Tag Archives: graphic novel

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Book Review: The Sandman, by Neil Gaiman

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I picked up a freebie copy of the Audible dramatization of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman.

the sandman cover

When The Sandman, also known as Lord Morpheus—the immortal king of dreams, stories and the imagination—is pulled from his realm and imprisoned on Earth by a nefarious cult, he languishes for decades before finally escaping. Once free, he must retrieve the three “tools” that will restore his power and help him to rebuild his dominion, which has deteriorated in his absence. As the multi-threaded story unspools, The Sandman descends into Hell to confront Lucifer, chases rogue nightmares who have escaped his realm, and crosses paths with an array of characters from DC comic books, ancient myths, and real-world history, including: Inmates of Gotham City’s Arkham Asylum, Doctor Destiny, the muse Calliope, the three Fates, William Shakespeare, and many more.

my review

I have a kind of middle of the road feeling about this. I fully admit I’m not a big reader of graphic novels (or surely I’d have read this before now). This means I didn’t have any preexisting connection to any of the DC characters that popped up or underlying love of the Gotham world. And, in listening to it, I found I much prefer a regular old audiobook to a dramatization. (Obviously this is what it is because there’s no novel to narrate and it’s very well done.) My point is that, unlike a lot of readers, I didn’t come to this predisposed to love it. I liked the idea of Morpheus a lot and I’ve read several Gaiman books I enjoyed (though not all of them), but I was a fairly blank slate.

When the story settled into a single narrative arc for a while I enjoyed it quite a lot. I like Morpheus and his crew. I chuckled frequently, even amongst the grimness. But most of the individual, single episodes bored me. And there were more rapes and women being menaced in alleys (and such) than I felt necessary. Though I acknowledge that this was first published in or about 1998, and that seems to have just been the norm of the time. (Still is, honestly, though I think we’re at least becoming more aware of it as problematic.)

All in all, I’d probably listen to volume II if I could get it from the library. But I don’t think I’d buy it. I do plan to watch the Netflix show though, and that’s why I listened to this in the first place.

the sandman photo

Other Reviews:

REVIEW: Audible’s “The Sandman”

http://brockstargaming.com/neil-gaimans-sandman-audible-review-simply-brilliant/

https://theaudiobookblog.com/2020/07/16/review-the-sandman/

thirsty mermaid title

Book Review: Thirsty Mermaid, by Kat Leyh

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I won a hardcover copy of Kat Leyh‘s Thirsty Mermaids through Goodreads.
thirsty mermaids

Fresh out of shipwreck wine, three tipsy mermaids decide to magically masquerade as humans and sneak onto land to indulge in much more drinking and a whole lot of fun in the heart of a local seaside tourist trap. But the good times abruptly end the next morning as, through the haze of killer hangovers, the trio realizes they never actually learned how to break the spell, and are now stuck on land for the foreseeable future. Which means everything from: enlisting the aid of their I-know-we-just-met-can-we-crash-with-you bartender friend, struggling to make sense of the world around them, and even trying to get a job with no skill set…all while attempting to somehow return to the sea and making the most of their current situation with tenacity and camaraderie (especially if someone else is buying).

my review

A fun romp with loads of rep and found family, as well as a wonderful love yourself, whatever skin you’re in, moral. I wasn’t keen on the artwork in beginning, but it grew on me as the book progressed. Honestly, I could say the same for the humor. It was just too over the top in the beginning, but once it toned down a little I enjoyed it. All in all, I’m glad to have read it, but I didn’t love or hate it enough to give it much more of a review.

thirsty mermaids

Other Reviews:

REVIEW: Thirsty Mermaids by Kay Leyh

https://readerfox.com/review/thirsty-mermaids-kat-leyh-2/

My Brother's Husband

Book Review of My Brother’s Husband, Volume 1, by Gengoroh Tagame

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I won a copy of Gengoroh Tagame‘s My Brother’s Husband through Goodreads.

Description:

Yaichi is a work-at-home suburban dad in contemporary Tokyo; formerly married to Natsuki, father to their young daughter, Kana. Their lives suddenly change with the arrival at their doorstep of a hulking, affable Canadian named Mike Flanagan, who declares himself the widower of Yaichi’s estranged gay twin, Ryoji. Mike is on a quest to explore Ryoji’s past, and the family reluctantly but dutifully takes him in. What follows is an unprecedented and heartbreaking look at the state of a largely still-closeted Japanese gay culture: how it’s been affected by the West, and how the next generation can change the preconceptions about it and prejudices against it.

Review:

I thought this was very cute and sweet, if a tad heavy-handed in its moral instruction. Especially in the use of the daughter to instigate award questions that lead to further thought and acceptance. But I also acknowledge that this was originally published in Japan and translated for the English-speaking public. I’m not going to judge what is or isn’t needed or passes/doesn’t pass for standards and norms in another culture.

I liked the bear-like art, the positive representation of divorce, and the way the reader is given access to both the panic inside Yaichi’s head and the polite things he actually says. I’d certainly read the next installment.