The Neverending Story
Addictive
Magnetic
Fascinating

The Neverending Story

Michael Ende1997
When it was published more than a decade ago, this special story within a story captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of readers worldwide. A lonely boy named Bastian is drawn into a beautiful but doomed world. Only Bastian can save this enchanted place of dragons, giants, monsters, and mysteries . . . but will he have to stay there forever? This beautifully repackaged hardcover classic will lure even more readers into its wondrous world.
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Reviews

Photo of Hanna Rybchynska
Hanna Rybchynska@hannarbc
4 stars
May 3, 2024

This was so interesting and fun!

Photo of Sarah Sammis
Sarah Sammis@pussreboots
5 stars
Apr 4, 2024

Make sure to get a copy with the colored inks.

Photo of Laura Mauler
Laura Mauler@blueskygreenstrees
3 stars
Dec 25, 2023

Well the first half of the book is really great. Adventure! Daring! It is a fantastic ride. The second half of the book is super boring. I get that it's supposed to be an inner journey, a complement to the first half's outer journey, but what a snoozefest.

Photo of Victoria Saxon
Victoria Saxon@rainbow_chibiusa
5 stars
Dec 31, 2022

My favorite book hands down. It is so much better than the 80s movie and that's pretty hard to beat!

Photo of Left Quark
Left Quark@dee101
4 stars
Aug 31, 2022

Schön .. größtenteils.

Photo of Lee Yi Hsean
Lee Yi Hsean@justisa
3 stars
Aug 12, 2022

'The Neverending Story' gripped my attention well enough, but it did often feel like a never ending story from the second part of the book onwards. It is quite chaotic at times and can be rather slow paced, but is overall quite enjoyable. I can't say I read this in one sitting, and I did find myself skimming some pages as we went further along in the story. To sum it up, I think this was a decent read, but I probably will not be re-reading it again. I might recommend it to some fantasy loving people, though.

Photo of Brianna
Brianna@dinosauriaclade
5 stars
Aug 1, 2022

First half is the classic adventure one expects from Neverending Story. Second half is heavy on themes and takes its time getting there. An intriguing make it or break it situation based on others’ reviews. Definitely a made it for me — became a surprisingly emotional read I really connected with.

Photo of Kindal Comeaux
Kindal Comeaux@kibblekennel
3.5 stars
Jul 15, 2022

I really enjoyed this book but it truly feels like it’s never gonna end at some points which is obviously intentional but not really my kind of read

Photo of Kali Olson
Kali Olson@kaliobooks
3 stars
Mar 9, 2022

Bastian, Atreyu, the Childlike Empress—if you’re a child of the 80’s, these names instantly mean one thing: The Neverending Story. This was a huge hit movie in 1984, and if you’re feeling nostalgic, you’re in luck. Because once upon a time in Germany, The Neverending Story was a book. And with the re-issue edition of 1997, oh what a pretty book it is. Red ink for Bastian, scolded and bullied, who hides in the attic at school with a stolen book that quickly becomes the most important thing he’s ever done in his short lonely life. Green ink for Fantastica, the magical world that Bastian is reading about, where the Childlike Empress’s mysterious illness is causing a terrifying Nothingness to sweep across the land, and where all hope rests on the slim shoulders of the brave boy Atreyu. It’s rare to read such a colorful book (literally colorful with those different inks, and with fairy tale-style illustrations as well) and it’s rare to indulge so fully in the act of reading. We read not only about Bastian but about what Bastian is reading, a delightful circle that compliments the Neverending title. Saving a fantastic mythical world has never been such an interactive, collaborative experience. And if that doesn’t get you reading, just think back to the movie and remember how much you wanted to ride that big pink luckdragon.

Photo of Ana V.
Ana V. @nobadbooks
5 stars
Feb 27, 2022

For some people the Little Prince is their magic world, for others the Hobbit or even Narnia. This was the most magical book I read as a child. It was the first time I saw a book written in two colors. It took me to a world where only my imagination was the limit. I feared, loved, cried and hoped with Bastian Balthazar Bux. I was him and I became stronger.

Photo of flob
flob @flobuloes
5 stars
Feb 20, 2022

I am absolutely in love with this book.

Photo of Nick Bicko
Nick Bicko@nember
3 stars
Feb 12, 2022

Der erste Teil (der auch im ersten Film behandelt wurde) hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Im zweiten Teil schlichen sich dann leider deutliche Längen und Ermüdungserscheinungen ein - gefühlt hätte man auf die Seiten 300-400 komplett verzichten können. Vielleicht liegt das auch daran, dass ich mit Bastian als Figur insgesamt recht wenig anfangen konnte. #TeamAtreju Dennoch schön, dass ich das Buch nun endlich einmal gelesen habe.

Photo of Saskia P
Saskia P@stahrwars
5 stars
Jan 19, 2022

Ach wie schön! Bastian hat in der zweiten Hälfte des Buches zwar etwas genervt aber es war trotzdem fantastisch!

Photo of Isa s
Isa s@purzel
5 stars
Dec 14, 2021

I first heard this story on cassette. I liked it so much I listened to it over and over, couldn't get enough.

Photo of Elaine
Elaine@elanna_g
5 stars
Nov 16, 2021

this was the first book I read on my own and the onw that started my love for reading, stories and books. this will forever have a special place in my heart.

Photo of Lara <3
Lara <3@laraslibrary
4 stars
Oct 13, 2021

It feels more like 3.5 stars. I love the land, the world with my whole heart, but I didn't really like the main character, Bastian. It just didn't fit. The worst sentence was: but this is another story. Why can't we get these other stories? I'm more interested in them as in the main story.

Photo of Daryl Houston
Daryl Houston@dllh
2 stars
Sep 30, 2021

I watched the movie probably a few dozen times as a kid and loved it. A couple of years ago, we got the book for my daughter, who was probably 8 at the time, and she seemed to like it. This summer, we took it on as a family reading project, and I've spent evenings over the last couple of weeks struggling through it. The book is delightful at times, very tedious at other times, and often random and outright bizarre. I wonder if there's not a lot of it that doesn't make more sense if you know more German folk tales or something. Better just to stick to the movie in my opinion. There's better reading elsewhere.

Photo of Kimi
Kimi @kimber
3 stars
Sep 2, 2021

I don't think I really need to elaborate since there are plenty of reviews. I watched the movie when I was a child and love the movie fondly. I decided to read the book after finding out the movie was based on the book. There were 2 parts to the book and the first part of the book follows pretty closely to the movie. The book explained some details that were missed in the movie for me. I loved the first part of this book and wish it would have ended there. The second half of the book was a flop and the reason being was it was extremely boring. Nothing much was going on and it just died for me. If it wasn't for the first part being so favorable I would have given this 2 stars.

Photo of Manon van Heumen
Manon van Heumen@womanon
3 stars
Aug 27, 2021

This was such an enjoyable read.

Photo of Janet Doré
Janet Doré@vistacanas
4 stars
Jul 28, 2021

An amazingly intricate story...adults will enjoy this as much as older kids/young adults. The movie did not do this story justice...but, in "Hollywood's" defense, I don't see how they could have. This is a must read book in everyone's lifetime!

Photo of Emma Hoflin
Emma Hoflin @readeremma
4 stars
Feb 25, 2025
Photo of Thaddeus Cortez
Thaddeus Cortez@kilgore
3.5 stars
Jan 29, 2025
+1
Photo of Leonard Gorges
Leonard Gorges@leonardgor
5 stars
Jan 13, 2025
Photo of Linus Rogge
Linus Rogge@linusrogge
5 stars
Aug 24, 2024
+2

Highlights

Photo of Linus Rogge
Linus Rogge@linusrogge

Sein Herz war zu voll, als dass er hätte sprechen können.