I am really surprised that I haven't featured a novel by the wonderful Neil Gaiman yet. While I discovered him only in the last few years, he has become an author that I truly love. His work is original and marvelously written. And while I haven't read his complete backlist, I have read enough to know that I want to own everything this man has written.My first experience with Gaiman is the book pictured at right, American Gods. I loved the title and the premise of this novel. Taken from Goodreads.com,
"After three years in prison, Shadow has done his time. But as the days, then the hours, then the minutes, then the seconds until his release tick away, he can feel a storm building. Two days before he gets out, his wife Laura dies in a mysterious car crash, in apparently adulterous circumstances. Dazed, Shadow travels home, only to encounter the bizarre Mr. Wednesday claiming to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America. Together they embark on a very strange journey across the States, along the way solving the murders which have occurred every winter in one small American town. But they are being pursued by someone with whom Shadow must make his peace..."
What I loved most was the originality. I loved the gods that Shadow and Mr. Wednesday encountered. The novel didn't make light of any of the big names in religion, but focused on the gods of ancient people-the ones that were "dying out" from a lack of followers. It also creates new gods-the gods of technology, internet, and media that are fighting for prominence in the minds of believers. The novel is the story of their war, and of Shadow's involvement in the fight between gods.
I love the contrast between old and new in the novel. America is making a shift away from an emphasis on religion. Religion was far more prevalent in the lives of our ancestors. Today, we spend more time watching TV, seeing movies, and focusing on other things than reading the Bible with our families and celebrating our gods. Gaiman's commentary on this isn't over our heads, but gives a subtle warning of where we are going. You can make of it what you will, but it fascinated me and made me a lover of Gaiman.
I also love how Gaiman creates a dark and seedy world within modern day America. This is where he truly shines-showing us what our worlds could, and might be. The result is a world that is both wonderful and strange. He has this skill in many of his other novels (Neverwhere for example). Gaiman is truly the master of creating a mysterious urban setting.
I haven't read the "Sequel" to American Gods-Anansi Boys, but it is on that never-ending TBR list of mine. If you haven't given Gaiman a chance yet, you definitely need to!
I read this back in 2008 and admit I really, really hated it. I think it all comes down to if you find Shadow interesting, because people who do seem to love the book, and people who don't (like me and my dad, who turned out to be reading it at the same time as me, purely coincidentally) hate the book. I actually hated it so much that I have yet to read any of his other standalone adult books. Children's and YA, yes, and then of course his adult book with Terry Pratchett, but otherwise, no. :(
ReplyDeleteNot my favorite Gaiman -- it's a little sordid for my taste. However, Anansi Boys is one of my favorite books of all time. I wouldn't really call it a sequel, since Mr. Nancy, a minor character in American Gods, is hardly in the book -- but I just love Charlie Nancy and his brother Spider. Please do yourself a favor and read it soon, or better yet, listen to the outstanding audiobook narrated by British comedian Lenny Henry. It's simply brilliant.
ReplyDeleteI definitely need to read something by this author!
ReplyDeleteI love Gaiman as well, although as Kren already pointed out Anansi Boys isn't really a sequel. And I second her recommendation fo the amazing audiobook! There is a novella in Fragile Things that features Shadow, though! :)
ReplyDeleteThis was recommended to me by a friend, and I really have only gotten about a 1/3 of the way through it before I put it down. I think its a little weird for my taste. I meant to bring it with me on vacation to read on the plane and forgot. Oops. I'll have to give it another try.
ReplyDeleteThis was my very first Gaiman too! Since then I've read a dozen other books he's written and I'm a huge fan. I hope you make it to Anansi Boys eventually, it's just wonderful. It has much more cheek than American Gods and is really entertaining.
ReplyDeleteI've never read any Gaiman, which is a shame because I see him recommended EVERYWHERE! I'm definitely gonna have to pick up one of his books soon!
ReplyDeleteI loved this book! Anansi Boys, which tends to get more praise, wasn't as good to me; but as it's Neil Gaiman, it's still pretty dang good. He's one of my favorite authors!
ReplyDeleteI read this too, but did not have the same reaction that you did. This is just me, but it felt cheap and trite. I really thought he had a great premise going with the plot, but never carried through. I have read several of Gaiman's books and been less than impressed overall. Again, this is just my opinion. Your review though was thorough and excellent, and I love that this novel captured your imagination; that is what it is all about. Cheers! Chris
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I was not thrilled with American Gods even though I dig the premise. Perhaps Amanda is right, insofar as I didn't feel connected to Shadow? I adore Gaiman as a Young Adult author and Children's Author but am still on the fence with his adult collections. I have a couple more of his books on my TBR shelf so we'll see if my mind gets changed. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't end up being disappointed in Anansi Boys. It's a very different book to American Gods - a much more light-hearted story about stories. But still delightful, as long as you don't go into it expecting it will be anything like American Gods.
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