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4.31 AVERAGE
4.31 AVERAGE
I think this isn’t the norm but I really enjoy the collections where each issue is a different short story that doesn’t have a major impact on the overall story that Dream and the others move through. I like these little self contained worlds and their characters and I never feel like their stories are unnecessary.
Especially when it comes to a collection of stories like these, where Dream is not a central focus but has only touched the stories or their narrators. It makes the characters fit more into the universe as a whole as Gaiman has created a world where everyone can have a moment of connection with the Sandman but not everyone will have much to do with him otherwise.
I think my favourite story of the collection was “Hob’s Leviathan”. I liked seeing Hob again but it was quite sad to realise that the story takes place before Morpheus is captured and held hostage by Roderick Burgess.
Especially when it comes to a collection of stories like these, where Dream is not a central focus but has only touched the stories or their narrators. It makes the characters fit more into the universe as a whole as Gaiman has created a world where everyone can have a moment of connection with the Sandman but not everyone will have much to do with him otherwise.
I think my favourite story of the collection was “Hob’s Leviathan”. I liked seeing Hob again but it was quite sad to realise that the story takes place before Morpheus is captured and held hostage by Roderick Burgess.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Brilliant as always, a master of his craft. Such a shame we’re not supposed to like him anymore.
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3 and 1/2 stars
The blurb on the back states that this volume is in the tradition of [b:The Canterbury Tales|539172|The Canterbury Tales|Geoffrey Chaucer|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320519957s/539172.jpg|986234], but [b:The Decameron|51799|The Decameron|Giovanni Boccaccio|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1362720861s/51799.jpg|1320474] is a more apt allusion. The storytellers aren't in a villa waiting out the Black Death; but they are in an inn, seeking refuge from a mysterious storm (or storms) that has deposited each one of them there: perhaps they too are facing Death.
I wasn't engrossed in any of the stories until I arrived at the tale of a necropolitan (yep, he lives and works in a necropolis). And what a tale it is, or rather tales, as it spins out into a nested Chinese-box of stories within stories within stories, appropriate for the volume's overall theme of 'worlds' existing within other worlds.
Cities are prominent in the stories, not only the necropolis, but also a decaying Roman-empire-like capital and a modern NYC-like city that's dreaming.
The ending is a good one, subtly advancing the overarching story of the collection. I'm withholding that 1/2 star only because I wasn't truly engaged until more than halfway through.
The blurb on the back states that this volume is in the tradition of [b:The Canterbury Tales|539172|The Canterbury Tales|Geoffrey Chaucer|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320519957s/539172.jpg|986234], but [b:The Decameron|51799|The Decameron|Giovanni Boccaccio|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1362720861s/51799.jpg|1320474] is a more apt allusion. The storytellers aren't in a villa waiting out the Black Death; but they are in an inn, seeking refuge from a mysterious storm (or storms) that has deposited each one of them there: perhaps they too are facing Death.
I wasn't engrossed in any of the stories until I arrived at the tale of a necropolitan (yep, he lives and works in a necropolis). And what a tale it is, or rather tales, as it spins out into a nested Chinese-box of stories within stories within stories, appropriate for the volume's overall theme of 'worlds' existing within other worlds.
Cities are prominent in the stories, not only the necropolis, but also a decaying Roman-empire-like capital and a modern NYC-like city that's dreaming.
The ending is a good one, subtly advancing the overarching story of the collection. I'm withholding that 1/2 star only because I wasn't truly engaged until more than halfway through.
62/100 (2018 Reading Challenge)
This one is another one with the connected stories, linked to an arc that tells us of events to come. & seeing how many stories in stories in stories they can tell. Psyched to re-read the next one. The BIG one.
This one is another one with the connected stories, linked to an arc that tells us of events to come. & seeing how many stories in stories in stories they can tell. Psyched to re-read the next one. The BIG one.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Initially I wanted to skip this one because I heard that it was an interlude of a sorts. But I didn't and after reading it, I'm both happy that I didn't skip it and also immensely sad for what's to come.