 "Great Storytelling!!!" | 2008-08-20 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2YT7VT450QMN |
Blood and Rain
Blood for the Masses
From a review originally published in SavageNight E-zine
The Sandman: The Doll's House, Volume 2
Written by
Neil Gaiman
Various illustrators.
Review by
B.L.Morgan
This book took us further into the mythos of who The Sandman is and how at different times he's affected history. A few of the stories do not directly feature The Sandman but they are very fine stories anyway.
The stories are emotional. The artwork is moody and reflect the stories emotional impact perfectly.
I highly recommend this entire series. |
| |
| "nobody does it better" | 2008-08-14 |
| - Reviewed By inkyj |
| Brilliant writing! Moody, at times surreal and other times frighteningly gritty. The art is delightfully murky, leaving the reader feeling like storm clouds have passed over the brightest day. Read these years ago but just buying them now. Gaiman is the master of creating modern myth for the "alternative" reader. |
| |
 "Full of High Highs and Low Lows" | 2008-05-06 |
| - Reviewed By User: ARMVAHWQQ9S8A |
It's not as great as people are saying, but I've still got my fingers crossed that it will get better. But "The Doll's House" was enjoyable. It had its stronger parts, and it indeed had its weaker parts.
The build-up was great, and had a huge amount of pay-off in the penultimate issue as well as the conclusion. However, I felt that Gaiman took way too long to introduce the idea of a vortex. Even an off-hand comment (in the main narrative of the arc) would have been sufficient, as the introduction of the idea of a vortex took place in the second-to-last issue. It felt like the main plot of the arc was being introduced too late, but I must say that I really enjoyed what Gaiman did with the it when he finally got the ball rolling.
The characterization is great. The quirky good guys leap off the page with their complexities and over-the-topness, and the bad guys evoke true fear deep in the gut. Not all of it is good, though. The initial scene with Desire is really awkward, and not that good a way to start the arc. The first few issues have that feeling that Gaiman is meandering about, devoting three or four issues to plot development he could have done in two, and been the better for it.
Gaiman is at his best here when he strays from the main plot. There is a one-shot issue (called "Doll's House Part Four", which is beyond me, as it has absolutely nothing to do with the main plot and should have been placed after these issues as to not interrupt the flow of the story) called "Men of Good Fortune," in which Dream 'befriends' a man who is intent on not dying. Their conversations span years, and we get to see through Dream how life has been good and bad to this man, all in the context of England's history, which Gaiman masterfully weaves in. From that point on, the book stays consistently enjoyable.
Gaiman is, however, at his worst while writing about Brut, Glob, the dead man who thinks he's a super hero, and his old (alive) wife who doesn't want to lose him. That whole plot-line seems utterly out of place and extremely contrived. It made for unpleasant reading, but thankfully the rest of the book mostly made up for it. Since we're on the subject of the weaker aspects of the Sandman, the art still isn't the best for me. Sometimes it seems like the pages were intended to be sketches, and they decided to color 'em up and use them for the actual comic. The coloring is inconsistent, in that in one panel a guy's moustache is orange, the next panel it's bright yellow, and then for the rest of the comic its orange. This happens more than once. The art, like the story, does begin to click in the final issues, especially during the scene between Dream and Rose when she becomes the vortex. But I hope there will be more consistency and quality next time.
All in all, I'm still waiting for this series to get better, but there was enough quality in this to convince me to buy the third volume.
7/10 |
| |
| "Not only a great comic" | 2008-04-08 |
| - Reviewed By User: A8HPGEH04IG5F |
| This 2nd Sandman volume was hands down one of the best things I've ever read.(I'm through Vol.4 so far) I know Vol. 3 won awards and was also a good read, but a Cereal convention for serial killers, a 70's Sandman etc. This volume was truly amazing. I had planned to buy, read and resell the series when I was done. This vol. changed my mind. I'll keep and reread them forever. |
| |
| "the natural progression" | 2007-12-30 |
| - Reviewed By adead_poet@hotmail.com |
| Vol 2 is still early in the series and Gaiman is still feeling out the character and what all is possible in this series. It's really good, but I don't think it's quite at its zenith yet, to deserve the reputation it has, but I'm looking forward to the next volume to see how Gaiman and the Sandman grow. |
| |
| "world building" | 2007-10-08 |
| - Reviewed By lord_shrike |
What will continue in third trade paperback, started here.
After we saw capturing of Morpheus in first volume, it was about time to show us something else. And here Gaiman kicks in. He veawes a tale of dreams and mysteries, he tells a story of growing up and nightmares that lurk beyond. We find modern epic in these pages, filled with interesting characters, dark villany (whichi is somewhat lighter here than in the first paperback) and old fashiond heroes. We are learning of Dreams past, friendship gained and loves lost.
In this volume you'll find one of the best stories that Gaiman ever written, story that spans centuries of lifetime but loses its sense for humanity, for ups and downs of human intelligence, and essential loneliness that rest in the hearts of every sentient being out there.
Maybe somewhat rough on the edges, and even too mundane (grand epics, clashes of entities will follow later up) in its finishing touch, Doll's house still remains one of the best Sandmans ever written. |
| |
| "Great!" | 2007-09-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3DCA4PTIGQG6S |
| If you're new to Gaiman, you might not be used to his style but this volume is a great accompaniment to Vol I - Preludes & Nocturnes. It follows Rose, who was first introduced in Vol I through uncovering secrets to the whereabouts of her missing brother & meeting long, lost relatives. A truly great graphic novel. |
| |
| "Graphic SF Reader" | 2007-09-03 |
| - Reviewed By bluetyson |
There are several threads in the Doll's House. Morpheus must clean house as he realises several of his more important servants are missing. He must deal with two of them who have set about creating their own Sandman using a dead man, and his live wife and child. Another is keynote speaker at a serial killers convention.
On a lighter note, Dream and Death are amused by Hob when they find him declaiming he will not die, so Dream offers to meet him for a drink every 100 years to see if he has changed his mind, and realises that they have become friends.
|
| |
| "The Dolls House Review" | 2007-08-05 |
| - Reviewed By User: ATWGBD5QXQY6U |
| I can't say enough good things about Neil Gaiman. His imagination is unparalelled. Wonderfully written and illustrated. |
| |
| "Love it!" | 2007-03-31 |
| - Reviewed By artifexal |
| Neil Gaiman has an amazing imagination. I love all of his books that I have read so far. American Gods, Anansi Boys, Neverwhere, and now the Sandman series. Fabulous! The creativity and beautiful visuals never cease to amaze me. |
| |
Expedited Available
