My first read, my first review of 2023 (my mad-dozens of rereviews and edits don't count).
2023.Marking ten years since I started writing book reviews. Since I started blogging.
Well, to commemorate such a momentous, shocking, overwhelming, scary and wonderful occasion, what better way to do it than with a review of a book that embodies some of the best of my reading years; some of the best of my reading experiences, moulded and crafted into one singular, significant book?
A graphic novel, a fantasy, a female protagonist - a gothic, kind, funny (and literally universal) female protagonist - and stories all about life and death, love and sadness, dreams and nightmares, sweetness and horror, tragedies and catharsis, mythology and human madness, Gothica and motifs:
'Death'.
'Death (The Deluxe Edition)' - a collection of stories from 'The Sandman' series by Neil Gaiman.
How did I come by it?
My story time:
It was just before New Years. I came across this collection by chance in my local library, when I looked at the very small graphic novel section on a half-hearted whim. Nearly a decade earlier I had also read a copy of the first 'The Sandman' volume, 'Preludes & Nocturnes', from the same library, and... it wasn't for me, so I looked no further into Neil Gaiman's classic and critically acclaimed DC comics series. However, like practically everyone else, I thought the character of Death, personified as a friendly goth girl with a twinkle in her eye who will listen and talk to and have conversations with you as she eases you into the afterlife - a big sister literally and in every other sense - was pretty cool, at least. So, years later, as it happens, when I saw a collected edition of comic stories all about her, I thought, "Why not?".
I borrowed 'Death', read it on January 1st 2023, liked it very much, returned it, and then planned to buy my own copy from Amazon... when again by chance a hardcover copy was in my local pop culture shop! It hadn't been there before, I'm sure. What are the odds?!
Now I own this glorious, magnificent, star-sung, star-stung, star-sewn, star-blinkered, haunting, harrowing, and gothic classic graphic novel masterpiece (part of the DC Black Label now, but still). And here I thought that the only thing of Gaiman's I like nowadays is 'Coraline'; the stories in 'Death' (also known as 'Death of the Endless') really showcase his talents, as a master storyteller. Even his gimmicks are put to good, interesting, and satisfying use.
Of course, the star of the whole show is Death herself - the series actually makes you excited to see Death! - but the reader ends up seriously liking almost every other character; so well developed, well paced, meticulously cared for, and fully fleshed out these tales, these cleverly-crafted yarns, are.
'The Sound of Her Wings' (I read it before in 'Preludes & Nocturnes', and I'm glad it's in here), 'Façade', 'A Winter's Tale', 'The High Cost of Living', 'The Wheel', 'The Time of Your Life', 'Death and Venice', and after a string of great, great cover art of Death herself, there is 'Death Talks About Life', where she gives you a pro-safe sex PSA. I am not the least bit joking. It is a fantastic, funny as hell, and important and relevant PSA. Wouldn't you listen to Death? About AIDS, STDs, and safe sex? About anything? It would be smart to do so.
I'm still not over the stories in this collection. They are... wow. Intimate. Personal. Creative. Moving. Full of symbolism, and deep, intricate life lessons. It's hard to pick a favourite. I can't recommend them enough, even to people who don't read comics normally. They've been acclaimed for decades, and remain beloved for a reason.
Beautiful. Not perfect, not always satisfying (like with 'Death and Venice'), but that's life and death, isn't it? A true opal/onyx stone of story crafting nonetheless. I love the references to Ancient Egypt and Egyptian mythology, as well. The prominence of LGBTQ content is a huge plus.
It's enough to make you no longer fear death. And live. Just live.
Keep living your life to the fullest.
"You get what anybody gets. You get a lifetime."
Artemis Crescent, on her ten year anniversary.
Happy hundreds of moons to me!
Final Score: 4/5
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