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The Neverending Story

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Discover the classic coming-of-age adventure of a young boy and a mysterious book that magically comes to life. When Bastian happens upon an old book called The Neverending Story, he's swept into the magical world of Fantastica--so much that he finds he has actually become a character in the story! And when he realizes that this mysteriously enchanted world is in great danger, he also discovers that he is the one chosen to save it.

Paperback

Published July 20, 1984

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About the author

Michael Ende

342 books3,677 followers
Michael Andreas Helmuth Ende was a German writer of fantasy and children's literature. He was the son of the surrealist painter Edgar Ende.

Ende was one of the most popular and famous German authors of the 20th century, mostly due to the enormous success of his children's books. However, Ende was not strictly a children’s author, as he also wrote books for adults. Ende claimed, "It is for this child in me, and in all of us, that I tell my stories," and that "[my books are] for any child between 80 and 8 years" (qtd. Senick 95, 97). Ende’s writing could be described as a surreal mixture of reality and fantasy. The reader is often invited to take a more interactive role in the story, and the worlds in his books often mirror our reality, using fantasy to bring light to the problems of an increasingly technological modern society.

Ende was also known as a proponent of economic reform, and claimed to have had the concept of aging money in mind when writing Momo. He was interested in and influenced by anthroposophy.

Die unendliche Geschichte (The Neverending Story) is Ende's best known work. Other books include Momo and Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer (Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver). Michael Ende's works have been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 20 million copies, and have been adapted into motion pictures, stage plays, operas and audio books.

He died in Stuttgart of stomach cancer.

AKA:
Μίχαελ Έντε (Greek)

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16 reviews
March 3, 2026
The Neverending Story is lush, labyrinthine, and unapologetically self-mythologizing, drowning in velvety allegory and grandiose introspection. However, for deeper remark, the book works when it is fun and childalike. The meaning offers a very profound light to child-neglect, depression, pride, (when Bastian recieved his god-like powers and the usage of them turning back-handed hastily) friendship, fearlessness and courage all flowing like fjords, however the book's on-going journey fogs and drowns a lot of the meanings with the overusage of maximalism language that dims the strong in the book.

Side characters flicker decoratively —archetypal, underfed – which poses an uneven risk long before it ends

I'd go as far as saying the themes in Alice In Wonderland were done more concise, smarter while not dimming or scratching the surface.

Overall, it's a hit-or-miss in areas but a very enjoyable, sweet read whatsoever.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review