finds himself caught up in unbelievable adventures. As the “Great Knower,” he has the power to name everything, and his slightest wish brings anything into being. He tells the story that he lives, so he decides what happens. Unfortunately, Bastian forgets the consequences and responsibilities of power, and he starts making decisions that lead him away from his friends into a land of uncertainty and apathy. Just as it seems hopeless for Bastian to recover from senseless and misguided wishes, he discovers his true wish: to learn to love. With this new knowledge, he returns to his friends, who show him how to return to his own home so he can remind everyone else about the wonders of Fantastica.

Although this book was recommended to me by someone who ardently adores it, I was less than thrilled with The Neverending Story. I grew up with Harry Potter, so anything that can’t compare to the fantasy of Hogwarts doesn’t even register on my scale. Had I read this book when I was younger, I’m sure I would have been tickled at the idea – I’m reading a book about a book that actually turns into reality. The reader becomes part of the story in this wonderful fantasy land, what could be better, especially for a booklover? Sorry, but I’m still waiting for my owl to get here and tell me I’ll be attending Hogwarts in the fall. It seems to have a hard time finding me. (My endorsement check from all things Harry Potter also seems to have gotten lost in the mail.) Maybe because I’m in Samoa…

However, I do award this book high points for aesthetics. The size and weight of the book are very satisfactory. It’s one of those hardback books that stays open on the page you’re reading when you lay it flat on the table. Also, it is printed in two different colors (also part of the book within a book within reality deal), which makes for visually pleasing reading.  Overall, if you don’t already love the story (or the movie – I saw one of the Neverending Story movies, but I can’t remember which one, and unfortunately it also came after the age of Harry Potter) then I wouldn’t bother with reading it. Each new chapter brings so many different ideas, stories, histories, characters, twists and turns, adventures, etc. etc, forever, that it really felt like a never-ending story.