Good, but one of the things that's weird about reading the comics when you're a Gaiman fan is it makes you wonder where his humor went. One of the things I love about the author is his ability to mix wit with fantasy and it's not something I see here. Still, it's a good quick read and I love Death's character. ( )

Summary: This stand-alone comic features Death of the Endless, everyone's favorite cheerful goth girl. However, the story mostly stars two other familiar faces from the Sandman series, Hazel and Foxglove. Foxglove is now a famous musician, flying all over the world for tours, photo shoots, and interviews. She's also been closeted by her manager for the sake of her career, so Hazel is living in L.A. with her son, and being treated as if she's Foxglove's secretary as they drift apart. But the lives of those who have been touched by the Endless are never free from complications, as both Hazel and Foxglove will learn...

Review: I wish I'd had read this book closer to the Sandman volume in which Hazel and Foxglove first appear... or at least known to pay better attention to them at the time. They were somewhat peripheral to the main story, and not really ever my favorite characters, so while I know that they were involved, for the life of me I can't quite remember how (or details like who Alfie's father is, etc.) I also am reading this out of order of the other Death spin-off, but I don't think that matters quite as much - I caught what I assume was a reference to what happens in the first one, but it's brief. In any case, the bulk of what *happens* in this story would be understandable to someone who's new to the Sandman world, but I think that the more familiar with the universe you are, the more resonance it's going to have.

The artwork in Time of Your Life is an interesting juxtaposition of short, choppy panels and big, sweeping, detailed painting, and is all gorgeously done. The story is well-told and has a slight mythic feel to it, although at heart it's pretty standard fare that doesn't feel like Gaiman is stepping too far out of his comfort zone. Mostly, though, for having her name on the title, I felt like there wasn't enough of Death. Hazel and Foxglove are fine characters, but Death spends most of the book listening and nodding compassionately - which, while I get that that's what she does, effectively served to take the focus off of the character I most wanted to read about. 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: An interesting and quick story featuring some Sandman alums, but I didn't think it was quite up to the standard set by the best of the main-series volumes... which, admittedly, was a tall order to fill. Still, Sandman fans should enjoy it, and newcomers will hopefully be intrigued enough to check out the main books. ( )

This is the second novel to showcase Death but ends up spending more time with Foxglove and Hazel whom readers of the Sandman series will remember. Foxglove and Hazel were never characters I was fond of and this didn't change matters for me regrettably. We spend most of our time focused on the duo and the tale itself is short and nothing new. Not a personal favorite. ( )

When Hazel strikes a deal with Death, she and Foxglove find themselves at a crossroads.

Death is very much a side-player in this, the second collection to bear her name. The story really focuses in on Foxglove, who has gained a major label contract and gone big since we last saw her. She's living the life of a (closeted) pop star, while Hazel poses as her secretary in L.A. Both characters are in a very different place than they were in either A Game of You or The High Cost of Living.

I felt like this story was much tighter and more focused this time around. There are a couple of very definite things going on, and everything herein contributes to our understanding of the characters and their story. It's good stuff. Hazel and Foxglove are among my favourite characters in the Sandman mythos, and I thought Gaiman did some wonderful things with them throughout the course of this story. It's not all happy stuff, and it's not all positive, but it's all handled very, very well.

I highly recommend this. I don't think you need to have read either A Game of You, (the fifth volume of Sandman, and the first place these characters appeared), or The High Cost of Living in order to enjoy this book, but I'd certainly recommend that you check them out first. Personally, I found that The Time of Your Life returned to many of the themes A Game of You dealt with; namely, the whole idea of changing and letting things go. The two books compliment each other very well. ( )

I liked this one better than Death's first outing in High Cost of Living. I liked the main characters and their humane problems. Death is a side-character, which I think she's best at. ( )