Title: The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll’s House

Author: Neil Gaiman

Book Length: 232 Pages

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Comics, Fantasy, Horror, Graphic Novels

Read Start Date: March 27, 2023

Read Finish Date: March 30, 2023

No. of Book in Series: 2

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman’s transcendent series SANDMAN is often hailed as the definitive Vertigo title and one of the finest achievements in graphic storytelling. Gaiman created an unforgettable tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death by weaving ancient mythology, folklore and fairy tales with his own distinct narrative vision.

During Morpheus’s incarceration, three dreams escaped the Dreaming and are now loose in the waking world. At the same time, a young woman named Rose Walker is searching for her little brother. As their stories converge, a vortex is discovered that could destroy all dreamers, and the world itself.

My Review: The Sandman Vol. 2: The Doll’s House is the second installment in Neil Gaiman’s groundbreaking Sandman comic book series. The story follows the continuing adventures of Dream, the lord of dreams, as he navigates the strange and dangerous world of the Dreaming.

The Doll’s House begins with Dream discovering that a number of his subjects have gone missing from the Dreaming. He sets out to find them, unaware that his search will lead him to a group of escaped nightmares and a young woman named Rose Walker, who possesses a mysterious and powerful ability.

As Dream and Rose’s paths converge, they find themselves caught up in a web of danger and intrigue. They are pursued by a trio of terrifying “Furies,” who seek to punish Dream for past transgressions. Meanwhile, Rose discovers that her family is far from ordinary, and that her destiny is intertwined with the fate of the Dreaming itself.

One of the strengths of The Doll’s House is undoubtedly its art. Dringenberg and Jones III create a stunning visual landscape that perfectly captures the dreamlike quality of the Sandman universe. The use of color and shadow is particularly effective, creating a sense of atmosphere that draws the reader in. The character designs are also impressive, with each figure rendered in intricate detail that makes them feel like living, breathing beings.

The writing, as expected from Gaiman, is also engaging and thoughtful. The Sandman universe is rich with mythology and symbolism, and Gaiman deftly weaves these elements into the story.

One aspect of The Doll’s House that may be off-putting for some readers (and is the reason why I am only giving it 3 stars) is the level of violence and gore present in certain scenes. While violence is not a new element in the Sandman series, The Doll’s House takes it to a new level with some particularly gruesome depictions.

For example, the scenes featuring the serial killers known as the “Cuckoo” and the “Thessalian” are especially unsettling. The graphic nature of their crimes and the graphic depiction of the aftermath was too much, and it detracted from my enjoyment of the story. Similarly, the Corinthian’s character, while intriguing, is also deeply disturbing, with his penchant for murder and his unsettling appearance.

The Corinthian is a living nightmare created by Dream, who is one of the missing dream entities that Dream is trying to find. As he took human form, he became a serial killer who likes removing his victim’s eyes. While I am a fan of horror and true crime books, these books often do not have graphic pictures associated with them and therefore when reading a regular book, I am free to imagine the crime, or not. With graphic novels, it’s in your face, like it or not.

I think my favorite story line of Volume 2 was Rose Walker, who discovers that she is a dream vortex, i.e., an entity capable of bringing everyone into the same dream. She is linked to the first volume via several different characters, which I did not realize until later in Volume 2.

While I didn’t like Volume 2 as much as Volume 1, it is definitely worth the read and I will be moving on to Volume 3.

Other Books in this Series: 

Title: The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes

Author: Neil Gaiman

Book Length: 240 Pages

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Comics, Fantasy, Horror, Graphic Novels

Read Start Date: March 22, 2023

Read Finish Date: March 26, 2023

No. of Book in Series: 1

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman’s transcendent series THE SANDMAN is often hailed as the definitive Vertigo title and one of the finest achievements in graphic storytelling. Gaiman created an unforgettable tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death by weaving ancient mythology, folklore and fairy tales with his own distinct narrative vision.

In PRELUDES & NOCTURNES, an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. After his 70 year imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine, and an all-powerful madman.

This book also includes the story “The Sound of Her Wings,” which introduces us to the pragmatic and perky goth girl Death.

See my review of Volume 1 here.