Neil Gaiman’s DEATH, as you probably know, contrasts terminally with the Pratchett and traditional casting of the role. Instead of a scythe wielding old fogey, Gaiman’s Death is a fun-loving young girl dressed often like a Gothette and spends her time teaching the living how to live before they expire into her kingdom (queendom??).
Death was one of the favourites in Gaiman’s Sandman series and in this story she plays only a small, albeit crucial, role. The main plot concerns Foxglove a rising young rock musician, her girlfriend Hazel and Hazel’s son Alvie, the subject of a past deal with Death.
The story is touching and relays the age old moral that you should live life now rather than ignore your present life in order to buy yourself a phantom "better life" in the future. Again Gaiman is determined to avoid stereotypes at all costs and does it with aplomb. Everyone seems to be more real and have more depth because they do not match the initial pre-judgements we all make.
The artwork in the story is good; sharp and moody but pales against the Dave McKean montages pictures. More and more in the press and TV we see graphic pictures with layered, blurred text. Dave McKean started this industry and should get the credit, however perhaps now he can lead them in a new direction as the graphic treatment is infiltrating into so many images it is getting a tad monotonous.
G. Hurry