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A review by jenpaul13
The Sandman Vol. 5: A Game of You by Neil Gaiman
4.0
Across the six chapters within A Game of You (The Sandman, Volume 5), by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Shawn McManus, Colleen Doran, Bryan Talbot, George Pratt, Stan Woch, Dick Giordano, and Todd Klein, with a preface by Samuel R. Delany, The Land in which Barbie has long dreamt and been a princess leading an assortment of creatures and her waking life in New York City in an apartment building shared with vibrant characters begin to progress and shift, with these two worlds and residents, and their respective fates, unfolding in a dramatic manner.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
In an interesting presentation and meshing of two worlds as they butt up against one another with lasting impact, this volume retains an aspect of ethereal quality that came through from the fourth volume filled with mythological entities with the mystery of and threat from the Cuckoo but returns to characters presented in The Doll’s House (Volume 2), grounding this portion of the narrative more firmly back in the waking world with forays into The Land within the Dreaming. While this volume may not feel as firmly rooted in or with the broader Sandman narrative and mythos as Dream makes brief appearances, there is a significant investment in exploring the human element of what shapes the Dreaming and the psychological and social issues facing the dreamers through Barbie, Wanda, Hazel, and Foxglove (who is formerly Donna of the first volume); there’s social commentary related to how the transgender community are viewed and treated (though a bit rough and dated in its presentation of how Wanda was treated by contemporary standards given when the work first published) and the importance of comprehensive sex education as portrayed through Hazel’s severe naivete. Thessaly as a character, and her introduction, had a mysterious air surrounding it, and coupled with Dream’s reception of her, leaves her and her story as an enticing tale to evolve. The concept that everyone contains secret worlds within them is an intriguing premise and through the depiction of Barbie’s two worlds it comes across well.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
In an interesting presentation and meshing of two worlds as they butt up against one another with lasting impact, this volume retains an aspect of ethereal quality that came through from the fourth volume filled with mythological entities with the mystery of and threat from the Cuckoo but returns to characters presented in The Doll’s House (Volume 2), grounding this portion of the narrative more firmly back in the waking world with forays into The Land within the Dreaming. While this volume may not feel as firmly rooted in or with the broader Sandman narrative and mythos as Dream makes brief appearances, there is a significant investment in exploring the human element of what shapes the Dreaming and the psychological and social issues facing the dreamers through Barbie, Wanda, Hazel, and Foxglove (who is formerly Donna of the first volume); there’s social commentary related to how the transgender community are viewed and treated (though a bit rough and dated in its presentation of how Wanda was treated by contemporary standards given when the work first published) and the importance of comprehensive sex education as portrayed through Hazel’s severe naivete. Thessaly as a character, and her introduction, had a mysterious air surrounding it, and coupled with Dream’s reception of her, leaves her and her story as an enticing tale to evolve. The concept that everyone contains secret worlds within them is an intriguing premise and through the depiction of Barbie’s two worlds it comes across well.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.