Rating: 
Summary: Early Sandman, still exciting
Review: I had the entire hardcover volumes of The Sandman series sitting on my bookshelf for about the last six years or so, having only read PRELUDES & NOCTURNES (I was first introduced to Gaiman's Sandman back in the early 90s, starting with issue 50 and then stopping right before the final KINDLY ONES, story arc - hoping to read it all in a few chunks, but that never happened) and planning on getting around to the other volumes soon -- well, soon stretched on to a several years, but I started reading again - choosing vol.2 THE DOLL'S HOUSE as my new jumping on point.Gaiman's story unfolded like a weird experience, much like reading his American Gods or Coraline, and it became more fascinating with each pasisng issue, then ultimately becoming disturbing in the episode called "The Collectors" where Gaiman satirically addresses a Serial Killer Convention, that is remarkable as it is unsettling. Not to mention the first appearances of additional members of The Endless family. After I closed the final pages, I immediately wanted to pick up DREAM COUNTY (the next volume)- but it was 3:45 in morning, and I need to my own sleep! Seeming all the little pieces of later story that Gaiman laid the foundation for in these early adventures with his version of Morpheus is quite astounding, as if he had a masterplan all along -- and mabye he did! But I kind of think that Gaiman, like many a great storyteller, created an immense landscape and that he then saw could be a fanatastic tapestry for creative output; where any and every idea could be explored with the confines of The Dreaming. And the characters he created were too juicy not to continue to weave complex and LARGE story around. Gaiman succeeds brilliantly, as the rest of the series will surely attest. A lot of Gaiman's work for THE SANDMAN can't be catergorized, nor should it - it effectively evades being ghettoized (eventhough it's a comic book) and that's why it's all the more winning as a piece of late 20th Century literature. Please read.
Rating:
Summary: Early Sandman, still exciting
Review: I had the entire hardcover volumes of The Sandman series sitting on my bookshelf for about the last six years or so, having only read PRELUDES & NOCTURNES (I was first introduced to Gaiman's Sandman back in the early 90s, starting with issue 50 and then stopping right before the final KINDLY ONES, story arc - hoping to read it all in a few chunks, but that never happened) and planning on getting around to the other volumes soon -- well, soon stretched on to a several years, but I started reading again - choosing vol.2 THE DOLL'S HOUSE as my new jumping on point. Gaiman's story unfolded like a weird experience, much like reading his American Gods or Coraline, and it became more fascinating with each pasisng issue, then ultimately becoming disturbing in the episode called "The Collectors" where Gaiman satirically addresses a Serial Killer Convention, that is remarkable as it is unsettling. Not to mention the first appearances of additional members of The Endless family. After I closed the final pages, I immediately wanted to pick up DREAM COUNTY (the next volume)- but it was 3:45 in morning, and I need to my own sleep! Seeming all the little pieces of later story that Gaiman laid the foundation for in these early adventures with his version of Morpheus is quite astounding, as if he had a masterplan all along -- and mabye he did! But I kind of think that Gaiman, like many a great storyteller, created an immense landscape and that he then saw could be a fanatastic tapestry for creative output; where any and every idea could be explored with the confines of The Dreaming. And the characters he created were too juicy not to continue to weave complex and LARGE story around. Gaiman succeeds brilliantly, as the rest of the series will surely attest. A lot of Gaiman's work for THE SANDMAN can't be catergorized, nor should it - it effectively evades being ghettoized (eventhough it's a comic book) and that's why it's all the more winning as a piece of late 20th Century literature. Please read.
Rating: 
Summary: Dissapointing
Review: I liked 'Preludes & Nocturnes' a lot (minus the superheros) but this was really bland. The overall story is a great idea but all the subplots that make up the story just seem like filler or a reason to be shocking. I missed all the demons and magic of 'Preludes...'. I really hope this series gets better, I had really high hopes for it.
Rating:
Summary: very readable, very entertaining
Review: I'd read a few of Gaiman's novels and had always really enjoyed them, though he gets lazy and sloppy in spots. This was the first of his comic book collections I'd read, and the the first comic book I'd read at all for a very long time. The artwork is pretty good. Kind of traditional, servicable comic book stuff. It doesn't compare well with the Amano illustrations from Gaiman's collaboration with him a few years back(though that was more an illustrated fable than a comic book). It's consistent with other Gaiman books I'd read, in that doesn't let inconsistencies in the plot and unresolved characters and situations get in the way of telling a good story (for instance: if Rose is 21 in 1991, and her grandmother was pregnant with her mother in 1916, then Rose's mother was how old when she gave birth to Rose and then Rose's 14 year old brother?) That's more quibbling than anything else, though. None of these things ought to interfere with your enjoying the story, as I very much did.
Rating:
Summary: More great storytelling
Review: If the first Sandman collection, Preludes and Nocturnes drew you into the world of dreams with its wonderful characters, and unconventional storytelling, then The Doll's House is your first of many rewards for sticking with the series. While the first book was mainly composed of plot and character introduction, The Doll's House gets to jump right into a very intriguing and complex story that is as original as it is satisfying. Filled with creepy and colorful new acquaintances, including members of Morpheus' endless family, this second volume proves more interesting than its predecessor. The reason I give this four stars is because there are better books in the series, and though more immersive than Preludes and Nocturnes, it still only scratches the surface of the dazzling work of fiction that is Neil Gaiman's Sandman. In every way provocative and entertaining, The Doll's House will likely spur you on to continue devouring this dark fantasy epic.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: If you only buy one Sandman/Gaiman book this should be it. Highly Recommended.
Rating:
Summary: The vortex, immortality and "cereal"
Review: In the second Sandman collection, the reader starts to realize that Gaiman has some long range plans for this series. The tale of Rose Walker, the dream vortex who must be killed to save The Dreaming, is a complex one. The Doll House introduces the reader to many of the characters who would have a major effect on Gaiman's plans for the series. Particularly excellent is the tale of Hob Gadling, who becomes Dream's friend when he becomes the man "Death will not touch." Their meetings each century are little history lessons so well executed they make you wish for more. The "Cereal" convention, with special guest lecturer the Corinthian, is a scary look at the fascination with serial killers and the final twist involving Desire gives the reader some insight into the relationship of Dream with his siblings. This book really shows what a truly original creation The Sandman is.
Rating:
Summary: The Second Installment Of A Truly Great Series
Review: In this second installment of the Sandman series, we the readers are treated to one of the most strange storylines and probably one of the most horrifying of the whole series. The story revolves around a girl named Rose Walker, whom is also referred to as a vortex. A vortex is someone who can hurt those that are dreaming because they are like an opening into the dream world and the real world. From my understanding there haven't been a vortex in decades. In the dreamworld, by law Morpheus must kill the person who is the vortex. Anyway, sound confusing, well it's really not. As the subplot I will also like to add that there were also four creatures that escaped during Morpheus' imprisionment. The imprisionment, which we learn more about in the first volume "Preludes and Noctures." The creatures are the Corinthian (who is one ruthless killer), Brute and Glob, and Fiddler's Green (who becomes one of Rose Walker's friends and main journey companion). This is a very complex storyline and what I'm writing as description doesn't do this book justice.
Probably one of my favorite parts in this volume has to be the "Serial Killer Convention," which is bizarre and at the time delightfully disturbing.
"The Doll's House" is probably one of the best graphic novels I've ever read. I mean I rank it up there with "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns," and "Watchmen." It is one of Neil Gaiman's masterpieces and anyone who is tired of reading the same old Superman, Batman, or The Flash comics will like this book. This series takes risks. Something I feel that comics of today are lacking.
Rating:
Summary: A big step forward
Review: It is finally with this collection that Gaiman demonstrates his (immense) potential and the Sandman series deserves its acclaimed reputation. Gone are the awkward - and sometimes boring- story arcs and borrowed characters from other titles. <The Doll's House> takes place almost entirely in a parrallel universe constructed by the imagination of the narrator: a fascinating place where dream and day are closely intermeshed. Each narrative in the collection adeptly stands on its own, unlike some stories in the previous collection (<Preludes and Nocturnes>), which seemed to demand a prior knowledge of the DC comic universe; an unfortunate circumstance, really, seeing that none of these references had the complexity and originality of Gaiman's own creations. <The Doll's House> is ample proof that Gaiman works best with an empty canvass. I generally agree with many of the other reviews that complement the complexity of the characters, or applaud Gaiman's ability to tell a great story. However, one feature of the Sandman series that is often overlooked is Gaiman's wicked sense of humour. Indeed, Gaiman is often at his funniest when he really has no right to be - when describing moments of horror. In <Preludes and Nocturnes,> "24 Hours" adeptly balanced horror with humour, and Gaiman does the same in this collection with "Collectors," a story which concentrates almost exclusively on serial killers. While, on the surface, mass murder wouldn't appear to be particularly amusing, Gaiman contrives a scenario where famous serial killers attend a "Cereal" convention at a hotel. The story is a hilarious send-up of the features of conventions as well as the cult of serial killers. His usage of humour at such times is a brilliant rhetorical tool that questions and interrogates what is funny. Unlike other writers in the genre, Gaiman skilfully uses humour to underpin the motifs of many of his narratives. At times, however, the narrative seems to assume that we're on the same page as Gaiman, and able to navigate our way throughout his universe as adroitly as him. Complex ideas are barely explained, or not explained at all. Although some of my difficulties were resolved near the end of the collection (especially what constitutes a "dream vortex"), others never were. Whether this was a failure on my part or a flaw of the narration, I can't tell for certain. Perhaps the narrative was even meant to disorient and overwhelm us, as strangers in a strange dream. That small (potential) criticism aside, this is great literature, no mere comic book. Gaiman transcends the graphic novel medium with this collection and delivers a terrific and brilliant read.
Rating:
Summary: Finely developed unconventional characters in grand Mystery
Review: It is hard to describe the major story arc in this collection. In fact, at one point Morpheus himself admits that he doesn't fully understand it. That's alright though, any time you fully and completely understand a plot without working at it, and wondering at it, you are probably wasting your time. You would be better off sticking to T.V.... As it is, we have Mystery in it's deepest sense. Moreover, we have mystery populated by the best developed, most believable, cast of unconventional characters in graphic literature. You get sucked into the Vortex because you care about the people you are reading about- not unlike life, really. What is the Vortex? It is a person, and a phenomenon, that breaks down the barriers between individual dreams and leaves a black hole in it's wake. It is also a young woman by the name of Rose Walker. How appropriate....
Oh yes, as for the Corinthian, the escaped nightmare, and his fellow "collectors", well I can believe that he was the finest nightmare that Morpheus ever created. He has certainly made himself at home in my nightmares.
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