Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Graphic Novel Review - The Wake (Sandman, Book 10) by Neil Gaiman (5/5 stars)

The Sandman Vol. 10: The WakeReading level: Adult
Genre: Graphic Novel/Fantasy
Size: 192 pages
Publisher:  Vertigo
Release Date: July 1, 1997
ISBN-13: 978-0865680975
Stand Alone or Series: 10th in Sandman series
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5 stars

This is the tenth and final book in the Sandman series by Gaiman and various illustrators.  It was a wonderful conclusion to the series and I really enjoyed it.

The first two parts of this graphic novel deal with the death of Morpheus.  We watch as the Endless prepare for his Wake and as people travel to the Dreaming to attend.  There is much reminiscing.  The last parts deal more with the new Morpheus and the affects of him taking over the dreaming.

This was a stunning closure to the series.  After the heart-breaking ending in book 9 where Morpheus chooses Death over continuing to run the Dreaming, this book was good closure for readers.  It was nice to reminisce along with the other characters about things that had happened previously and about how Morpheus affected everyone's lives.  It was good to watch the new Morpheus take-over and see life continue.  It really drove home the point of the Endless...which is that they are...well...endless.

Some of the illustration throughout was absolutely stunning.  The scenes from Morpheus's Wake are just breathtaking.  Some of the later sections are done in a more stylized way and are just as breathtaking for their simplicity.

Overall this was a fantastic conclusion to this series; although I am bit sad to reach the end of it.  I kind of want to start reading it all over again right now.  If you have been enjoying the Sandman series thus far, you definitely will love this final installment.

This book went towards the following reading challenges:
- Graphic Novels Challenge List
- 100+ Reading Challenge


The Sandman Vol. 10: The Wake 

2 comments:

  1. I really like this series, though I've only read the first 3. Unfortunately, I saw your sentence about Morpheus dying, and now I'm horribly sad. lol Now I really need to go back and read the rest!!!! lol

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  2. Hi KM,

    Thanks for the comment! So sorry that I spoiled it for you :-(

    Unfortunately the whole book is about Morpheus's wake, so there is really no way around a spoiler there. At least this way you can brace yourself for it in Book 9; I was surprised and horribly stunned when I figured out what had happened to him.

    In a way Morpheus is kind of reborn or just reimagined...since he's Endless :-)

    - Karissa

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