3 stars
While I love reading Neil Gaiman’s work, sometimes I am left with something I don’t entirely know what to do with. This is one of those times.
As I’ve only read the graphic novel format, I don’t know if all of the text is included in this adaptation, however at times I felt it was very choppy. It didn’t have the same wonderful flow that I have come to expect (and love!) from Gaiman.
The story was certainly creative and creepy, but because of the choppy narration, it didn’t feel very developed and I didn’t connect to the characters. I was just there watching the queen tell her story. I wasn’t rooting for anyone, wasn’t left wondering what would happen next. I was just along for the ride.
Also, the book was overly sexual for my tastes. Beyond the initial sex scenes, nudity and erotic scenes were used to highlight the creepiness that was going on, which didn’t feel necessary. They worked to draw out a narrative that I already wasn’t that interested in. With allusions to incest, prostitution, and necrophilia, the story just felt like it was trying to use sexual perversion and deviance to add to the strangeness of the events. It wasn’t necessary and just came off as odd, rather than creepy to me.
However, what failed in the telling of the story was made up for in the artwork. Doran’s art is absolutely brilliant. I loved all of the layers of the work, the tiny details, the creepiness and beauty. Every page is a treat to behold with its contrasting colors and intricate patterns. I was fascinated with the queen’s various hairstyles and clothing, things I am not normally interested in. The book itself was absolutely stunning. Doran did an amazing job illustrating this book. It is beautiful, disgusting, and creepy, drawing you in at the same time that it makes you want to push it away.
After all that, I don’t really know where I stand with this book. Visually, it was amazing. As far as the story went, I wasn’t really interested in it. It dragged on. It had some interesting elements, but for the most part I was bored and unconnected to the characters.
I’d like to read the short story in its entirety to get a better feel for the flow, but for me it just didn’t work that well in this format. However, the artwork really carries this book beyond its lackluster story.