A Waste of the Time of Your Life It's hard to believe that this came from the mind and hands of Neil Gaiman. There is simply nothing here of any interest. It's been said in other reviews here that this simply suffers from comparison with Neil's better offerings, but I think this would fare poorly no matter who the author was. There is little mood, little characterization beyond obvious cliches, no atmosphere, no build up, no pay off. You will not be changed in any way after reading this, other than to have lost some of the time of your life.
Death: "wasn't" The Time of Your Life This character from the Sandman series is not anywhere as good as the Sandman series. My advice - stick with the Sandman books.
a delight for Hazel fans
Since Hazel has long been my favorite character in Sandman (yes, even over Death) I was happy to see a book starring her.
Her story arc shows that in her quiet, insecure way, Hazel is still loyal and even noble, and smart about the things which matter most. So I read and re-read my favorite Hazel moments, such as when she points out, to Foxglove's amazement, that they both really know what love is, or when Hazel tells Death (who is listening in a kindly older sister fashion) about protecting the memory of that first romantic moment. (It seems to me that the healing power of Hazel's devotion usually doesn't work as well in real life as it does here, but I do like a good story.)
If you are not a fan of Hazel or the Hazel/Foxglove relationship this is not for you. While I enjoyed it very much I would not give this to anyone not already familiar with Sandman.
I had to deduct a star for the title of this book and its companion: Death, the High Cost of Living and Death, the Time of Your Life, are so interchangeable that there are reviews here on Amazon for the opposite book. A title should help us remember what the story is about, and these only confuse. And I much prefer this one.
So I'll go find it and read it again soon.
Fantastic art, average writing You see, it's not that this is a mediocre work - it's definitely above average (hence the 3 out of 5 star rating) - it's just that we've been spoiled silly by the brilliant standard of writing, plotting, philosophy and character that Neil Gaiman so generously gave us through the epic run of his, 'Sandman,' series and when we come across a spin-off graphic novel that doesn't quite live up to that standard, of course we're going to be just a wee bit disappointed. With that being said, if you were a fan of the, 'Sandman,' series then you certainly dug the character of Death, and with that of course you have to read this volume as well. While the artwork is brilliant throughout (almost taking on a japanese manga look at times) the writing, sadly, just isn't quite up to snuff. Still, it's a slim enough book to make breezing through quite an effortless and pleasing experience.
At least Death isn't as dumb in this sequel I wasn't particularly impressed with "Death: The High Cost Of Living", which is the prequel to this book. The only reason I read this sequel is that I purchased both at the same time. Actually, I wound out liking this "Death" book better than the first, though it is less about Death and more about living.
Death has a little more power in this book, and is not as silly or giddy as before. Taking the side characters Foxglove and Hazel from "THCOL" and centering on them, this book continues with Foxglove's career taking off at a phenomenal pace. Hazel's baby Alvie is now born, and Hazel stays at home while Foxglove is out making appearances and records. On top of which, Foxglove has been advised by her manager not to reveal the nature of her lesbian relationship with Hazel.
But unknown to Foxglove, Hazel has made a deal with Death in her attempt to save Alvie's life. Foxglove is now not only going to have to choose between her family and her career, but also between life and death.
Three stars is still as high as I can go for this tale, and that is purely out of respect for Neil Gaimen. In all honesty, I dislike "touchy-feelie" books and this one has "syrup" written all over it, along with more cheesy song lyrics to be subjected to trying to finish the storyline. Gaimen's other works are much better, and if you like his books and his Sandman series, save these little "Death" graphic novels for last. They are not worthy of his other works and should be purchased only to fill in the holes in your collections.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tailipoe
Trevor
