Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Review (2011), 612 pages
Description
Shadow is a man with a past. But now he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life with his wife and stay out of trouble. Until he learns that she's been killed in a terrible accident. Flying home for the funeral, as a violent storm rocks the plane, a strange man in the seat next to him introduces himself. The man calls himself Mr. Wednesday, and he knows more about Shadow than is possible. He warns Shadow that a far bigger storm is coming. And from that moment on, nothing will ever he the same.
Media reviews
This is a fantastic novel, as obsessed with the minutiae of life on the road as it is with a catalogue of doomed and half-forgotten deities. In the course of the protagonist Shadow's adventures as the bodyguard and fixer of the one-eyed Mr Wednesday, he visits a famous museum of junk and the motel
Show More
at the centre of the US, as well as eating more sorts of good and bad diner food than one wants especially to think about. Show Less
Part of the joy of American Gods is that its inventions all find a place in a well-organised structure. The book runs as precisely as clockwork, but reads as smoothly as silk or warm chocolate.
Gaiman's stories are always overstuffed experiences, and ''American Gods'' has more than enough to earn its redemption, including a hero who deserves further adventures.
"American Gods" is a juicily original melding of archaic myth with the slangy, gritty, melancholy voice of one of America's great cultural inventions -- the hard-boiled detective; call it Wagnerian noir. The melting pot has produced stranger cocktails, but few that are as tasty.
Sadly, American Gods promises more than it delivers. The premise is brilliant; the execution is vague, pedestrian and deeply disappointing. It's not bad, but it's not nearly as good as it could be. There are wonderful moments, but they are few and far between. This should be a massive, complex
Show More
story, a clash of the old world and the new, a real opportunity to examine what drives America and what it lacks. Instead, it is an enjoyable stroll across a big country, populated by an entertaining sequence of "spot the god" contests. Show Less
American Gods is easily Gaiman's most amusing and entertaining work since Good Omens, his brilliant collaboration with Terry Pratchett. Interestingly, there are some plot points in common between the two novels -- here is clearly a theme that Gaiman tackles with glee and aplomb. If his name is not
Show More
a household word yet, this book could well be the one that lands him that status. Show Less
It is not an easy task, but Gaiman, in his best and most ambitious work since The Sandman, is equal to it.
With brilliance, Gaiman has painted a portrait of the American, as well as of America itself, and, in so doing, created a tale worthy to be placed alongside the finest of American literature. He has presented a mirror whereby, perhaps, Americans can better understand themselves.
User reviews
LibraryThing member _Zoe_
I'm sorry to say, I just did not like this book. I'm not sure I would have finished it if it hadn't been part of a group read. It took me almost a month to get through, and it was a slow and painful slog.
I'm not entirely sure what went wrong, since the idea is interesting enough: ancient gods of
Into the midst of all this comes Shadow, who we first meet as he's serving out his time in prison and looking forward to returning home to his wife. Things quickly go downhill for him and soon he's caught up in the violent struggle of the gods.
I think part of my dislike for this book comes from the grittiness of it, if that's the right word: I don't particularly enjoy books about modern-day criminals, prostitutes, et al., where murders and rotting bodies are described in detail, where one man might say to another, "I can get more pussy in an afternoon than you'll get in a year." I like my fiction to take me out of the real world, not to bring me face-to-face with the more distasteful aspects of it.
Besides that, the book was just too long. I don't mind long books where the plot moves forward steadily, but it seemed that whenever I finally started getting caught up in the action, it was interrupted by a lengthy digression. I prefer books where the background information is integrated naturally into the main story. The frequent pauses here left me feeling like the story was just crawling along.
All in all, I can't remember the last time I was this happy to be done with a book. I sort of wish this one had been just a bit worse and absolutely uninteresting, so that at least I could have abandoned it partway through. As it is, I made it through to the end, and I'm left with a vague sensation that I wasted my time.
I'm not entirely sure what went wrong, since the idea is interesting enough: ancient gods of
Show More
various nations have come to America in the minds of immigrants, and their power and even existence are dependent on the belief that people have in them. But America isn't a good land for gods; ancient beliefs are soon abandoned as people turn to the worship of new gods like Media and Television. Tensions escalate until a battle between the old and the new seems inevitable.Into the midst of all this comes Shadow, who we first meet as he's serving out his time in prison and looking forward to returning home to his wife. Things quickly go downhill for him and soon he's caught up in the violent struggle of the gods.
I think part of my dislike for this book comes from the grittiness of it, if that's the right word: I don't particularly enjoy books about modern-day criminals, prostitutes, et al., where murders and rotting bodies are described in detail, where one man might say to another, "I can get more pussy in an afternoon than you'll get in a year." I like my fiction to take me out of the real world, not to bring me face-to-face with the more distasteful aspects of it.
Besides that, the book was just too long. I don't mind long books where the plot moves forward steadily, but it seemed that whenever I finally started getting caught up in the action, it was interrupted by a lengthy digression. I prefer books where the background information is integrated naturally into the main story. The frequent pauses here left me feeling like the story was just crawling along.
All in all, I can't remember the last time I was this happy to be done with a book. I sort of wish this one had been just a bit worse and absolutely uninteresting, so that at least I could have abandoned it partway through. As it is, I made it through to the end, and I'm left with a vague sensation that I wasted my time.
Show Less
LibraryThing member atheist_goat
I enjoy Gaiman up until a point, and that point would be the last fifty or one hundred pages, because he cannot write endings to save his life. If I'd stopped reading this four-fifths of the way through, I would have come away from it quite pleased, instead of irritable.
Only a male author would
Only a male author would
Show More
posit that of Odin and Loki, Odin is the one getting all the ladies. Show Less
LibraryThing member bokai
Oh man, I could not have read this book at a better time. As a speculative fiction junkie I was making myself sick on bad writing, bad plots, bad characters, over and over again, unable to stop until I had my hit and searching desperately for the high I could vaguely recall from the first time my
Reading this book was like hitting the pure stuff when I had been struggling with diluted product for ages. I read the whole thing during a trip to Disney World and considered it an excellent use of my time. The world was shut out to me until 'the end'. The writing in American Gods is at once concrete and surreal. Impossible things happen as a matter of fact, but the entire time there is the conviction that Gaiman is writing about here and now. There is none of that superfluous language that struggles to instill a sense of wonder into the reader when there is nothing wonderful happening. The words become invisible and the story itself steers the mind into a much more natural state of awe. This is what I like most about American Gods, that even though it is an attempt at modern myth making, it doesn't don the jarring language of the fantasy epic. In other words, it is exquisitely written.
Now that it has been several months since that glorious high, I can look back at American Gods and see its (few) flaws. The resolution felt incomplete to me, and the transformation of Shadow, the main character, did not seem to have much effect. It's hard to illustrate a deep change in a character who spends a majority of the book semi-passive and super-stoic. The peeks into his character and the small decisions he does make really add up, and there is still a feeling of progression, but for me I felt as if the whole thing was left teetering at the edge of something immense, and if only... something... would nudge... it... a little...
I suspect this frustration has to do with the constant reference to a brewing storm throughout the book, and although lightning literally figures into the climax (pretty @$#^ing creative Gaiman, kudos), I didn't really feel the heat.
But enough kvetching about small things. I loved this book. If you like rumbling, swelling stories and -good writing- in your fantasy, you cannot go wrong with Gaiman.
And there's gay sex. Plus 1/2 star for that.
Show More
world had become open to all possibilities and 'fantasy' was introduced to me in book form.Reading this book was like hitting the pure stuff when I had been struggling with diluted product for ages. I read the whole thing during a trip to Disney World and considered it an excellent use of my time. The world was shut out to me until 'the end'. The writing in American Gods is at once concrete and surreal. Impossible things happen as a matter of fact, but the entire time there is the conviction that Gaiman is writing about here and now. There is none of that superfluous language that struggles to instill a sense of wonder into the reader when there is nothing wonderful happening. The words become invisible and the story itself steers the mind into a much more natural state of awe. This is what I like most about American Gods, that even though it is an attempt at modern myth making, it doesn't don the jarring language of the fantasy epic. In other words, it is exquisitely written.
Now that it has been several months since that glorious high, I can look back at American Gods and see its (few) flaws. The resolution felt incomplete to me, and the transformation of Shadow, the main character, did not seem to have much effect. It's hard to illustrate a deep change in a character who spends a majority of the book semi-passive and super-stoic. The peeks into his character and the small decisions he does make really add up, and there is still a feeling of progression, but for me I felt as if the whole thing was left teetering at the edge of something immense, and if only... something... would nudge... it... a little...
I suspect this frustration has to do with the constant reference to a brewing storm throughout the book, and although lightning literally figures into the climax (pretty @$#^ing creative Gaiman, kudos), I didn't really feel the heat.
But enough kvetching about small things. I loved this book. If you like rumbling, swelling stories and -good writing- in your fantasy, you cannot go wrong with Gaiman.
And there's gay sex. Plus 1/2 star for that.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Excalibur
This book evokes a variety of feelings. Mainly, I feel awe at Gaiman's grasp of mythology. It seems that Gaiman has a view of mythology that transcends cultures. Instead, Gaiman relegates ownership of the mythic figures that populate his books to humanity. Gaiman's gods are mere manifestations of
However, there seems to be a disconnect between Gaiman's characters and his readers. The characters in this book are distant and cold. This may be the result of creating a book populated by more gods than mortals. No matter how human a god may seem, they are never truly human or even mortal in way that we can truly understand. Instead, they are reflections (or maybe more aptly shadows) of those who worship them. In the end, Gaiman's Gods are just fragments of man. There are almost no rounded characters in this book because every character is the onesided stereotype pushed upon them by their worshippers. Is this book "good?" I believe that the answer to this question depends largely upon whether or not you can accept characters that are difficult to relate to on a personal level.
Show More
human desires for love, hate, revenge, sex, fear, remembrance, cunning, belonging, and protection (among other things). However, there seems to be a disconnect between Gaiman's characters and his readers. The characters in this book are distant and cold. This may be the result of creating a book populated by more gods than mortals. No matter how human a god may seem, they are never truly human or even mortal in way that we can truly understand. Instead, they are reflections (or maybe more aptly shadows) of those who worship them. In the end, Gaiman's Gods are just fragments of man. There are almost no rounded characters in this book because every character is the onesided stereotype pushed upon them by their worshippers. Is this book "good?" I believe that the answer to this question depends largely upon whether or not you can accept characters that are difficult to relate to on a personal level.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Where does one start with a book as complex and convoluted as American Gods? Neil Gaiman demonstrates his genius with this tale of mystery, magic and myths. Amazing in scope and subject matter, this book deals with characters as far apart as American folk hero Johnny Appleseed to the Norse God,
The basic plot of the old gods having to battle it out with the newer, shinier gods is an interesting one, and Neil Gaiman shapes his story around an America that has little time for religion or gods, instead being caught up in the worship of technology. The new gods are based on the internet, the TV, and the Media. Sprinkled throughout the story are small vignettes that tell of how the old Gods were brought to America and slowly lost their power as their people were absorbed into the North American culture. America as a melting pot has created a wonderfully diverse country, but this melding together has caused the vanishing of many customs and religious beliefs.
What I couldn’t do is totally love this book. Awe and admiration, yes. Love, no. I tried and tried to get some kind of emotional handle on the main character, Shadow. He is so detached and cold that I eventually just didn’t care what happened to him. I actually thought his dead wife, Laura, had more personality and warmth I also found parts of the book very confusing, but I do admit that the author pretty much explained everything by the end of the book. And what an ending, indeed. With twists, turns, reveals and incredible pacing, the ending is a great reward for the readers.
Show More
Odin.The basic plot of the old gods having to battle it out with the newer, shinier gods is an interesting one, and Neil Gaiman shapes his story around an America that has little time for religion or gods, instead being caught up in the worship of technology. The new gods are based on the internet, the TV, and the Media. Sprinkled throughout the story are small vignettes that tell of how the old Gods were brought to America and slowly lost their power as their people were absorbed into the North American culture. America as a melting pot has created a wonderfully diverse country, but this melding together has caused the vanishing of many customs and religious beliefs.
What I couldn’t do is totally love this book. Awe and admiration, yes. Love, no. I tried and tried to get some kind of emotional handle on the main character, Shadow. He is so detached and cold that I eventually just didn’t care what happened to him. I actually thought his dead wife, Laura, had more personality and warmth I also found parts of the book very confusing, but I do admit that the author pretty much explained everything by the end of the book. And what an ending, indeed. With twists, turns, reveals and incredible pacing, the ending is a great reward for the readers.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bookworm12
I have an odd relationship with this book. I first read it in 2007 after Stephen King recommended it in Entertainment Weekly. I’d never heard of Gaiman before and I thought I’d check it out. Whoa.
So as most people who have read Gaiman before might know, American Gods might not be the best
The first time I read the book I think I was so distracted by the strangeness of the plot that I missed the depth of the story. There's so much to take in and it's such a wild tale that I couldn't appreciate it fully until the second time. Part mystery, part fantasy, part character study, American Gods is a mixture of so many things. There are too many characters to mention, but each one is more creatively drawn than the last.
A man name Shadow finds out his wife has died in a car crash only days before he’s being released from prison. Soon he meets a man named Wednesday and against his better judgment he agrees to work for him. The rest of the plot defies explanation, but rest assured it’s a wonderful ride. Whether Shadow is exploring the ineffable world of The House on the Rock or he’s hunkered down in a sleepy town of Lakeside, it’s hard not to root for him.
BOTTOM LINE: Weird and wonderful, Gaiman manages to infuse his love of fantasy into an epic road trip novel. Re-reading this one doubled my appreciation for both the novel and the author. I was able to focus more on the overall story and less on the odd elements this time. This is not the best novel to read if you aren’t sure if you’ll like Gaiman. Read it when you already love his work and only if you like fantasy and aren’t easily offended.
So as most people who have read Gaiman before might know, American Gods might not be the best
Show More
place to start with his work. It is dense and complex. It has weird plot lines and skips across the entire country. And yet there’s something about it that just hooks you. After reading it I went on to devour Neverwhere, Anansi Boys, Coraline, Stardust, The Graveyard Book, Good Omens and Fragile Things. The first time I read the book I think I was so distracted by the strangeness of the plot that I missed the depth of the story. There's so much to take in and it's such a wild tale that I couldn't appreciate it fully until the second time. Part mystery, part fantasy, part character study, American Gods is a mixture of so many things. There are too many characters to mention, but each one is more creatively drawn than the last.
A man name Shadow finds out his wife has died in a car crash only days before he’s being released from prison. Soon he meets a man named Wednesday and against his better judgment he agrees to work for him. The rest of the plot defies explanation, but rest assured it’s a wonderful ride. Whether Shadow is exploring the ineffable world of The House on the Rock or he’s hunkered down in a sleepy town of Lakeside, it’s hard not to root for him.
BOTTOM LINE: Weird and wonderful, Gaiman manages to infuse his love of fantasy into an epic road trip novel. Re-reading this one doubled my appreciation for both the novel and the author. I was able to focus more on the overall story and less on the odd elements this time. This is not the best novel to read if you aren’t sure if you’ll like Gaiman. Read it when you already love his work and only if you like fantasy and aren’t easily offended.
Show Less
LibraryThing member riofriotex
I'm not much for fantasy, but the premise of this book sounded interesting - the gods of the old countries have been brought over to America years ago, but worship of them has declined, and there is about to be war with the "new" gods of the Internet, television, credit cards, etc. Unfortunately
I thought I knew a lot about mythology - and I do of Greek and Roman. The gods in this book are of all other origins (Norse, African, Egyptian, Hindu, etc.) and they are all in disguise. While I was able to figure out who a few of them were on my own (sometimes due to their aliases), it was frustrating to miss some of the subtleties of the novel due to my lack of knowledge. So, those of you with extensive knowledge or interest in other mythologies may really enjoy this book.
The illustration of a highway at night on the cover is telling, as much of this story takes place on the road (albeit by air at times), criss-crossing America. One fan has mapped it out and it totals nearly 23,000 miles. At times, though, it seemed that travel was the only thing happening in the novel, and I found much of the other action to be confusing.
If I hadn't been reading it for an online book discussion, I doubt I would have finished the book.
[A variation of this review appears on my blog, Bookin' It.]
Show More
the execution was disappointing.I thought I knew a lot about mythology - and I do of Greek and Roman. The gods in this book are of all other origins (Norse, African, Egyptian, Hindu, etc.) and they are all in disguise. While I was able to figure out who a few of them were on my own (sometimes due to their aliases), it was frustrating to miss some of the subtleties of the novel due to my lack of knowledge. So, those of you with extensive knowledge or interest in other mythologies may really enjoy this book.
The illustration of a highway at night on the cover is telling, as much of this story takes place on the road (albeit by air at times), criss-crossing America. One fan has mapped it out and it totals nearly 23,000 miles. At times, though, it seemed that travel was the only thing happening in the novel, and I found much of the other action to be confusing.
If I hadn't been reading it for an online book discussion, I doubt I would have finished the book.
[A variation of this review appears on my blog, Bookin' It.]
Show Less
LibraryThing member PghDragonMan
I had been chasing "American Gods" for quite a while. Now that I've acquired it and read it, I found the book worth the chase. In waiting a while to write the review, I'm wondering if the excitement of the chase has influenced my rating a little.
The root of the story, humans created gods as their
Because the plot references may be obscure to some people, although Neil Gaiman does a credible job of educating the reader along the way, you may approach this story on many levels. On one level, you may simply let yourself be immersed in the story and go with the flow. You do not need to know all the classical references to to appreciate the struggle for survival the characters are facing. On another level, American Gods become a parable for the direction we, primarily the American people, are going and the struggles we face to maintain our place in the order of things. On yet another level, this is a timeless classic of growth and rebirth, where death is not an ending, but a new beginning.
One of the more interesting twists on classical mythology involves Shadow, one of the human protagonists, and his wife Laura. In the Greek story story of Orpheus, Orpheus descends into the underworld, searching for this wife. Gaiman neatly reverses this in having Laura coming back from the dead to protect Shadow.
Never having read Gaiman previous to this book, I only knew of him by reputation. I understand many more people know him from his graphic novels than through his purely written work. His background shows throughout "American Gods". While the descriptions are rich, the story is just begging to be illustrated. It is also just dark enough to maybe attract Hollywood screenwriters. Actually, I hope not. I enjoyed this book too much to see it sacrificed and reborn on that altar.
While definitely above a four star rating, I find myself questioning the extra half star I gave it. I can easily let it stand there as it by no means immortal enough to deserve a full five stars. Classical literature fans may appreciate the modernizations of the archetypes presented here and, as unlikely as it may first appear, cyberpunk fans may find some new heroes in these pages. Well worth pursuing for fans of darker literature, but there is not enough technology for this to be even remotely considered steampunk.
The root of the story, humans created gods as their
Show More
versions of personifications of an idea or an ideal, is one that has occurred to many of us at one time or another. Gaiman goes the next step and ties in the requirement of people still believing what they've created to keep these gods alive. Taken as a whole, we find a new take on the expression “Twilight of the Gods” and an updated version of the final battle of the gods as recounted in many legends.Because the plot references may be obscure to some people, although Neil Gaiman does a credible job of educating the reader along the way, you may approach this story on many levels. On one level, you may simply let yourself be immersed in the story and go with the flow. You do not need to know all the classical references to to appreciate the struggle for survival the characters are facing. On another level, American Gods become a parable for the direction we, primarily the American people, are going and the struggles we face to maintain our place in the order of things. On yet another level, this is a timeless classic of growth and rebirth, where death is not an ending, but a new beginning.
One of the more interesting twists on classical mythology involves Shadow, one of the human protagonists, and his wife Laura. In the Greek story story of Orpheus, Orpheus descends into the underworld, searching for this wife. Gaiman neatly reverses this in having Laura coming back from the dead to protect Shadow.
Never having read Gaiman previous to this book, I only knew of him by reputation. I understand many more people know him from his graphic novels than through his purely written work. His background shows throughout "American Gods". While the descriptions are rich, the story is just begging to be illustrated. It is also just dark enough to maybe attract Hollywood screenwriters. Actually, I hope not. I enjoyed this book too much to see it sacrificed and reborn on that altar.
While definitely above a four star rating, I find myself questioning the extra half star I gave it. I can easily let it stand there as it by no means immortal enough to deserve a full five stars. Classical literature fans may appreciate the modernizations of the archetypes presented here and, as unlikely as it may first appear, cyberpunk fans may find some new heroes in these pages. Well worth pursuing for fans of darker literature, but there is not enough technology for this to be even remotely considered steampunk.
Show Less
LibraryThing member rbtwinky
I had great expectations for this book and was disappointed. The premise of examining what gods Americans pay homage to (in the panthesitic sense) seemed to have such potential. The story turned out to be little more than a story of seedy characters competing for power. There were inspired moments,
Show More
but on the whole it was much less than I was hoping for. Show Less
LibraryThing member ghneumann
Virtually every culture, around the world and across time, has some kind of religious/mythological belief system. Where did we come from? How are we to live? Those basic questions gave rise to hundreds, even thousands, of myths to give the answers (see: the entire Masks of God series I spent months
In its central and most straightforward plot line, American Gods follows Shadow Moon, a convict released from prison at the very beginning of the novel, and his work with the mysterious Mr. Wednesday to round up the old gods to do battle against the new in a final battle. But this isn't a straightforward novel, and its reach expands far beyond the basic premise. Gaiman explores the history of the gods, explaining how they got to the United States in the first place...from prehistoric travel across the land bridge over the Bering Straight, to the Vikings, to the slave trade and more. He shows us how these neglected gods survive in the real world: Bilquis, the Queen of Sheba, is a prostitute, and Thoth and Anubis have set up shop as undertakers for the minority community in a small town in Illinois. There's a short story within the novel of a gay Arab man, trying desperately to sell his brother-in-law's trinkets to distributors in New York City, and his encounter with an ifrit. There's a subplot about an idyllic small town in Wisconsin and how it stays prosperous and comfortable even while surrounding communities suffer. Gaiman has created a rich and thick and layered experience to read and absorb.
So why not a more glowing review, a higher rating? Well, as much as I appreciated it, I didn't connect with it very much. Shadow, our main character, is a cipher who neither speaks particularly often or has an especially rich inner life. And it makes sense, for who he's supposed to be: the only son of a peripatetic single mother who never had many friends growing up, who's spent a few years in the clink and loses the person closest to him right from the start. Why wouldn't he be withdrawn and closed off? Left alone in the world, why wouldn't he practice coin tricks instead of losing himself in his thoughts? But as much as I understand the characterization, it keeps the book at a distance, at least at first. As it moved along I got more swept up in it, but it still didn't quite click. It's actually a book I think would improve on re-read...now that I know what's coming and how it all plays out, I'd like to go back and start it from the beginning. Not right now. But eventually.
Show More
of my life reading). In an anthropological/psychological sense, God did not create man. Man created the gods. And in Neil Gaiman's American Gods, we didn't just create them as concepts in the sky; they are corporeal beings and they need us, our prayers and our tributes, to thrive. But we as Americans haven't been giving them what they need for a long time now. What idols do we regard with something close to reverence today? TVs. Our phones. Our computers. And that has given rise to new gods in competition for our devotion with the old ones.In its central and most straightforward plot line, American Gods follows Shadow Moon, a convict released from prison at the very beginning of the novel, and his work with the mysterious Mr. Wednesday to round up the old gods to do battle against the new in a final battle. But this isn't a straightforward novel, and its reach expands far beyond the basic premise. Gaiman explores the history of the gods, explaining how they got to the United States in the first place...from prehistoric travel across the land bridge over the Bering Straight, to the Vikings, to the slave trade and more. He shows us how these neglected gods survive in the real world: Bilquis, the Queen of Sheba, is a prostitute, and Thoth and Anubis have set up shop as undertakers for the minority community in a small town in Illinois. There's a short story within the novel of a gay Arab man, trying desperately to sell his brother-in-law's trinkets to distributors in New York City, and his encounter with an ifrit. There's a subplot about an idyllic small town in Wisconsin and how it stays prosperous and comfortable even while surrounding communities suffer. Gaiman has created a rich and thick and layered experience to read and absorb.
So why not a more glowing review, a higher rating? Well, as much as I appreciated it, I didn't connect with it very much. Shadow, our main character, is a cipher who neither speaks particularly often or has an especially rich inner life. And it makes sense, for who he's supposed to be: the only son of a peripatetic single mother who never had many friends growing up, who's spent a few years in the clink and loses the person closest to him right from the start. Why wouldn't he be withdrawn and closed off? Left alone in the world, why wouldn't he practice coin tricks instead of losing himself in his thoughts? But as much as I understand the characterization, it keeps the book at a distance, at least at first. As it moved along I got more swept up in it, but it still didn't quite click. It's actually a book I think would improve on re-read...now that I know what's coming and how it all plays out, I'd like to go back and start it from the beginning. Not right now. But eventually.
Show Less
LibraryThing member melydia
I can't say too much about the plot without giving it all away; much of my enjoyment of the book was from slowly figuring out exactly what's going on. The story starts with Shadow, a man whose wife is killed two days before he was due to be released from prison. On the plane home, a man who calls
Show More
himself Mr. Wednesday offers him a job which, upon learning that his best friend - who owned the Muscle Farm where Shadow was going to work - is also dead, Shadow accepts. From there he goes on a crazy journey all over middle America, meeting gods old, new, and otherwise. It was a long book - over 600 pages - but it didn't drag or jump around in time too much, and things were described well enough that I really felt like I was there. Sometimes I was a little confused as to where it all was going, but the end was satisfying. Now I want to visit some of those old run-down roadside attractions mentioned in the text, especially the House on the Rock. Show Less
LibraryThing member msf59
A storm is coming. Shadow has been released from prison and on the flight home, he meets a mysterious man named Mr. Wednesday, who somehow knows all about him and quickly offers him a job. Shadow’s life is suddenly and irreversibly upended. He finds himself crisscrossing the country, doing odd
Show More
jobs and meeting a vast array of colorful characters, including some dangerous ones, as well. He also seems to be in the midst of a larger conflict, involving good and evil, with the battle-lines indistinct. This is a road novel but definitely nothing Kerouac had in mind. I can’t divulge anymore than this, due to the fact that the joy of exploring these roads, is the many magical surprises, waiting around nearly every curve. Show Less
LibraryThing member lmichet
This book wasn't what I expected it to be-- I thought it would be some wild and exciting blast of creativity that I could simply enjoy, but it was more like a wild and exciting blast of creative gore and sex, and that kind of threw me off. I did enjoy it, though. A lot. The word 'gripping' would
My only complaint is that Gaiman doesn't know how to write about America. It seems like he thought, "Hey, maybe if I drench this story in as much violence as possible, and then make everyone swear five times a sentence, and then put everyone IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, it will be a convincing portrayal of America?" Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. It feels like an American travelogue, not like a story about people who've lived in America-- which it isn't, really, since all the major characters are either detached from their homeland in some way or are gods from overseas civilizations. Most people who will read this story don't live in isolated Minnesota villages, so I don't think his choice to focus on parts of America that are isolated, cold, dismal, and devoid of human life really made it any more convincing. Though that was a very atmospheric choice, so it didn't hurt the beauty of description.
On his part, I sensed a few uncomfortable feelings about his understanding of America-- he tried to detach Shadow from America by making him the son of a globetrotting mother and having him spend his childhood out of the country. This discomfort was carried out in Anansi Boys, which is a story about British people in America-- more to Gaiman's liking, I guess. And, though less epic and profound, Anansi Boys was a much more enjoyable book-- so perhaps it's best for Gaiman to write about people more like himself.
But complaints ring out above praise, sometimes, even when praise deserve the heavier weight. The atmosphere of mystery and the sheer creativity of Gaiman's ideas deserves serious applause, and in the end they weigh out against any inconsistencies in subject-matter confidence. I simply found this book fascinating.
Show More
apply, I guess. My only complaint is that Gaiman doesn't know how to write about America. It seems like he thought, "Hey, maybe if I drench this story in as much violence as possible, and then make everyone swear five times a sentence, and then put everyone IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, it will be a convincing portrayal of America?" Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. It feels like an American travelogue, not like a story about people who've lived in America-- which it isn't, really, since all the major characters are either detached from their homeland in some way or are gods from overseas civilizations. Most people who will read this story don't live in isolated Minnesota villages, so I don't think his choice to focus on parts of America that are isolated, cold, dismal, and devoid of human life really made it any more convincing. Though that was a very atmospheric choice, so it didn't hurt the beauty of description.
On his part, I sensed a few uncomfortable feelings about his understanding of America-- he tried to detach Shadow from America by making him the son of a globetrotting mother and having him spend his childhood out of the country. This discomfort was carried out in Anansi Boys, which is a story about British people in America-- more to Gaiman's liking, I guess. And, though less epic and profound, Anansi Boys was a much more enjoyable book-- so perhaps it's best for Gaiman to write about people more like himself.
But complaints ring out above praise, sometimes, even when praise deserve the heavier weight. The atmosphere of mystery and the sheer creativity of Gaiman's ideas deserves serious applause, and in the end they weigh out against any inconsistencies in subject-matter confidence. I simply found this book fascinating.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kraaivrouw
I am a huge Neil Gaiman fan grrl. I admit it. I've read everything that I can get my hands on and I love most of it. I always feel like Neil (I'm a fan grrl - I get to call him Neil) and I share a reading history. I love the little synchronicities I frequently encounter when reading him - a mention
It was suspenseful after the completely marvelous and brilliant and compelling Sandman to see what Neil might do next - would he be able to do something else? Would there be a new comic? Or a novel? Turns out there was Neverwhere which was just excellent and then there was American Gods.
This is my third time reading this book - as with Sandman I find I occasionally have to revisit it. The idea of it is so wonderful - that we brought our gods with us from all the places that we came from when we came to America and they may or may not be all that happy with having arrived here. This notion runs parallel with the notion that gods of various kinds (pixies, fairies, Odin, the Wild Hunt, the Morrigan, you get my drift) gain or lose power based on our belief in them. This is an idea that another favorite writer of mine, Charles de Lint, plays with a lot, but Neil really gets into the thick of it in this book.
The world is full of a rich and varied and simultaneous mythologies of all kinds - and it is inventing new ones every day. Don't believe me? Talk to a member of the Steve Jobs cult about their worship of Apple products. It's great fun to follow along with Neil as he takes this idea out to play and I love the sheer enormity of it and the scholarship of it - the notion that he did what I did growing up (and as an adult) - read oodles and oodles of fairy tales and remembered them and connected them altogether in his head.
In all the ways this is a book about a guy getting out of prison and taking a hero's journey it is even more a book about us and the stories we tell and the one's we stop telling. It's a book that understands that story is what we're here for in the end. It's what we are. The rest is just decoration.
Show More
of another book that I love, a reference to a story I just heard. Neil's a great storyteller and if he's sometimes a little twee (see also, Stardust) I forgive him that because he's just that great.It was suspenseful after the completely marvelous and brilliant and compelling Sandman to see what Neil might do next - would he be able to do something else? Would there be a new comic? Or a novel? Turns out there was Neverwhere which was just excellent and then there was American Gods.
This is my third time reading this book - as with Sandman I find I occasionally have to revisit it. The idea of it is so wonderful - that we brought our gods with us from all the places that we came from when we came to America and they may or may not be all that happy with having arrived here. This notion runs parallel with the notion that gods of various kinds (pixies, fairies, Odin, the Wild Hunt, the Morrigan, you get my drift) gain or lose power based on our belief in them. This is an idea that another favorite writer of mine, Charles de Lint, plays with a lot, but Neil really gets into the thick of it in this book.
The world is full of a rich and varied and simultaneous mythologies of all kinds - and it is inventing new ones every day. Don't believe me? Talk to a member of the Steve Jobs cult about their worship of Apple products. It's great fun to follow along with Neil as he takes this idea out to play and I love the sheer enormity of it and the scholarship of it - the notion that he did what I did growing up (and as an adult) - read oodles and oodles of fairy tales and remembered them and connected them altogether in his head.
In all the ways this is a book about a guy getting out of prison and taking a hero's journey it is even more a book about us and the stories we tell and the one's we stop telling. It's a book that understands that story is what we're here for in the end. It's what we are. The rest is just decoration.
Show Less
LibraryThing member spacegod
I was wary at first. A guy named Shadow gets out of jail and heads home only to find his wife has died in a crash. Yuk. I hate stuff about wives dying, or losing a child, or never having a father, etc. There are enough trite sentimental novels bulging with contrived pathos. Then we find out she
Nothing maudlin here. This is not a stereotypical horror novel filled with tired worn out over-used clichés.
Reminds me of The Stand: a huge epic supernatural dream that I regretted waking from.
A Midwestern America populated with the gods of old. Horus, Isis, Jackal, jinn and demons; ancient ripples washing into the present.
Gaiman does exactly what I like: making hallucinogenic surreal supernaturalism appear everyday and logical.
It’s the little things. Like when Shadow hold s a straight raxor to his neck and thinks how easy it would be to slash his own throat and the bathroom door opens a crack to allow a cat to stick it’s head around the jam and inquire, “Mrr?”
Or when one of the Egyptian gods explains to Shadow how, back in the day, they would “line you up when you died, and you’d answer for your evil deeds, and if your evil deeds outweighed a feather, we’d feed your soul and heart to Ammet, Eater of Souls.”
“He must have eaten a lot of people,” Shadow says.
“Not as many as you’d think. It was a really heavy feather.
We had it made special.”
Show More
died while giving Shadow’s best friend a blowjob. And then his dead wife gives him a visit. Soon I am hurtled into a book I can’t stop reading. Nothing maudlin here. This is not a stereotypical horror novel filled with tired worn out over-used clichés.
Reminds me of The Stand: a huge epic supernatural dream that I regretted waking from.
A Midwestern America populated with the gods of old. Horus, Isis, Jackal, jinn and demons; ancient ripples washing into the present.
Gaiman does exactly what I like: making hallucinogenic surreal supernaturalism appear everyday and logical.
It’s the little things. Like when Shadow hold s a straight raxor to his neck and thinks how easy it would be to slash his own throat and the bathroom door opens a crack to allow a cat to stick it’s head around the jam and inquire, “Mrr?”
Or when one of the Egyptian gods explains to Shadow how, back in the day, they would “line you up when you died, and you’d answer for your evil deeds, and if your evil deeds outweighed a feather, we’d feed your soul and heart to Ammet, Eater of Souls.”
“He must have eaten a lot of people,” Shadow says.
“Not as many as you’d think. It was a really heavy feather.
We had it made special.”
Show Less
LibraryThing member dragonflyy419
American Gods is a mixture of world mythology, mysticism, and modern culture. Shadow, the protagonist, is a modern man pulled into a battle between the new gods of technology and the old gods that the various immigrants to America brought with them. It is an interesting tale with several aspects of
Having just finished the book, I am not sure what my feelings are exactly on it. I don’t find myself to be a ravenous Neil Gaiman fan, but I also didn’t dislike it and wouldn’t mind reading another book of his. I think my largest problem with the book was the general modern and simple style of it. I have become so used to effusive and detailed narratives that I wasn’t as enthralled with the simple descriptions used within the novel. I think that this is what American Gods lacked for me: the beautiful imagery and detail that the last few books I have read have made me accustomed to. For me the imagery in the novel felt flat and two dimensional. The descriptions could have been so much more detailed and the imagery could have been stronger. Despite my problems with the imagery, the tale was woven in such a way that I was drawn into it.
Gaiman is a masterful story teller. He brought together several aspects of society and created a story that made you want to turn the page to find out what happens next. Like many good page turning books, it was successful in keeping the reader guessing the entire way and the plot twists were not too predictable. The characters were also interesting and that too brought me to wanting to read more and more of the book. Another problem I felt the book had though was that not enough time was spent on anyone character. Just as I thought I was getting to understand a character or know enough about them, their descriptions would stop and I would be left wondering about them. This book could have actually been longer with a little more time spent on character development and I think I would have been happy. I didn’t feel like I got to know any of the characters well enough for my satisfaction, which was a shame because I was fascinated by all of them.
Overall, American Gods is a great page turner, but lacked some of the details I would have enjoyed seeing. It is a pleasant and comfortable read with a fascinating plot, but I was only left feeling neutral about the book as a whole.
Show More
the science fiction and paranormal genres mixed into it.Having just finished the book, I am not sure what my feelings are exactly on it. I don’t find myself to be a ravenous Neil Gaiman fan, but I also didn’t dislike it and wouldn’t mind reading another book of his. I think my largest problem with the book was the general modern and simple style of it. I have become so used to effusive and detailed narratives that I wasn’t as enthralled with the simple descriptions used within the novel. I think that this is what American Gods lacked for me: the beautiful imagery and detail that the last few books I have read have made me accustomed to. For me the imagery in the novel felt flat and two dimensional. The descriptions could have been so much more detailed and the imagery could have been stronger. Despite my problems with the imagery, the tale was woven in such a way that I was drawn into it.
Gaiman is a masterful story teller. He brought together several aspects of society and created a story that made you want to turn the page to find out what happens next. Like many good page turning books, it was successful in keeping the reader guessing the entire way and the plot twists were not too predictable. The characters were also interesting and that too brought me to wanting to read more and more of the book. Another problem I felt the book had though was that not enough time was spent on anyone character. Just as I thought I was getting to understand a character or know enough about them, their descriptions would stop and I would be left wondering about them. This book could have actually been longer with a little more time spent on character development and I think I would have been happy. I didn’t feel like I got to know any of the characters well enough for my satisfaction, which was a shame because I was fascinated by all of them.
Overall, American Gods is a great page turner, but lacked some of the details I would have enjoyed seeing. It is a pleasant and comfortable read with a fascinating plot, but I was only left feeling neutral about the book as a whole.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jimmydare
Gaiman has a wonderful eye for the details of daily life. He takes characters and situations that might seem cliché (the overweight hacker, the tough-guy with a heart of gold, the waitress at the diner) and fleshes them out so much that they are belivable. What bothered me about the book was that
Show More
there never was the sense of a real plot underneath it. It was a collection of clever ideas and cultural references without any real direction. Still I enjoyed the easy creativity of the book. The girlfriend who dies and returns as a zombie, the vision of old gods living at the margins of society. If only there had been a story underneath it all I’d have loved it. Show Less
LibraryThing member bflatt72
So far, I'm loving it. Hence the five stars. I especially like the story of Essie Tregowan. Gaiman is a fantastic story teller and I have come to the conclusion over the past few books I've read that it is the great storytellers, not the most verbose authors, who are best remembered. That is why
Several days later.....
Well, I have finished reading American Gods, finally!! It felt like the story would just never end and if one is anxious for the story to be over so he can get on to the next one, then the book can't have been all that good.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this novel of gods and men, it was just too tedious at times and a tad bit boring. And I thoroughly enjoy the subject of religion, so this should have been a dead ringer for me, but it wasn't.
As I said earlier, I loved the story of Essie Tregowan but after her story, I kept waiting for more like it and it just never came.
I love it when a novel is able to incorporate a lesson or when you are able to learn something from reading it. I believe that is one of the best ways to learn, when you don't even realize that is what you are doing because you are having such a good time. Entertainment can be educational as well.
The entire premise of this book though was that America, being a land of immigrants, in point of fact even for the Native Americans, that America's peoples brought their old Gods from the old lands with them and that over time when the old gods are forgotten, they die. Ok, that is not anything really groundbreaking, it's common sense really. The attempt to turn this premise into a story of the old gods wanting to fight a war with the new Gods for their very survival and incorporating the twist in the end whereby it was not really a war after all, but a bloodbath, just seemed kind of silly to me. The entire idea of the old Gods living human lives just seemed trite and boring. I like at least a semblance of reality in my fiction.
I didn't hate this novel, I was just greatly disappointed because I feel it had such great potential.
In a literary sense it also began to grate on my nerves how Gaiman just could not seem to describe a scene or a character without using the word gray. "The sky was gray." "His eyes were charcoal gray." "The rocks were gray!" I have heard such great things about Neil Gaiman and really enjoyed his short story collection, "Smoke and Mirrors" so I KNOW he has more creativity than this.
Show More
The Alchemist has sold millions of copies and is one of the world's most beloved stories. And mine! I believe American Gods will be one of those. Several days later.....
Well, I have finished reading American Gods, finally!! It felt like the story would just never end and if one is anxious for the story to be over so he can get on to the next one, then the book can't have been all that good.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this novel of gods and men, it was just too tedious at times and a tad bit boring. And I thoroughly enjoy the subject of religion, so this should have been a dead ringer for me, but it wasn't.
As I said earlier, I loved the story of Essie Tregowan but after her story, I kept waiting for more like it and it just never came.
I love it when a novel is able to incorporate a lesson or when you are able to learn something from reading it. I believe that is one of the best ways to learn, when you don't even realize that is what you are doing because you are having such a good time. Entertainment can be educational as well.
The entire premise of this book though was that America, being a land of immigrants, in point of fact even for the Native Americans, that America's peoples brought their old Gods from the old lands with them and that over time when the old gods are forgotten, they die. Ok, that is not anything really groundbreaking, it's common sense really. The attempt to turn this premise into a story of the old gods wanting to fight a war with the new Gods for their very survival and incorporating the twist in the end whereby it was not really a war after all, but a bloodbath, just seemed kind of silly to me. The entire idea of the old Gods living human lives just seemed trite and boring. I like at least a semblance of reality in my fiction.
I didn't hate this novel, I was just greatly disappointed because I feel it had such great potential.
In a literary sense it also began to grate on my nerves how Gaiman just could not seem to describe a scene or a character without using the word gray. "The sky was gray." "His eyes were charcoal gray." "The rocks were gray!" I have heard such great things about Neil Gaiman and really enjoyed his short story collection, "Smoke and Mirrors" so I KNOW he has more creativity than this.
Show Less
LibraryThing member SqueakyChu
Shadow is released from prison early after receiving some sad news. On his way home from prison, he is followed by a man whom he can’t seem to shake. When this man, who refers to himself as “Wednesday”, begins to appear uncannily at all places that Shadow travels, Shadow’s interest in him
This story walks a delicate line between reality and fantasy, incorporating characters who may, at first glance, seem normal but are not. In addition, there are many dreams that Shadow experiences that also make it hard to distinguish between fact and fiction in his life. Shadow, however, is a likeable fellow and one with whom the reader sympathizes and wishes well. It is for this reason that this novel succeeds so well. For every difficulty that Shadow faces, the reader is left hoping he’ll make it through his bizarre experiences unharmed.
Show More
becomes more acute to the point that he finally agrees to take a job with him. Shadow is not entirely certain of what his job entails, though.This story walks a delicate line between reality and fantasy, incorporating characters who may, at first glance, seem normal but are not. In addition, there are many dreams that Shadow experiences that also make it hard to distinguish between fact and fiction in his life. Shadow, however, is a likeable fellow and one with whom the reader sympathizes and wishes well. It is for this reason that this novel succeeds so well. For every difficulty that Shadow faces, the reader is left hoping he’ll make it through his bizarre experiences unharmed.
Show Less
LibraryThing member 5hrdrive
First, I admit I cheated a little. I tracked down a website with a list of all the gods, where they're from, and a little of their history. I highly recommend this - if I wasn't able to keep everyone straight I wouldn't have enjoyed the book nearly as much. That being said, I didn't quite like the
I loved the concept of the modern gods replacing the ancient ones. Television, freeways, credit, and more are all treated as objects of worship, which they certainly are in our culture. The moments when Shadow interacted with the TV were priceless.
For me, the whole book can be summed up in one quote by Shadow very near the end of the book:
"This is a bad land for gods, you've probably all learned that, in your own way. The old gods are ignored. The new gods are as quickly taken up as they are abandoned, cast aside for the next big thing. Either you've been forgotten, or you're scared you're going to be rendered obsolete, or maybe you're just getting tired of existing on the whim of people."
On a personal note, I loved the stuff about the House on the Rock - I went there as a kid and was tickled to see it in a major work of fiction like this. Brought back fond memories of family road trips in the car and certainly increased my attachment to the book.
Show More
book as much as I had hoped - it had all the ingredients I like - but it was just a tad too surreal at times for me. And while most questions are answered by the end, not all are - at least not to where I could figure. Why is it that the center is neutral ground? That never rang quite true to me. But it's a long, difficult book, so perhaps all the answers are there for a more astute reader to find.I loved the concept of the modern gods replacing the ancient ones. Television, freeways, credit, and more are all treated as objects of worship, which they certainly are in our culture. The moments when Shadow interacted with the TV were priceless.
For me, the whole book can be summed up in one quote by Shadow very near the end of the book:
"This is a bad land for gods, you've probably all learned that, in your own way. The old gods are ignored. The new gods are as quickly taken up as they are abandoned, cast aside for the next big thing. Either you've been forgotten, or you're scared you're going to be rendered obsolete, or maybe you're just getting tired of existing on the whim of people."
On a personal note, I loved the stuff about the House on the Rock - I went there as a kid and was tickled to see it in a major work of fiction like this. Brought back fond memories of family road trips in the car and certainly increased my attachment to the book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member onyx95
Shadow didn’t want anything but to go home to his wife. After spending time in prison, finding out his wife was killed in a car accident days before he came home to her left him open to new ideas. Taking a job with a man named Wednesday, a man that he met on the plain, he set off for a new
Truly a strange book, the only reason I read this is because I was told ’If you like weird, you will like this’, so I thought I would give it a try. Hard to explain or give a synopsis, very intricate story line. Lots of characters, many of them Gods from many different countries with hard to pronounce and hard to remember names. Some characters had simple names, Mr. World (but he had more than one name), most Gods have more than one name. There was back stories of how and why the Gods were brought to America which did help, never thought I would learn so much about ancient Gods and mythology from a novel (found myself googling Czernobog, Odin, the Zorya sisters and more). There is also time spent in the Gods world, the ’backstage’ that sometimes came across as a dream state. Almost everything was tied up neatly by the end, Neil Gaiman wrote a very imaginative and creative book, I very much enjoyed the “weird” of this one.
Show More
adventure that most would have found unbelievable. Seeing Laura (his dead wife) in the flesh, not just a ghost or a dream was one thing, but meeting Gods, and traveling across America to try and form a strong front was something Shadow took in without much thought. He was able to believe. Truly a strange book, the only reason I read this is because I was told ’If you like weird, you will like this’, so I thought I would give it a try. Hard to explain or give a synopsis, very intricate story line. Lots of characters, many of them Gods from many different countries with hard to pronounce and hard to remember names. Some characters had simple names, Mr. World (but he had more than one name), most Gods have more than one name. There was back stories of how and why the Gods were brought to America which did help, never thought I would learn so much about ancient Gods and mythology from a novel (found myself googling Czernobog, Odin, the Zorya sisters and more). There is also time spent in the Gods world, the ’backstage’ that sometimes came across as a dream state. Almost everything was tied up neatly by the end, Neil Gaiman wrote a very imaginative and creative book, I very much enjoyed the “weird” of this one.
Show Less
LibraryThing member timepiece
I just finished American Gods, and I'm ... disappointed. So many people assured me that it was the most amazing book, that I would love it and - I don't.
And it certainly sounded like something I would adore - modern fantasy, mythology, embodied gods amongst us, road trip ... a lot of elements that
Apart from characterization, the tone also didn't do it for me. I'm very sensitive to tone, though it's hard to describe when trying to explain why you did/didn't enjoy a book. American Gods is definitely dark, melancholy, and for me, kind of flat. Even though a lot of things happened in the book, it all seemed very distant for me, not up close and exciting. The plot just never felt like it was drawing me in.
So, I'm sorry to go against the tide, but I just didn't like this one. I'm not going to argue that Gaiman is an amazing author (I love Good Omens), and his writing is excellent, but this one didn't do it for me.
And it certainly sounded like something I would adore - modern fantasy, mythology, embodied gods amongst us, road trip ... a lot of elements that
Show More
I love. The plot sounded promising, and was executed well. But it was very hard for me to become invested in any of the characters. None of them were very likable. The protagonist, Shadow, seemed almost emotionless and hard to empathize with, even when his circumstances were awful. And the fact that his background was kept mysterious (reason for jail? parents?) made him seem not real.Apart from characterization, the tone also didn't do it for me. I'm very sensitive to tone, though it's hard to describe when trying to explain why you did/didn't enjoy a book. American Gods is definitely dark, melancholy, and for me, kind of flat. Even though a lot of things happened in the book, it all seemed very distant for me, not up close and exciting. The plot just never felt like it was drawing me in.
So, I'm sorry to go against the tide, but I just didn't like this one. I'm not going to argue that Gaiman is an amazing author (I love Good Omens), and his writing is excellent, but this one didn't do it for me.
Show Less
LibraryThing member stacy_chambers
My all-time favorite Gaiman book. Old gods struggling to survive clash with the new gods of technology and commerce. All the while its protagonist, Shadow, struggles with the infidelities and death of his wife.
LibraryThing member ejp1082
True to the title, this is a very American book. It follows the character Shadow as he travels throughout (mostly) the midwest, experiencing various slices of Americana along the way - sleepy small towns, roadside attractions, and the vast land that is America. Though it features mythological Gods
It's also urban fantasy at its finest. It was grounded in gritty reality - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Yet illustrated a world of Gods and magic, hidden just beyond our view, and utterly believable. It explores some big ideas - the conflict between the Gods of old and the newer idols like television and media, and the role that worship and belief plays in shaping our world. Combined with Neil Gaiman's customary brilliant prose, it has all the elements of a great book, and great literature.
So why only three stars? Mostly because the plot moved glacially slow through much of the book, to the point that I found myself bored from time to time. The ending had a nice twist, and everything came together in a satisfying way. I just wish it could have gotten there a little quicker.
Show More
from all over the world - the Norse, Egyptian, Pagan, and Native American pantheons all make appearances, among others - America itself is the most prominent feature throughout the novel; it's the backdrop, and as much a character as any other in the book, if not moreso.It's also urban fantasy at its finest. It was grounded in gritty reality - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Yet illustrated a world of Gods and magic, hidden just beyond our view, and utterly believable. It explores some big ideas - the conflict between the Gods of old and the newer idols like television and media, and the role that worship and belief plays in shaping our world. Combined with Neil Gaiman's customary brilliant prose, it has all the elements of a great book, and great literature.
So why only three stars? Mostly because the plot moved glacially slow through much of the book, to the point that I found myself bored from time to time. The ending had a nice twist, and everything came together in a satisfying way. I just wish it could have gotten there a little quicker.
Show Less
LibraryThing member krisiti
Left me a little cool. I'm starting to understand the people who say Gaiman can't write.I mean, he can write, and very well indeed. But something... the characters didn't grab me.. something.Characters. Now that I think of it, none of his novels have really had characters, probably not the short
Show More
stories either. They have a main character, and events happen to him. Interesting events, often, but. I need more relationship.And the book was called American Gods, but it didn't seem very American somehow. Not Un-American, or Anti-American, just sort of beside the point. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Hugo Award (Nominee — Novel — 2002)
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 2002)
Audie Award (Finalist — Audiobook of the Year — 2012)
Locus Award (Finalist — Fantasy Novel — 2002)
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — Adult Literature — 2002)
World Fantasy Award (Nominee — Novel — 2002)
Bram Stoker Award (Nominee — Novel — 2001)
SF Site Reader's Choice (2001)
British Fantasy Award (Nominee — August Derleth Fantasy Award — 2002)
SF Site Editor's Choice (2001)
International Horror Guild Award (Nominee — Best Novel — 2001)
British Science Fiction Association Award (Shortlist — Novel — 2001)
Geffen Award (2003)
Italia Award (Finalist — 2003)
Nagroda SFinks (2003)
Locus Recommended Reading (2001)
The Guardian 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read (Science Fiction and Fantasy)
Language
Original publication date
2001