The Sandman Vol. 3: Dream Country (1991)

I did like this, but thought that it was a bit all over the place. I only really liked one issue and that was the one dealing with Death and the woman who was not a woman, Rainie. There seemed to be no connection between these issues and I thought that the issue ending on scripts of whatever for this volume was boring. I just skipped all over that.

"Calliope" was a great story and we find out more about this Muse and her relationship with Dream. I liked the idea of Dream having a son though what was being done to Calliope all in the name of writing was terrible. I think that the authors in that one got off way too easily. This story starts before Dream is imprisoned and then escapes.

"A Dream of a Thousand Cats" I think my cat would enjoy this story. I did like how we get to see Dream as a cat though. Still creeped me out with the all knowing look in his eyes.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" Well this turned sinister as hell in a quick shake. We have seen the relationship between Dream and Shakespeare in volume 1 so I am going to assume he keeps showing up. It was an interesting idea that I will admit to being slightly bored a bit.

"Facade" so I had to look up the character of Rainie since I had no idea who the heck she was and what her deal was either. She's interesting, but what was really interesting to me is that she is thousands of years old and she really wants to die. She's sick of merely existing and having no true face anymore. I did laugh though when she goes to lunch with an old friend and her fake face mask falls into a plate of spaghetti. Rainie ends up meeting Death who talks to her about the end of all things which was actually moving. Great ending to this issue. ( )

Re-read, 3/3/20:

All of these stories are wonderful, but I think I preferred the monk and the fox story best this time. A close second is Midsummer Night's Dream. For all the right reasons. :)

Original review:

This is a fairly short volume, but each story is tight and delightful. This is where I remember the Sandman comics coming into its own, and Morpheus himself hardly had any role in them. It's all about stories. Stories about stories. Of course, I can make the same argument about the entire run of the series, but like I said, this is where it comes into its own.

A kidnapped muse gets freed by her old lover. A cat's dreaming of a new and free world. What the Fae court really felt about [b:A Midsummer Night's Dream|1622|A Midsummer Night's Dream|William Shakespeare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327874534l/1622._SY75_.jpg|894834]. A world of masks.

None of these short descriptions really do any of it justice. Dream gets revenge on an artist that rapes Calliope for his success, and the revenge is so damn sweet it bears repeating a thousand times. You want ideas? I'll give you ideas... muahahaha... :) The cat's dream was of overturning the rule of man, while remembering that cats once DID rule man, but man dreamt of a new world with more of it's kind and changed the nature of reality. Can't cats bring themselves to reverse reality in the same way? It brings a whole new spin on the adage, "To herd cats."

But it was the story about the Shakespearian production that takes the cake. Dream invites the entire Fae court to watch Will and his entire cast of players in a private production of the famous play, becoming a dream within a dream within a dream in a real sense, and because Puck, well, shenanigans ensue. There was sadness and longing, and it was nearly, but not quite, 4th walled. I think this one was my favourite.

The mythbuilding is truly great stuff. :) ( )

A Dream of a Thousand Cats was great - it was more than great; the art, the characters, and the theme, and how Gaiman portrayed everything in one frame.

Sad part is, I did not get or could not follow "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Maybe I will read the plot synopsis of the play and then try again, but for that 3.5 stars. ( )

This it the 3rd volume in the Sandman compilation, and it is a group of standalone stories, rather than a continuing storyline like in the first two volumes. The stories were interesting, if a bit weird (but, it's the Sandman, so that's to be expected to some extent). It wasn't my favorite of the volumes - I think I prefer the running storyline to these one-off stories.

Following on from volume 2, these are four short stories that are themed around the characters from the first two books, but with a different feel and style. The stories are Calliope, A Dream of a Thousand Cats, Midsummer Night's Dream, and Facade.

The first concerns a girl being held against her will, but she is the source of stories. made offers a gift and takes her back to his place. But she really want to be freed so pleads for help. He is visited by Morpheus, who tell him that he must free her, but he claims to need her for the ideas. So Morpheus gives him what he asks for.

The dream of cats is very surreal, as Gaiman explores the feline world of dreams. Next is the play by Shakespeare; but this is watched by the King and Queen of the fairies and their subjects, who have moved between worlds to see it having had Morpheus recommend it. Facade is about a lady who dare not enter outside, and when she builds up the courage to do so, suffers a horrendous embarrassment in a restaurant. Morpheus's sister, the rock chick who is death, visits her, and relieves her suffering.

I really don't know how Gaiman comes up with these stories. They are always different, dark, sometimes creepy and sinister, but there is always a element of hope in them. Particularly liked Midsummer Night's Dream where the actual stars of the play see it, but they are all worth reading. The artwork is great too, and it add to the atmosphere of the story. In this edition there was the script that he passes to the artist, explaining the scene and the feel of each panel.

Great stuff, onto the next. ( )