Review: The Sandman Vol. 3: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman

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Title: The Sandman, Vol. 3: Dream Country
Author: Neil Gaiman
Series: The Sandman, Volume 3
Publisher: Vertigo
Paperback: 160 pages
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

The third book of the Sandman collection is a series of four short comic book stories. In each of these otherwise unrelated stories, Morpheus serves only as a minor character. Here we meet the mother of Morpheus's son, find out what cats dream about, and discover the true origin behind Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream. The latter won a World Fantasy Award for best short story, the first time a comic book was given that honor.This volume includes issues 17-20 of the original series and features completely new coloring, approved by the author, of issues 17 and 18.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

I don't think that this volume is as strong as the previous two, but the stories Gaiman presents are still intriguing and present a different, strange view of the world. Mostly, I think my disengagement came from the fact that the stories in this volume don't heavily feature Morpheus, and they don't really fit into overarching story of the series. (Yes, the summary says that, but I missed that connection from the other two volumes.) Despite that, this is still an excellent read. If Gaiman can be counted on for anything, it's for presenting a surprising, twisted view of the world that will remain with you for weeks, months, even years to come.

Unlike with a lot of other graphic novels I've read, there has yet to be a story in The Sandman that I don't like. While I enjoy some more than others, there is always something that captures my interest within every story. I think this is mainly because Gaiman unflinchingly delves into the demented and twisted while also showing the beautiful side of things. My favorite story from this collection is "A Midsummer's Night Dream" which manages to be funny, entertaining, and horrifying all at the same time. Shakespeare and his troupe perform the play for the fae themselves, with disastrous results for some members of the party.

What I love about the stories from this volume is that with every one, I was put into a fantastical situation that seemed completely removed from reality, and I would think, "What an interesting idea!" And then, the further I got into the story and the more I thought about it, the more realistic it seemed. Despite the fantastical elements, Gaiman presents such clear, truthful representations of people that by the end of each story, I could imagine it all being based on true events. I love literature that can mess with my head like that and make me see the world from different perspectives. And really, Gaiman is the master at being able to mess with readers' heads.

So far, I'm enjoying The Sandman, and if you are at all a fan of dark fantasy, I think you should check this out if you haven't already.

Book Review: Diary by Chuck Palahniuk

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Title: Diary
Author: Chuck Palahniuk
Publisher: Anchor
Paperback: 262 pages
Summary: (taken from Goodreads)

Misty Wilmot has had it. Once a promising young artist, she’s now stuck on an island ruined by tourism, drinking too much and working as a waitress in a hotel. Her husband, a contractor, is in a coma after a suicide attempt, but that doesn’t stop his clients from threatening Misty with lawsuits over a series of vile messages they’ve found on the walls of houses he remodeled. 

Suddenly, though, Misty finds her artistic talent returning as she begins a period of compulsive painting. Inspired but confused by this burst of creativity, she soon finds herself a pawn in a larger conspiracy that threatens to cost hundreds of lives. What unfolds is a dark, hilarious story from America’s most inventive nihilist, and Palahniuk’s most impressive work to date.

Overall Rating: 4/5

This is a story written in diary format from Misty's perspective, but it's a letter to her husband, so there is  second-person narrative element to it, which I liked. Basically, this story is about Misty, a girl who fell in love with a guy and ended up getting pregnant. So, she quit art school. She quit art, period. Though her husband comes from a rich family, they fall on hard times, so she gets a job as a waitress. He gets a job remodeling houses. We come into the story after the husband has tried to kill himself and is now in a coma; Misty gets calls from her husband's clients and finds that his remodeling jobs held secret messages; and Misty's mother-in-law keeps trying to get her to paint. For some reason, this will save all the residents of the island on which they live, and island that is being overrun by tourists.

To describe Diary in two words: deliciously weird.

This was my first foray into Palahniuk's mind. I have quite a few friends who are in love with him, but I have to admit, for the better part of this novel, I just wasn't sold. The beginning is just strange. Costume jewelry seems to be a big issue, and I just didn't get. Everything was surreal; the way Misty was able to find hidden messages that led her exactly where she needed to go; the way Misty's mother-in-law, daughter, and doctor treated her; really, everything about it was simply strange.

None of it seemed to connect, and I thought I was reading a story that was strange just for the sake of being strange. However, it still intrigued me and I kept on going. I wanted to know what would happen to poor Misty. Would she start painting again? Would her husband wake up? Would her mother-in-law lay off? I had all these questions, and I wanted them answered.

Thank goodness for those questions, because Diary comes together beautifully. Don't get me wrong, it's still strange. But it's strange with a purpose. Everything is happening for a reason, and once that was made clear, I fell in love. The narrative is expertly done. I was taken on the journey with Misty, who also had no clue about what was going on. Along with her, I discovered the island inhabitants' strange beliefs and their even stranger plan for saving their livelihoods.

There were some times where I thought the story was too drawn out, but for the most part, I enjoyed it. It's horrific, terrifying, and intriguing all at the same time. For those who like their books weird, definitely pick this one up. You won't regret it.

Audiobook Review: The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

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Title: The Prince of Mist
Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America
Narrator: Jonathan Davis
Duration: 5 hours 6 minutes
Summary: (Taken from Goodreads)

A mysterious house harbors an unimaginable secret . . .

It’s wartime, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village where they’ve recently bought a home. But from the minute they cross the threshold, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house there still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners’ son, who died by drowning.

With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the suspicious circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called The Prince of Mist— a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends will find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden, which will change their lives forever.

Overall Rating: 3/5

This book isn't bad. It's certainly very creepy and the storyline was enough to keep me wanting to know more. However, readers (or listeners!) should be aware that this is no Shadow of the Wind. You can definitely tell that this is his first book. The setting is somewhat vague and there are far too many coincidences in the book. Max's parents just happen to be gone for most of the novel, and of course that's exactly when trouble arises. I think it would have been much more interesting if they had been there, but that's just me. Also, there are a lot of issues left unresolved and many points in the story when I was confused because things just weren't explained very well.

However, it is undoubtedly a creepy, chilling book. With evil clowns, clocks and watches that freak out and start going backwards, a haunted garden, and a sunken ship, there are plenty of things to give you a chill. The storyline is also interesting and I liked the characters. I didn't relate to them as completely as I could have, but I did relate to them. There is also a lot of mystery involved, and I was certainly surprised when a certain mystery was revealed (I'm not telling!).

I've mentioned before that I don't like music in my audiobooks. This one wasn't too bad. I felt better about the music because it's mentioned that the author himself composed and performed it. However, the sound effects (yes, sound effects!) were a bit too much. Some people may like it, but it's just not for me. When the narrator mentions the door opening, I don't need the sound of an opening door to amplify the words -- it kind of interrupts the story, in my opinion. However, Jonathan Davis is a BRILLIANT narrator and I would gladly listen to another book narrated by him.

Conclusion: It's an okay book. Not a necessary read, but one that's fairly enjoyable.