Reviews with content warning for Transphobia - The Sandman Vol. 5: A Game of You

As far as I can recall, The Sandman: A Game of You is the first ‘proper’ graphic novel I’ve read, and so I’m not really sure how to approach reviewing it. I’ve read lots of other Neil Gaiman fiction, from American Godsto Fragile Things, and enjoyed some a lot more than others, the highlight being an illustrated copy of Stardust which made me think I might like The Sandman. For full disclosure, however, I should mention that I’m pretty sure I went in expecting The Sandman to be Fables.

The art in The Sandman: A Game of You is nothing like Charles Vess’s illustrations, it’s much more comic-book-y, and while individual visuals were arresting, the overall style might not be appealing to readers who enjoy more conventional book art. That said, there were some cool references to older media which made it fun to give the pictures a second look, and they would probably reward even closer scrutiny.

The Sandman: A Game of You works very well as a stand-alone story. Even without having read the previous four volumes, Neil Gaiman gives the characters enough context for a reader to pick up both the different worlds and the relationships between them. Wanda, Hazel and Foxglove particularly stand out as being nuanced female characters who don’t conform to archetypes; their lives feel as though they extend beyond the pages dedicated to their stories in this one book.

As a villain, the cuckoo is interesting, and Neil Gaiman raises a lot of questions about what exactly she is and where she comes from. As with the whole of the dream world, the reader is invited to interpret it as a metaphor, and every person’s understanding will probably be a little different. Book club focused (perhaps unsurprisingly) on dreams as a way of interrogating stories and story-telling, which was particularly rewarding. The tension between the 'real’ world of New York and the dream kingdom worked to really emphasise the dramatic moments in the New York storyline, especially the ending.

My first graphic novel was always going to feel a little uncomfortable and unfamiliar, but I know I have at least two more in my TBR so I’m curious to see how they feel now that I’ve dipped my toe in the water!

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purplesaturday's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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ana_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

i cried lol

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sulfurandbrimstone74's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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kat42's review against another edition

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adventurous dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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marcasdeb's review

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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liamourie's review

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adventurous dark sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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tcgarback's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Critical Score: A-
Personal Score: A-
Reading Experience: 📘📘📘📘(4/5)

Another one that gets better as it goes. I’m shocked that this straight (I think) guy wrote something so progressive 30 years ago and managed to get by with few problems. I was bawling my eyes out at the end. The fantasy adventure was magical and brought out my joy for stories.

Gaiman is such a mature writer. He consistently merges wisdom and creativity in moving, fresh stories. Bravo again.

I’ve decided to, instead of continuing to make my way through the series gradually, go ahead and get the rest of the installments from my library and read to the end.

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