karlk's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting journey that I think would benefit from re-reads; the relevance of most new characters is only gradually revealed.
Admittedly this gave the story a slow-burn feel, so I wasn't really hooked until over the halfway point, but it was a fascinating journey nevertheless.
Admittedly this gave the story a slow-burn feel, so I wasn't really hooked until over the halfway point, but it was a fascinating journey nevertheless.
yarnpirate's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ghostlydreamer's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I was genuinely worried that I would not like this volume, given how I felt about the previous one. But Dream is back and I am so happy with this volume. First 5 stars of the year. There were a lot of things I liked.
Allow me to break it down for you:
1. Death. As briefly as she appeared in this book, Death gives me so much life (pun intended). I love looking at her, I love reading about her, and I absolutely adore the way she interacts with all the other characters.
2. Delirium. I didn't know what to think of her at first. She's...a trip. Literally. She's delirium incarnate. Which means it's hard to follow along with her sometimes. But that didn't stop me from liking her. She's bizarre, she's outlandish, she's a little bit dramatic. But she's sweet, deep down. All she wants is to find her brother.
3. The talking dog, whose name I forgot. I loved that dog.
4. Dream. He seems to be getting a little bit unhinged, if you ask me. But I can't help but love him despite that. I almost feel like I see a lot of myself in him, and I'm not sure what to make of that. But I love that he eventually rights his wrongs with Delirium and helps her in her task. That's what a good older brother does.
5. The artwork. It's not ALWAYS my favorite, but it works so well. Especially now that we have our core cast of characters back from the previous volumes.
6. Their realms are so interesting to look at. I love that we got to see a bit of Despair's, Destiny's, and so on and so forth. I feel like it helped me learn more about them and their purpose amongst humans and their lives.
Overall, this was a solid addition to the series. I admittedly had forgotten much of what had been discussed in the previous volumes, but being back amongst these characters was so refreshing, and it makes me excited to continue reading about them again. My goal this year is to finish this series, so we'll see how that goes.
Allow me to break it down for you:
1. Death. As briefly as she appeared in this book, Death gives me so much life (pun intended). I love looking at her, I love reading about her, and I absolutely adore the way she interacts with all the other characters.
2. Delirium. I didn't know what to think of her at first. She's...a trip. Literally. She's delirium incarnate. Which means it's hard to follow along with her sometimes. But that didn't stop me from liking her. She's bizarre, she's outlandish, she's a little bit dramatic. But she's sweet, deep down. All she wants is to find her brother.
3. The talking dog, whose name I forgot. I loved that dog.
4. Dream. He seems to be getting a little bit unhinged, if you ask me. But I can't help but love him despite that. I almost feel like I see a lot of myself in him, and I'm not sure what to make of that. But I love that he eventually rights his wrongs with Delirium and helps her in her task. That's what a good older brother does.
5. The artwork. It's not ALWAYS my favorite, but it works so well. Especially now that we have our core cast of characters back from the previous volumes.
6. Their realms are so interesting to look at. I love that we got to see a bit of Despair's, Destiny's, and so on and so forth. I feel like it helped me learn more about them and their purpose amongst humans and their lives.
Overall, this was a solid addition to the series. I admittedly had forgotten much of what had been discussed in the previous volumes, but being back amongst these characters was so refreshing, and it makes me excited to continue reading about them again. My goal this year is to finish this series, so we'll see how that goes.
angelofmine1974's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
3.0
Continuing with this great series, in this issue, Dream and Delirium (my favorite endless character) go on a mission to find their brother, Destruction. Strange things happen along the way and a price is to be paid in order for them to find their brother. Wonderful sad story and the graphics were ok but the story outshines the graphics in this one.
andycroll's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mimosaeyes's review against another edition
5.0
I've been longing for this series to return to a focus on Dream and the other Endless, so I was pretty sure I would like this volume. My goodness - I love it. I love the range it has. At various times, it is funny or philosophical or tragic or quaint. It engages with themes like mortality, loss and grief; counterbalancing these heavy topics is the child-like presence of Delirium (who used to be Delight - a concept that continues to haunt me). We meet a host of fascinating characters and learn a little more lore about familiar ones. Several arcs that have been foreshadowed in earlier volumes come to a head here, drawn together into a moving and masterful whole. In the introduction/conclusion, Peter Straub says Gaiman is on a plane of his own in terms of range, depth and command of narrative. I wholeheartedly concur.
jonnyrwhit's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Dark, sexy, disturbing and utterly compelling, Neil Gaiman is truly a master of his craft.
melancholylethe's review against another edition
5.0
I quite like Delirium, and luckily we see a lot of her throughout this compendium.
tcgarback's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Critical Score: B+
Personal Score: B-
Reading Experience: 📘📘📘(3/5)
This one is oddly disappointing to me. It has the makings of the best volume yet, but it too often felt tedious. I love the setup, and the ending was wise and touching as usual, but this felt like a struggle to get through at times, even though I read this all in a day. I don’t know.
It was great getting to know the Endless more, and I’ve decided I like this series the most in its urban fantasy element.
I’m so curious to see where the heck the main story goes in Volume 9…
Critical Score: B+
Personal Score: B-
Reading Experience: 📘📘📘(3/5)
This one is oddly disappointing to me. It has the makings of the best volume yet, but it too often felt tedious. I love the setup, and the ending was wise and touching as usual, but this felt like a struggle to get through at times, even though I read this all in a day. I don’t know.
It was great getting to know the Endless more, and I’ve decided I like this series the most in its urban fantasy element.
I’m so curious to see where the heck the main story goes in Volume 9…