Reviews

Death: The High Cost of Living #1 by Mark Buckingham, Neil Gaiman, Chris Bachalo

labunnywtf's review against another edition

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5.0

It's not fair.

It's not fair that there aren't more books about her, or her siblings.

I would like to strong-arm Mr. Gaiman into writing nothing but Sandman for a year. I don't care if it's full-fledged novel, graphic novel, hell, I'd accept strictly audiobook.

I love her. I want her to be my BFF. Seriously.

This wasn't as good as High Cost of Living, but she was still lovely. And I like that it was more information about a character introduced in the very first Sandman. Nice.

tawfek's review against another edition

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5.0

Why do we hurt?
why do we die?
why isn't life good all the time?
why isn't it fair?


I knew it was Alvie, That baby was suspiciously sooo cute, that it had to be him.
Honestly i will not be putting this Graphic novel in my fantasy shelf, the story was mostly about the Life of Hazel and Foxglove, it was mostly a story about a couple of lesbians, how they fell in love and how they drifted apart, and how they eventually came back together.
Also i am not sure how to view This couple, Body positivity? or Lesbian Stereotypes? if the first then Yaay Great if the second then BOOO not great.
First Two parts of the story didn't even feel remotely tied to Sandman world at all, as the revelation of what Death wants was in the last part.
For those of you fine ladies and gentlemen who read [b:Death: The High Cost of Living|16791|Death The High Cost of Living|Neil Gaiman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1366407293l/16791._SY75_.jpg|3138069], Hazel and Foxglove first Debuted there.
Which makes it perfect honestly that they eventually Got collected in [b:Death: The Deluxe Edition|18923941|Death The Deluxe Edition (Death of the Endless, #1-2)|Neil Gaiman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389410912l/18923941._SY75_.jpg|19093870]
We even see Sexton as well from the first graphic novel at one of the flashbacks.
Funniest person in this story was the Buddhist Underwear model guy, like why the fuck are you even going with them everywhere, some people don't know what's good for them.
It was really touching that Boris, who actually didn't believe in a being personifying Death, would be the one who sacrifices himself so that Hazel and foxglove and Alvie get to continue on living.
I liked the Scene when hazel told foxglove how she is wrong about not loving her anymore, since foxglove did follow her to the afterlife!
Often through life we really don't notice the things that clearly indicate that someone truly loves us.
The point? Walk the world, help to feed the hungry, help comfort those in pain, do what you can to leave the world a better place.

kaykitty24's review against another edition

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fast-paced

5.0

trilbynorton's review against another edition

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4.0

"I think some of it is probably contrasts.

"Light and shadow. If you never had the bad times, how would you know you had the good times?

"But some of it is just: if you're going to be human, then there are a whole load of things that come with it. Eyes, a heart, days and life.

"It's the moments that illuminate it, though. The times you don't see when you're having them...

"They make the rest of it matter."


I enjoyed this a great deal more than the previous Death story, The High Cost of Living. That didn't work for me in part because, unlike Dream, Death is a character who seems to have undergone her own arc in the long agos of the history of the worlds and is pretty much done growing by the time we encounter her throughout the Sandman series.

Here, though, like her brother in many of the stories told throughout the Sandman comics, Death isn't really the focus. Instead, her presence is the locus around which the human characters revolve as they grapple with the Big Questions.

I still think these spin-offs are minor constellations surrounding the galaxy that is the Sandman series proper, but The Time of Your Life at least approaches the quality of its progenitor's lesser stories.

tanemariacris's review against another edition

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I think... mostly we’re too busy living to stop and notice we’re alive. But that sometimes we do. And that that makes the rest of it matter.

duparker's review against another edition

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4.0

Great storytelling and artwork based upon the imagination and complexity that Gaiman brings to these characters. I am sure I read them in high school, but it was great to re-read.

nomadtla's review against another edition

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4.0

This was my fourth time through this graphic novel and it won't be my last. I just love the character of Death and her perspective on life. While I think [b:Death: The High Cost of Living|16791|Death The High Cost of Living|Neil Gaiman|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348278436s/16791.jpg|3138069] is a better story this one has some wonderful moments.

bluestjuice's review against another edition

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4.0

I enjoyed this one more than the previous one, probably because I got more invested in Hazel and Foxglove's characters. I do feel like Death is presented as a little prettier, a little more likable in these spin-offs than she is in the main series, which is not all to the good. This is a quick and not-too-challenging read, but entertaining enough to keep me hooked all the way through.

bethtabler's review against another edition

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4.0

Loved it. RTC :)

gonesavage's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Wow, I read this on the wrong day.  This completely leveled me.  I remember the first one being the best but this was by far the superior Death story.