Preludes & Nocturnes
Neil Gaiman
I found this at a weekend getaway house I went to with some friends in upstate NY. I had been aware of “Sandman” for a while as a comic book that was supposed to be really good, so I made it my weekend reading–about exactly the right length.
Unfortunately, I think I have to admit to myself that I don’t really like comic books (distinct from graphic novels, which I do like, at least sometimes)–or at least not at this time of my life. I don’t enjoy the edgy-dark tone that seems to be common, and I generally dislike the surfeit of graphic violence.
In this case, I also didn’t relate to Morpheus as a protagonist, who is (I guess intentionally) largely a cypher. I did like the personification of his sister Death at the end of the book, but she’s a pretty minor character.
It seemed fine for what it was, but what it was wasn’t something I like. Perhaps I’d like it more if I read further into the story, but I don’t have any appetite for that.