Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
William Morrow, Edition: First Edition/First Printing
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Mythology. Thriller. HTML: Now a STARZ® Original Series produced by FremantleMedia North America starring Ricky Whittle, Ian McShane, Emily Browning, and Pablo Schreiber. Locked behind bars for three years, Shadow did his time, quietly waiting for the day when he could return to Eagle Point, Indiana. A man no longer scared of what tomorrow might bring, all he wanted was to be with Laura, the wife he deeply loved, and start a new life. But just days before his release, Laura and Shadow's best friend are killed in an accident. With his life in pieces and nothing to keep him tethered, Shadow accepts a job from a beguiling stranger he meets on the way home, an enigmatic man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday. A trickster and a rogue, Wednesday seems to know more about Shadow than Shadow does himself. Life as Wednesday's bodyguard, driver, and errand boy is far more interesting and dangerous than Shadow ever imagined. Soon Shadow learns that the past never dies . . . and that beneath the placid surface of everyday life a storm is brewing�??an epic war for the very soul of America�??and that he is standing squarely in its path. "Mystery, satire, sex, horror, poetic prose�??American Gods uses all these to keep the reader turning the pages."�??Washington Post… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member edgeworth
I've followed Neil Gaiman's blog for a long time, finding it interesting to peer into the life of a fairly well-known author, despite the fact that until now I'd never read anything of his except for a handful of Sandman comics (illegally downloaded, no less). I bought American Gods sometime last
And the problem with having a book staring down at you from the shelf for so long is that you develop certain expectations, which are invariably wrong. American Gods wasn't precisely the kind of book I thought it would be, nor was it quite as good as I thought it would be. I thought it would be a little more... epic, but instead it had quite a casual feel to it, like a run-of-the-mill Stephen King novel from the 90's.
A few days before his three-year prison sentence is up, Shadow's wife is killed in a car accident, and he is released early. On the plane on the way home he meets the enigmatic Mr. Wednesday, who offers him a job. It soon becomes clear that Wednesday is an old and ancient god, trying to assemble the many other ancient gods, the immigrant gods, against the homegrown American deities representing television, the internet, the media, drugs, cars, shady government agents and every other element of modern American mythology. A battle is coming, and Wednesday wants to win.
The fundamental idea is that gods run on belief - that they need us, not the other way around. If people stop believing in them, they'll grow weak and eventually cease to exist. It's a common theme in Terry Pratchett's work, an author Gaiman has worked with closely in the past, but I don't know which (if either) of them came up with it. It's also clearly about immigration - that America is a land of immigrants, from the Muslims and Asians of the 20th century, back through the Eastern Europeans in the 19th, and the African slaves in the 18th, right down to the prehistoric nomads who crossed the Bering Strait, all of them bringing their gods with them. America is a melting pot, and thus we have Norse gods mixing with Hindu gods, Anansi hanging out with Czernobog, Eostre working with Horus.
On the flipside of the coin we have the idea of modern America as a legendary, fantastic place. Neil Gaiman is British, not American, and as such he grew up in a world bombarded with American media and culture, and his ideas about America being a wholly unreal, mythical place struck a chord with my own. There's a certain power to names like "California" and "Las Vegas" and "New York." To somebody like myself, they're powerful icons, symbols of something huge and vast and powerful. And that, too, is what American Gods is about: symbols and metaphors and imagery. Because that's all that religion is, as Shadow says at one point, and if the book wasn't more than 600 pages long I'd flip through it trying to find the verbatim quote. But this idea felt under-developed; Shadow spends most of the book around Minnesota and Illinois and Wisconsin, that blurry part of the Midwest that is actually the least legendary part of America, the most unknown, the most humdrum and ordinary.
Or maybe that's just my unfair expectations again.
This is a pretty rambling review; it's two in the morning and I'm out of practice. Is it a good book? Yes, it is, although not a great book. It wasn't as good as it could have been, given the very interesting ideas it was forged on, but the majority of it was entertaining, albeit it slowly-paced, and the conclusion was wholly unexpected and very satisfying. I also feel like there were a lot of things that weren't hidden away, not quite obvious, as one would expect from a book about symbols and allegories; my opinion may very well improve after another read. But it's a thick book, and that to-be-read pile is awfully tall...
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year, but it kept getting pushed further down my to-be-read pile for various reasons.And the problem with having a book staring down at you from the shelf for so long is that you develop certain expectations, which are invariably wrong. American Gods wasn't precisely the kind of book I thought it would be, nor was it quite as good as I thought it would be. I thought it would be a little more... epic, but instead it had quite a casual feel to it, like a run-of-the-mill Stephen King novel from the 90's.
A few days before his three-year prison sentence is up, Shadow's wife is killed in a car accident, and he is released early. On the plane on the way home he meets the enigmatic Mr. Wednesday, who offers him a job. It soon becomes clear that Wednesday is an old and ancient god, trying to assemble the many other ancient gods, the immigrant gods, against the homegrown American deities representing television, the internet, the media, drugs, cars, shady government agents and every other element of modern American mythology. A battle is coming, and Wednesday wants to win.
The fundamental idea is that gods run on belief - that they need us, not the other way around. If people stop believing in them, they'll grow weak and eventually cease to exist. It's a common theme in Terry Pratchett's work, an author Gaiman has worked with closely in the past, but I don't know which (if either) of them came up with it. It's also clearly about immigration - that America is a land of immigrants, from the Muslims and Asians of the 20th century, back through the Eastern Europeans in the 19th, and the African slaves in the 18th, right down to the prehistoric nomads who crossed the Bering Strait, all of them bringing their gods with them. America is a melting pot, and thus we have Norse gods mixing with Hindu gods, Anansi hanging out with Czernobog, Eostre working with Horus.
On the flipside of the coin we have the idea of modern America as a legendary, fantastic place. Neil Gaiman is British, not American, and as such he grew up in a world bombarded with American media and culture, and his ideas about America being a wholly unreal, mythical place struck a chord with my own. There's a certain power to names like "California" and "Las Vegas" and "New York." To somebody like myself, they're powerful icons, symbols of something huge and vast and powerful. And that, too, is what American Gods is about: symbols and metaphors and imagery. Because that's all that religion is, as Shadow says at one point, and if the book wasn't more than 600 pages long I'd flip through it trying to find the verbatim quote. But this idea felt under-developed; Shadow spends most of the book around Minnesota and Illinois and Wisconsin, that blurry part of the Midwest that is actually the least legendary part of America, the most unknown, the most humdrum and ordinary.
Or maybe that's just my unfair expectations again.
This is a pretty rambling review; it's two in the morning and I'm out of practice. Is it a good book? Yes, it is, although not a great book. It wasn't as good as it could have been, given the very interesting ideas it was forged on, but the majority of it was entertaining, albeit it slowly-paced, and the conclusion was wholly unexpected and very satisfying. I also feel like there were a lot of things that weren't hidden away, not quite obvious, as one would expect from a book about symbols and allegories; my opinion may very well improve after another read. But it's a thick book, and that to-be-read pile is awfully tall...
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LibraryThing member klarusu
This was a slow-burner of a book for me. Neil Gaiman has been on my 'must read' list for quite a while. From what I'd heard, I guessed I was going to love his work so it was one of those treats you save for later. I was initially disappointed - OK, but not a revelation. Then, about 100 pages in I
Essentially set on the cusp of a new age, this novel deals with the beliefs of the past and the objects of devotion in the often spiritually bereft society we live in now. The rich description of the 'American Gods' brings them alive and they become a living, credible part of the world we live in today. Without giving too much away, the brilliant and novel idea behind the source of their existence on the new continent is a stroke of imaginative genius. As you become accustomed to the diversions from the main plot that introduce the plethora of deities to you, the tale becomes denser and fuller by merit of their presence.
Shadow is a likeable protagonist. He is complex and lives in the grey areas between the monochromatic morality that society purports to adhere to. What makes him believeable and endears him to us is that deep down we too exist in the grey. The old Gods are fantastic characters. Gaiman brings them alive, not falling back on the safety cushion of how the literary canon has portrayed them before but making them real - with humour, personality quirks and emotions. If this is what Gods were really like, I might recant my agnostic stance. What is truly wonderful about this novel is that rather than just existing as a setting for the protagonists to navigate through, America lives, breathes and chokes its way through the alternative existence Gaiman has created for it - but a parallel America, not quite the one we know. The description is vibrant enough to cause the reader to look on America with fresh eyes. Gaiman's America will always lurk beneath the surface. Coming from a multinational family, I found the subtextual treatment of immigration an interesting aside. I loved the idea of the traditions, superstitions and beliefs of an old world carrying something more than purely memories to a new home. The fact that no matter how much we'd like to believe that we travel unencumbered, rags and threads of our past and our homeland still cling.
I wished Gaiman had made more of the modern Gods. While the ancient Gods were rich and full, I felt that their modern equivalents were a missed opportunity. It's not that they were young upstarts with less history - even conveying that still left room for the chance to afford them greater impact on the reader. The weak spot in the book for me was the ending - I loved the build up but the denoument was anticlimactic, it was over too fast. That said, these are minor gripes. I'd strongly recommend this book to those of you who enjoy an unusual perspective on the familiar. Thematically and stylistically, it owes more to 'The Master and Margarita' than to modern fantasy novels. Dare I suggest that, based on this, Neil Gaiman has created a class of his own - Fiction: Gaiman - which sits somewhere between cult Eastern European allegory and western Fantasy/Cyberpunk writing. Don't prejudge whether Gaiman's writing is for you, dive in and you may be surprised.
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started to 'get' it. By the end, I had been drawn in completely to the rich, full reading experience that is Neil Gaiman. I couldn't put it down.Essentially set on the cusp of a new age, this novel deals with the beliefs of the past and the objects of devotion in the often spiritually bereft society we live in now. The rich description of the 'American Gods' brings them alive and they become a living, credible part of the world we live in today. Without giving too much away, the brilliant and novel idea behind the source of their existence on the new continent is a stroke of imaginative genius. As you become accustomed to the diversions from the main plot that introduce the plethora of deities to you, the tale becomes denser and fuller by merit of their presence.
Shadow is a likeable protagonist. He is complex and lives in the grey areas between the monochromatic morality that society purports to adhere to. What makes him believeable and endears him to us is that deep down we too exist in the grey. The old Gods are fantastic characters. Gaiman brings them alive, not falling back on the safety cushion of how the literary canon has portrayed them before but making them real - with humour, personality quirks and emotions. If this is what Gods were really like, I might recant my agnostic stance. What is truly wonderful about this novel is that rather than just existing as a setting for the protagonists to navigate through, America lives, breathes and chokes its way through the alternative existence Gaiman has created for it - but a parallel America, not quite the one we know. The description is vibrant enough to cause the reader to look on America with fresh eyes. Gaiman's America will always lurk beneath the surface. Coming from a multinational family, I found the subtextual treatment of immigration an interesting aside. I loved the idea of the traditions, superstitions and beliefs of an old world carrying something more than purely memories to a new home. The fact that no matter how much we'd like to believe that we travel unencumbered, rags and threads of our past and our homeland still cling.
I wished Gaiman had made more of the modern Gods. While the ancient Gods were rich and full, I felt that their modern equivalents were a missed opportunity. It's not that they were young upstarts with less history - even conveying that still left room for the chance to afford them greater impact on the reader. The weak spot in the book for me was the ending - I loved the build up but the denoument was anticlimactic, it was over too fast. That said, these are minor gripes. I'd strongly recommend this book to those of you who enjoy an unusual perspective on the familiar. Thematically and stylistically, it owes more to 'The Master and Margarita' than to modern fantasy novels. Dare I suggest that, based on this, Neil Gaiman has created a class of his own - Fiction: Gaiman - which sits somewhere between cult Eastern European allegory and western Fantasy/Cyberpunk writing. Don't prejudge whether Gaiman's writing is for you, dive in and you may be surprised.
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LibraryThing member -Eva-
When he gets out of prison, Shadow is hired by the mysterious Wednesday to be his bodyguard as he travels across America to rally support for his side in the impending war between new and old gods. This is just such a fantastic road movie in book format. The pace is meandering and, although we're
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building up to a war, there is no real sense of urgency, other in that we wonder where the various adversaries will bring Shadow and what troubles they will inflict upon him. I am also ridiculously fond of fiction which takes mythology and gives it a new spin, so this is extremely appealing to me and, especially as a fan of Sandman, I enjoyed the plethora of characters and ideas presented (as well as the small cameo by Delirium and Barnabas). When I read this the first time, I had only lived in the US a few years and I was impressed with how Gaiman caught the mood of this country, especially its distinct boundlessness, and this reread does nothing to change that - in fact, most of all it makes me want to get into my car and go off on an epic road trip. This time around I read the 10th anniversary edition which is a little longer than the original, but only slightly different. If you already own the original version, there isn't really a need to get this one, but if you're buying it for the first time, this is the edition to get. Show Less
LibraryThing member Widsith
I find it really weird how many American media products have the word "American" in the title. Obviously, this; a few weeks back I also read American Rust. You've got your American Beauty, American Ninja, An American Werewolf in London. American Psycho. American Sniper. American Pie, American Dad,
Anyway, I really didn't get this book. It made no sense to me at all. I mean it's a fun conceit, that gods are living among men in modern day America, desperate to regain the faith they once commanded, but I just felt like it wasn't thought through properly. It presents itself as being predicated on the idea that ‘America is a bad land for gods’ – this is something that characters keep saying to one another, moodily, that America is a really bad land for gods – and this is apparently why all the gods are now living hand-to-mouth existences as drifters or menial labourers.
Only – huh? Are we talking about the same America here? The one where 51 percent of the population think that humans were created by a divine being, and a further 40 percent think they were created by evolution which was set in motion by a divine being (leaving, as Tim Minchin said, a very small percentage of Americans who are right)? Is that the America that is supposed to be a bad land for gods? Do me a favour, it must be one of the most religious countries in the western world. I've driven through my share of rural Tennessee, where much of American Gods takes place, and one of the most striking things about these communities is the fact that there seems to be one church for every six or seven houses. God is invoked on the currency, on the news, by the head of state, and in schoolrooms every morning by little kids.
This is what is so frustrating about the book, because it seems like a brilliant chance to examine religion in the US in a cool and interesting way – but it doesn't. It either doesn't dare or it doesn't bother. I mean – if you're going to run with this idea that gods are walking around, with the more powerful deities being those who have the most believers, then where the fuck is Yahweh? I'm supposed to believe that Anubis is twatting around driving a hearse in fucking Cairo, IL. – despite the fact that no one in the history of America has ever worshipped Anubis – and yet Jesus doesn't make a single appearance? Somehow it's OK to play around with foreign gods that seem quaint or folkloric, but monotheism's off the table. It just didn't make any sense to me.¹
Instead, what we have to propel the narrative along is just a kind of comic-book war that we're supposed to care about. So although there were quite a few scenes that had me flipping the pages with engagement, there was always this nagging feeling that none of it really meant anything and that I didn't really care very much what happened to anyone. It doesn't help that the protagonist (with the dreadful name of ‘Shadow Moon’) is, for a central character, annoyingly passive and lacking in personality (although the goddesses he encounters still have a remarkable habit of wanting to have sex with him).
As for the writing style, well, it's fine, but it has absolutely no flair. There's quite an interesting bit in the Acknowledgements where Gaiman thanks many of his beta-readers and editors for spotting ‘stray and unintentional anglicisms’, presumably so he could remove them; this I think is something that contributes to the featureless blandness of his style. I'm not saying he is unentitled to this voice or anything like that – his wife is American, he lives in America, this is totally an authentic voice for him. It's just not one that has any character. It works in a kind of tab-A-into-slot-B way.
This is certainly not a bad book and it's quite readable – I think I'm just disappointed because I had unfairly high hopes, and I liked the concept, and I have a lot of friends who really enjoyed it. For me it was just a bit baffling and cartoony. In the same way that His Dark Materials is like a children's story for grown-ups, American Gods felt like an adult story for children. This is my third Neil Gaiman book (after Sandman and Smoke and Mirrors) and they have all been underwhelming; I think I'll just leave him alone now, since I'm sure they deserve higher ratings than I'm prepared to give them, but that's what you get when I try and squeeze in a review at 01:23 am in a foreign city when I still have another two hours' work to do before I can go to bed.
¹This "Tenth Anniversary Edition" includes in its appendices a brief section in which Jesus does, in fact make a brief appearance. This was cut from the original published version, and you can see why; it is very short and it raises more questions than it answers. The problem is, these are the questions the book should have been about.
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American Graffiti. What is going on here, what are they trying to prove?? I really don't understand it. I mean you'd never get "British Beauty", "French Psycho", would you? That just seems completely laughable.Anyway, I really didn't get this book. It made no sense to me at all. I mean it's a fun conceit, that gods are living among men in modern day America, desperate to regain the faith they once commanded, but I just felt like it wasn't thought through properly. It presents itself as being predicated on the idea that ‘America is a bad land for gods’ – this is something that characters keep saying to one another, moodily, that America is a really bad land for gods – and this is apparently why all the gods are now living hand-to-mouth existences as drifters or menial labourers.
Only – huh? Are we talking about the same America here? The one where 51 percent of the population think that humans were created by a divine being, and a further 40 percent think they were created by evolution which was set in motion by a divine being (leaving, as Tim Minchin said, a very small percentage of Americans who are right)? Is that the America that is supposed to be a bad land for gods? Do me a favour, it must be one of the most religious countries in the western world. I've driven through my share of rural Tennessee, where much of American Gods takes place, and one of the most striking things about these communities is the fact that there seems to be one church for every six or seven houses. God is invoked on the currency, on the news, by the head of state, and in schoolrooms every morning by little kids.
This is what is so frustrating about the book, because it seems like a brilliant chance to examine religion in the US in a cool and interesting way – but it doesn't. It either doesn't dare or it doesn't bother. I mean – if you're going to run with this idea that gods are walking around, with the more powerful deities being those who have the most believers, then where the fuck is Yahweh? I'm supposed to believe that Anubis is twatting around driving a hearse in fucking Cairo, IL. – despite the fact that no one in the history of America has ever worshipped Anubis – and yet Jesus doesn't make a single appearance? Somehow it's OK to play around with foreign gods that seem quaint or folkloric, but monotheism's off the table. It just didn't make any sense to me.¹
Instead, what we have to propel the narrative along is just a kind of comic-book war that we're supposed to care about. So although there were quite a few scenes that had me flipping the pages with engagement, there was always this nagging feeling that none of it really meant anything and that I didn't really care very much what happened to anyone. It doesn't help that the protagonist (with the dreadful name of ‘Shadow Moon’) is, for a central character, annoyingly passive and lacking in personality (although the goddesses he encounters still have a remarkable habit of wanting to have sex with him).
As for the writing style, well, it's fine, but it has absolutely no flair. There's quite an interesting bit in the Acknowledgements where Gaiman thanks many of his beta-readers and editors for spotting ‘stray and unintentional anglicisms’, presumably so he could remove them; this I think is something that contributes to the featureless blandness of his style. I'm not saying he is unentitled to this voice or anything like that – his wife is American, he lives in America, this is totally an authentic voice for him. It's just not one that has any character. It works in a kind of tab-A-into-slot-B way.
This is certainly not a bad book and it's quite readable – I think I'm just disappointed because I had unfairly high hopes, and I liked the concept, and I have a lot of friends who really enjoyed it. For me it was just a bit baffling and cartoony. In the same way that His Dark Materials is like a children's story for grown-ups, American Gods felt like an adult story for children. This is my third Neil Gaiman book (after Sandman and Smoke and Mirrors) and they have all been underwhelming; I think I'll just leave him alone now, since I'm sure they deserve higher ratings than I'm prepared to give them, but that's what you get when I try and squeeze in a review at 01:23 am in a foreign city when I still have another two hours' work to do before I can go to bed.
¹This "Tenth Anniversary Edition" includes in its appendices a brief section in which Jesus does, in fact make a brief appearance. This was cut from the original published version, and you can see why; it is very short and it raises more questions than it answers. The problem is, these are the questions the book should have been about.
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LibraryThing member MyopicBookworm
I'm not put off by big books, and this one had me turning pages for a couple of days. It won awards in both fantasy and horror (and, weirdly, in SF), and my personal preference is definitely for the fantasy element over the horror (though the latter was not too overdone). It is certainly as "big
His geography, though, is not Cabell's vague Europe or Dunsany's not-quite-anywhere, but the American Midwest (Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, and environs). I can't exactly vouch for the accuracy of all of his depiction, not because I haven't been there, but because I can't really remember much about it: outside major towns such as La Crosse, WI, most of it is just as unmemorable as he makes it sound. His picture of American back-of-beyond tourist attractions is definitely spot-on: vast toy collections or fields full of gently decaying plaster dinosaurs, advertised by roadside billboards which may stretch a hundred miles or more into the next state. And reading his description of the cold, I'm grateful never to have been up that way in winter.
As for the story: well, imagine that Stephen King and Garrison Keillor had tried to collaborate on a Tom Holt plot, then throw in a chunk of Frazer's Golden Bough and a nod to cyberpunk. No? Well, it plays on the fantasy trope of pagan gods surviving into the modern world, sustained by a dwindling pool of belief. This has been well served in lighter mode by both Holt and Pratchett, but Gaiman brings fresh imagination to it, along with walking corpses, coin tricks, and more sex, torture, and death than I really go for in my reading matter. There is much graphic illustration of the sheer horridness of much ancient religion (so far as we know it). The gods in this tale are not effete classical deities or picturesque robed figures of post-Wagnerian romance: they are steeped in blood and human sacrifice. There are some hard sections highlighting the utter inhumanity underlying so much of the European/African settlement of America, with its slavery and indentured servitude, and its callous disregard for the local people.
I'm glad I read this book - even some of the bits that I really didn't enjoy - but it helped to have glimpsed the America it describes.
MB 8-ii-2012
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and odd and meandering" as the author intended. Several chapters seem to be almost free-standing short stories, thematically linked to the novel but not pertinent to the plot, or at least very marginal. Gaiman's mention (in the acknowledgements) of James Branch Cabell, producer of similarly bewildering novels exploring myth and belief, is certainly a pertinent reference. (He name-checks Terry Pratchett, Roger Zelazny, and Harlan Ellison too, though not Lord Dunsany, who trod these paths over a century ago in Time and the Gods. I also guess that he may have read John James's Votan and Not for All the Gold in Ireland.) His geography, though, is not Cabell's vague Europe or Dunsany's not-quite-anywhere, but the American Midwest (Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, and environs). I can't exactly vouch for the accuracy of all of his depiction, not because I haven't been there, but because I can't really remember much about it: outside major towns such as La Crosse, WI, most of it is just as unmemorable as he makes it sound. His picture of American back-of-beyond tourist attractions is definitely spot-on: vast toy collections or fields full of gently decaying plaster dinosaurs, advertised by roadside billboards which may stretch a hundred miles or more into the next state. And reading his description of the cold, I'm grateful never to have been up that way in winter.
As for the story: well, imagine that Stephen King and Garrison Keillor had tried to collaborate on a Tom Holt plot, then throw in a chunk of Frazer's Golden Bough and a nod to cyberpunk. No? Well, it plays on the fantasy trope of pagan gods surviving into the modern world, sustained by a dwindling pool of belief. This has been well served in lighter mode by both Holt and Pratchett, but Gaiman brings fresh imagination to it, along with walking corpses, coin tricks, and more sex, torture, and death than I really go for in my reading matter. There is much graphic illustration of the sheer horridness of much ancient religion (so far as we know it). The gods in this tale are not effete classical deities or picturesque robed figures of post-Wagnerian romance: they are steeped in blood and human sacrifice. There are some hard sections highlighting the utter inhumanity underlying so much of the European/African settlement of America, with its slavery and indentured servitude, and its callous disregard for the local people.
I'm glad I read this book - even some of the bits that I really didn't enjoy - but it helped to have glimpsed the America it describes.
MB 8-ii-2012
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LibraryThing member Jenners26
THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE AUDIOBOOK VERSION
In Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, every immigrant to America brings with them the gods of their homeland. As the country has grown, however, these gods have been forgotten. New gods—the gods of railroads, cars, media and computers—have arisen and taken
I’ve been hearing about Neil Gaiman ever since I started blogging and made a mental note to try one of his books. So when Audible had a special on The Tenth Anniversary Edition of American Gods with a full-cast recording, I decided to take the leap into Gaiman land. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this long rambling book wasn’t it. Perhaps it was the fact that the book was too many things at once: a long road trip, a fantasy book with every mythological creature you’ve ever heard of, a murder mystery, a love story, a commentary on America, a history lesson.
The most interesting aspect of the book was the incarnations of the various gods in their “Americanized” form. If nothing else, the book made me want to run out and purchase a book of myths to learn more about the various incarnations of the gods that immigrants brought with them to America. I’m sure that a really good background on various myths from a variety of countries would greatly enhance the reading experience. (Note: After typing the previous sentence, I found this web site which provides basic information on the gods referenced in the book. Reading through it, I realize that having this information would have made a real difference in my appreciation and enjoyment of the book! In fact, just reading through the web site and seeing what Gaiman has done, is now retroactively making me change my opinion about the book.)
I know that Gaiman first came to prominence with the Sandman graphic novels, and if ever a book cried out for illustrations, American Gods is it. In fact, I think this book would have totally rocked as a graphic novel. The visuals were easy to conjure up in my mind, and as I listened, I was almost picturing such a book in my head.
In the end, I think a really good grounding in mythology would make this a much richer and deeper read/listen. You cannot just go into this book without any knowledge or you’ll find that, on the surface, it is a long and meandering book that can begin to get frustrating. However, if you have a good grounding in mythology (or at least browse through the web site I linked to above before reading), the book might come alive for you in a way that it didn’t for me during my 19 hours of listening.
ABOUT THE NARRATION
I love listening to books that have multiple narrators. It makes the book come alive in a very different way. Also, in a long listen like this one, having different voices added variety and interest. It also helped me keep track of who was talking as I got to know the voices of the main characters. Still, all things considered, I think I would have preferred an annotated and illustrated print version of the book (not that such a version exists—but what an awesome idea for the 20th anniversary of the book!!!)
In Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, every immigrant to America brings with them the gods of their homeland. As the country has grown, however, these gods have been forgotten. New gods—the gods of railroads, cars, media and computers—have arisen and taken
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their place and their power. But the old gods—stuck in this land that isn’t made for gods—won’t go down without a fight. Mr. Wednesday is attempting to organize the old gods for the coming battle with the new gods. To help him, he’s recruited Shadow—a man whose release from prison coincides with the death of his beloved wife Laura. With nothing left to lose, Shadow agrees to work for Wednesday and finds himself embarking on a long strange trip to some of the holy places of America—all the while catching glimpses into the “backstage” world of the gods.I’ve been hearing about Neil Gaiman ever since I started blogging and made a mental note to try one of his books. So when Audible had a special on The Tenth Anniversary Edition of American Gods with a full-cast recording, I decided to take the leap into Gaiman land. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this long rambling book wasn’t it. Perhaps it was the fact that the book was too many things at once: a long road trip, a fantasy book with every mythological creature you’ve ever heard of, a murder mystery, a love story, a commentary on America, a history lesson.
The most interesting aspect of the book was the incarnations of the various gods in their “Americanized” form. If nothing else, the book made me want to run out and purchase a book of myths to learn more about the various incarnations of the gods that immigrants brought with them to America. I’m sure that a really good background on various myths from a variety of countries would greatly enhance the reading experience. (Note: After typing the previous sentence, I found this web site which provides basic information on the gods referenced in the book. Reading through it, I realize that having this information would have made a real difference in my appreciation and enjoyment of the book! In fact, just reading through the web site and seeing what Gaiman has done, is now retroactively making me change my opinion about the book.)
I know that Gaiman first came to prominence with the Sandman graphic novels, and if ever a book cried out for illustrations, American Gods is it. In fact, I think this book would have totally rocked as a graphic novel. The visuals were easy to conjure up in my mind, and as I listened, I was almost picturing such a book in my head.
In the end, I think a really good grounding in mythology would make this a much richer and deeper read/listen. You cannot just go into this book without any knowledge or you’ll find that, on the surface, it is a long and meandering book that can begin to get frustrating. However, if you have a good grounding in mythology (or at least browse through the web site I linked to above before reading), the book might come alive for you in a way that it didn’t for me during my 19 hours of listening.
ABOUT THE NARRATION
I love listening to books that have multiple narrators. It makes the book come alive in a very different way. Also, in a long listen like this one, having different voices added variety and interest. It also helped me keep track of who was talking as I got to know the voices of the main characters. Still, all things considered, I think I would have preferred an annotated and illustrated print version of the book (not that such a version exists—but what an awesome idea for the 20th anniversary of the book!!!)
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LibraryThing member jenreidreads
I seem to prefer Gaiman's shorter works. I loved Stardust and Coraline, but I did not love American Gods. As another reviewer said, perhaps that is because of this novel's grittiness - I, too, like my fiction to take me out of this world, rather than have it show me the terrible sides of the world
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in which I live. I also couldn't connect to the characters. Obviously, many of them are gods, but even Shadow was difficult to sympathize with. The book felt much too long for me. It took me an entire month to read, when usually I finish a book in a week or less. The plot meandered instead of grabbing me and pulling me along. I know this novel is considered to be one of Gaiman's best, but I really didn't love it. Show Less
LibraryThing member jonwwil
This was my first Gaiman experience. Not intentionally--I've been kind of reading around him for years, and just never got around to picking one up and reading it until now.
The verdict: I liked it, but not as much as I was hoping or expecting I would. For one thing, I wonder a little bit if I would
I also didn't particularly connect with any of the characters. The main character, Shadow, was pretty aloof throughout the bulk of the novel, just going with the flow and going where events took him. That's not necessarily a bad thing in itself, but it seemed a little incongruous for that type of character to be going on this grand journey of America and swept into these momentous events rather than directing any of the action himself. You realize as the novel progresses, of course, that that's sort of the point, but still, as you're reading, it just seems strange.
That said, one element of this novel that I did find quite compelling is the relationship between Shadow and his wife Laura. It's nuanced and complex, and not just because she's recently deceased. It's one source of genuine surprise throughout, as it never takes quite the turn you expect.
Also, the writing is fantastic. It's fascinating to see America itself examined in depth through the eyes of an outsider immersed in the culture, and Gaiman does an amazing job of capturing scenes and moments in ways that ring true. That's quite an accomplishment for a novel based in mythology and fantasy, with so many aspects of surreality. And the writing of various gods posing as more or less ordinary human beings was often delightful.
So yeah, while I didn't absolutely love this book, there's enough that I really dug about it that I can get why people really like his work. I'll check out some more of it.
The verdict: I liked it, but not as much as I was hoping or expecting I would. For one thing, I wonder a little bit if I would
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have preferred to read a version other than the "Author's Preferred Text." There were quite a few digressions that, while interesting, may not have been entirely essential to the story. Then again, I have no way of knowing that the sections in question were the sections that were left out of the original edition, so that may not have helped. In general, though, I do think it could have been a little more tightly written.I also didn't particularly connect with any of the characters. The main character, Shadow, was pretty aloof throughout the bulk of the novel, just going with the flow and going where events took him. That's not necessarily a bad thing in itself, but it seemed a little incongruous for that type of character to be going on this grand journey of America and swept into these momentous events rather than directing any of the action himself. You realize as the novel progresses, of course, that that's sort of the point, but still, as you're reading, it just seems strange.
That said, one element of this novel that I did find quite compelling is the relationship between Shadow and his wife Laura. It's nuanced and complex, and not just because she's recently deceased. It's one source of genuine surprise throughout, as it never takes quite the turn you expect.
Also, the writing is fantastic. It's fascinating to see America itself examined in depth through the eyes of an outsider immersed in the culture, and Gaiman does an amazing job of capturing scenes and moments in ways that ring true. That's quite an accomplishment for a novel based in mythology and fantasy, with so many aspects of surreality. And the writing of various gods posing as more or less ordinary human beings was often delightful.
So yeah, while I didn't absolutely love this book, there's enough that I really dug about it that I can get why people really like his work. I'll check out some more of it.
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LibraryThing member spounds
It took me nearly 2 months to make my way through this book and I'm still trying to decide if it was worth the effort. In the Introduction of the book, Gaiman says that he wanted it to be "big and odd and meandering." It certainly is that.
I did find the premise of the book to be original. When
Shadow, recently released from prison, is offered a job by the mysterious Mr Wednesday to be his driver as he amasses the older gods for the coming fight. As Shadow and Wednesday make their way through the mid-American landscape, Gaiman introduces a host of characters and places with only a smattering of plot to tie them all together. Here and there he includes more traditional stories and breaks in every now and then with a Coming to America segment that detail how many of the different gods were brought to this country. I found these the most interesting.
As much as I liked the premise, I kept waiting for something to happen. When the big climax of the book did happen, ironically it seemed anti-climatic. We went through all those pages for this, I thought?
I listened to this book via Audible. It is one of the first books I've listened to that had a full cast recording. I found that really disconcerting at first, not just because it was strange to hear all those different voices, but because the dialogue was so short, the voices seemed contrived. Later though, as I became used to it, I did think the voices helped me keep track of who was whom in the large cast of characters.
Overall, an interesting read/listen, but not my favorite.
I did find the premise of the book to be original. When
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people from all over the world came to American from other countries, they brought their gods with them. Now hundreds and even thousands of years later, these gods are in danger of dying out and being replaced by the newer gods of media, technology, and the like. A battle is brewing.Shadow, recently released from prison, is offered a job by the mysterious Mr Wednesday to be his driver as he amasses the older gods for the coming fight. As Shadow and Wednesday make their way through the mid-American landscape, Gaiman introduces a host of characters and places with only a smattering of plot to tie them all together. Here and there he includes more traditional stories and breaks in every now and then with a Coming to America segment that detail how many of the different gods were brought to this country. I found these the most interesting.
As much as I liked the premise, I kept waiting for something to happen. When the big climax of the book did happen, ironically it seemed anti-climatic. We went through all those pages for this, I thought?
I listened to this book via Audible. It is one of the first books I've listened to that had a full cast recording. I found that really disconcerting at first, not just because it was strange to hear all those different voices, but because the dialogue was so short, the voices seemed contrived. Later though, as I became used to it, I did think the voices helped me keep track of who was whom in the large cast of characters.
Overall, an interesting read/listen, but not my favorite.
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LibraryThing member Phrim
What a book. Here, Gaiman masterfully weaves Middle-American culture with ancient mythology to create a rich and imaginative world. As I was reading this, I thought that only Neil Gaiman, who himself moved from the UK to Minnesota as an adult, could write this book; I'm sure Gaiman's own personal
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"American Experience" is intricately interwoven into the pages. Gaiman's characters--particularly Shadow--are both mysterious and sympathetic at the same time, and even the "gods" have an unmistakable humanity. As a reader, you're never quite sure where the plot is going, but always eager to find out, and the twists at the end definitely make it a worthwhile journey. Show Less
LibraryThing member JollyContrarian
The premise is brilliant: America, the immigrant nation, where old Gods had to be imported by the poor huddled masses because there were none already here, finds it has grown new Gods after all - styled after the new Americans' "worship" of their gadgets, media and consumerist lifestyle. The people
It's a great premise: as soon as I heard it I had to get a hold of the book, but when you reflect more deeply it's simply a great idea that doesn't really work, because, well, *then* what? A götterdammerung-style clash of the titans doesn't really work - what would be the point? How would you judge the result? Since that's the route that Gaiman takes his plot it's a dilemma he has, ultimately, to resolve, and how he does do it is a bit of a cop out.
The original edition of the work was something of a runaway success, and a bit like a now-famous film director, Gaiman's literary standing is such that he can go back and overturn editorial excisions to release a "Director's Cut". That's the version that I read - something like 100 pages longer than the originally published version, and with some modifications is largely reinstating material that some officious subeditor took out.
The problem is, I suspect the original subeditor was probably right: American Gods as reinstated feels flabby, over-populated with characters and events which aren't entirely mission critical to the plot or message, and - well - about a hundred pages too long. The resolution unfolds itself gently and carefully, and is deftly handled when it finally arrives. It just takes a little bit longer than it should to get there.
It's a striking book, make no mistake, and displays a depth of erudition on Gaiman's part which is never allowed to get in the way of a good yarn. But, at least in the version I read, this feels like a pretty good novel still uncut and in the rough, and in need of a editor's careful attention. Attention, that once upon a time, it apparently had!
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now *consume* their idols: in the old days, the idols demanded it was the other way around - that was the sustenance of the Gods, and consequently we find the old Gods now worn out, power weakening, in the face of the new materialistic age. In a last ditch attempt to fight off destruction by distraction, Odin tries to rally the troops and co-opts, sneakily, Shadow, an ex con, to help him do it.It's a great premise: as soon as I heard it I had to get a hold of the book, but when you reflect more deeply it's simply a great idea that doesn't really work, because, well, *then* what? A götterdammerung-style clash of the titans doesn't really work - what would be the point? How would you judge the result? Since that's the route that Gaiman takes his plot it's a dilemma he has, ultimately, to resolve, and how he does do it is a bit of a cop out.
The original edition of the work was something of a runaway success, and a bit like a now-famous film director, Gaiman's literary standing is such that he can go back and overturn editorial excisions to release a "Director's Cut". That's the version that I read - something like 100 pages longer than the originally published version, and with some modifications is largely reinstating material that some officious subeditor took out.
The problem is, I suspect the original subeditor was probably right: American Gods as reinstated feels flabby, over-populated with characters and events which aren't entirely mission critical to the plot or message, and - well - about a hundred pages too long. The resolution unfolds itself gently and carefully, and is deftly handled when it finally arrives. It just takes a little bit longer than it should to get there.
It's a striking book, make no mistake, and displays a depth of erudition on Gaiman's part which is never allowed to get in the way of a good yarn. But, at least in the version I read, this feels like a pretty good novel still uncut and in the rough, and in need of a editor's careful attention. Attention, that once upon a time, it apparently had!
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LibraryThing member sirfurboy
Neil Gaiman has become one of those rare breed of writers for whom many people will buy his books as soon as they see his name on the cover. And this is with good reason. He can write superbly well. His characterisations are interesting, his narrative is entertaining and his dialogue is frequently
In American Gods, we are introduced to Shadow - a convict who is released early on compassionate grounds following the death of his wife. Almost immediately he is met by a man who calls himself Wednesday - and is clearly much more than just an ordinary man. Wednesday wants Shadow's help, but he is not specific as to what he wants - only mentioning that it is very dangerous. Indeed, early in the book there are all kinds of things that we are not told. Why exactly was Shadow in prison? Who is Wednesday (actually I guessed that one straight away), what does he want? What happened to Shadow's wife? And much more.
The answers to these questions mostly do not come early. But they do come. There is a road trip across America that put me strongly in mind of Stephen King's "The Talisman". The protagonists are quite different, but I was reminded of the other book because of the natural/supernatural duality and the journey across America, experiencing different places - some more special than others. The whole story, it seemed to me, could as easily have been penned by Stephen King.
There are two reasons I do not think, in good consience, that I can give this five stars (even though Neil Gaiman fans will therefore start voting down my review! But please don't without leaving me a comment as to why!) These are:
1) This was a very earthy novel. There is plenty of sex - especially oral sex - mentioned. Many people will like that in a book, but I did not think that for the most part it added anything to the story. The language likewise was earthier than was strictly necessary, and moreso than in the Anansi Boys, which I preferred to this book. (I also thought the Anansi Boys was funnier).
2) This book was almost ponderously long. Ultimately there were two plot themes, but the middle of the book spent so long setting them up that the resolution was very brief. One plot was resolved in a couple of pages and was something of a non event. The other was resolved in a longer epilogue. But did the book need to be 670 pages long? Neil Gaiman admits the book is long but excuses it by saying that America is a big country, which is true. The narrative is wonderfully descriptive of America - but whether that was all necessary for this story is an open question.
So in summary - a very good book. I can recommend it, although I preferred the Anansi Boys, and that would be the book of Gaiman's I handed adult readers first. (The Graveyard Book would be my pick for young adults or those who enjoy young adult books).
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downright hilarious. This book is as good an example of that as almost any (I preferred the Anansi Boys though, which I read before this. There are shared themes between these two books). In American Gods, we are introduced to Shadow - a convict who is released early on compassionate grounds following the death of his wife. Almost immediately he is met by a man who calls himself Wednesday - and is clearly much more than just an ordinary man. Wednesday wants Shadow's help, but he is not specific as to what he wants - only mentioning that it is very dangerous. Indeed, early in the book there are all kinds of things that we are not told. Why exactly was Shadow in prison? Who is Wednesday (actually I guessed that one straight away), what does he want? What happened to Shadow's wife? And much more.
The answers to these questions mostly do not come early. But they do come. There is a road trip across America that put me strongly in mind of Stephen King's "The Talisman". The protagonists are quite different, but I was reminded of the other book because of the natural/supernatural duality and the journey across America, experiencing different places - some more special than others. The whole story, it seemed to me, could as easily have been penned by Stephen King.
There are two reasons I do not think, in good consience, that I can give this five stars (even though Neil Gaiman fans will therefore start voting down my review! But please don't without leaving me a comment as to why!) These are:
1) This was a very earthy novel. There is plenty of sex - especially oral sex - mentioned. Many people will like that in a book, but I did not think that for the most part it added anything to the story. The language likewise was earthier than was strictly necessary, and moreso than in the Anansi Boys, which I preferred to this book. (I also thought the Anansi Boys was funnier).
2) This book was almost ponderously long. Ultimately there were two plot themes, but the middle of the book spent so long setting them up that the resolution was very brief. One plot was resolved in a couple of pages and was something of a non event. The other was resolved in a longer epilogue. But did the book need to be 670 pages long? Neil Gaiman admits the book is long but excuses it by saying that America is a big country, which is true. The narrative is wonderfully descriptive of America - but whether that was all necessary for this story is an open question.
So in summary - a very good book. I can recommend it, although I preferred the Anansi Boys, and that would be the book of Gaiman's I handed adult readers first. (The Graveyard Book would be my pick for young adults or those who enjoy young adult books).
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LibraryThing member Clurb
I simply do not understand why people get so excited over this book. It struck me as average, forgettable, uninspiring fantasy and has unfortunately put me off Gaiman for a while.
LibraryThing member yvonnekins
This is a tough book for me to discuss, because as I was reading it I was constantly comparing to the TV show, which I love. So I feel like I can’t write this review without talking about the show since my rating and overall opinion of the book is all jumbled up in my opinions about the TV
This is probably a blasphemous position, but I actually enjoy the show better than the book and I’m telling you this upfront so that you can stop reading now if you know you vehemently disagree with that position.
That said. I enjoyed this book. Before anyone throat punches me, in my personal rating system, a 3-star rating is not a bad rating. It means I liked a book, but I’m left feeling like it’s not going to have a lasting impact on me. For American Gods, that’s because I couldn’t stop thinking about what it wasn’t. That’s part of the problem with adaptations. This probably would have been at least a 4-star read for me if I hadn’t already finished season 1 of the show and just starting season 2.
Shadow Moon is an amazing main character. I love him with my whole entire heart and that the book solely focuses on his journey (with the few cuts to the ‘Somewhere in America’/’Coming to America’ vignettes) makes the book a lot more streamlined and tidy than the TV show— though the book does occasionally meander, which I normally don’t mind in a book, but even I was skimming through some of the stuff in this one— and it’s gritty and weird (which is only expected from Neil Gaiman, I think) and the all the while it makes you think.
The idea that each god exists in multiple places at once, that they die without worship, that America’s New Gods are the gods of technology. All that shit about the plot and message is amazing, and it’s the reason I loved the show so damn much.
I’m a fan of Gaiman’s writing style. I’ve known this since I read my first book by him back in 2015. I know he’s considered “low-brow” by some more pretentious members of the community, but I consider that a good thing. His writing doesn’t try to be something it’s not. It’s proof that intelligence isn’t about impressing people by using big words, it’s the depth and the meaning behind the words we use every day. I think this translates to how I feel in real life about intelligence and how I, personally, am very unimpressed by and disillusioned with the performative, condescending intelligence that’s so common in academia. (Thank GOD I’m done school.)
By everything I’ve said so far, this should have been a 5 star book for me. Right? Right.
Except I couldn’t stop thinking about the TV show. I couldn’t stop thinking about how I wanted more Mad Sweeney and more Laura Moon. Part of that is how they’re portrayed in the show— Pablo Schreiber and Emily Browning both give amazing performances respectively— I couldn’t stop thinking about Ricky Whittle as Shadow, even though Book Shadow has a lot of differences from Show Shadow. Everything about the book just made me wish I was spending my time catching up on season 2 of the show instead of reading it, and I had to force myself to finish it because of that (because I kept telling myself I wouldn’t start the new season until I finished the book.)
I think the lesson we learned here is, if you’re thinking about reading this book and then watching the show? Do it in that order. Do NOT watch the show first. Heed my advice. Learn from my mistakes. This book would have been so much more enjoyable for me if I wasn’t so focused on what I liked better about the show. That said, I’d still highly recommend it.
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show.This is probably a blasphemous position, but I actually enjoy the show better than the book and I’m telling you this upfront so that you can stop reading now if you know you vehemently disagree with that position.
That said. I enjoyed this book. Before anyone throat punches me, in my personal rating system, a 3-star rating is not a bad rating. It means I liked a book, but I’m left feeling like it’s not going to have a lasting impact on me. For American Gods, that’s because I couldn’t stop thinking about what it wasn’t. That’s part of the problem with adaptations. This probably would have been at least a 4-star read for me if I hadn’t already finished season 1 of the show and just starting season 2.
Shadow Moon is an amazing main character. I love him with my whole entire heart and that the book solely focuses on his journey (with the few cuts to the ‘Somewhere in America’/’Coming to America’ vignettes) makes the book a lot more streamlined and tidy than the TV show— though the book does occasionally meander, which I normally don’t mind in a book, but even I was skimming through some of the stuff in this one— and it’s gritty and weird (which is only expected from Neil Gaiman, I think) and the all the while it makes you think.
The idea that each god exists in multiple places at once, that they die without worship, that America’s New Gods are the gods of technology. All that shit about the plot and message is amazing, and it’s the reason I loved the show so damn much.
I’m a fan of Gaiman’s writing style. I’ve known this since I read my first book by him back in 2015. I know he’s considered “low-brow” by some more pretentious members of the community, but I consider that a good thing. His writing doesn’t try to be something it’s not. It’s proof that intelligence isn’t about impressing people by using big words, it’s the depth and the meaning behind the words we use every day. I think this translates to how I feel in real life about intelligence and how I, personally, am very unimpressed by and disillusioned with the performative, condescending intelligence that’s so common in academia. (Thank GOD I’m done school.)
By everything I’ve said so far, this should have been a 5 star book for me. Right? Right.
Except I couldn’t stop thinking about the TV show. I couldn’t stop thinking about how I wanted more Mad Sweeney and more Laura Moon. Part of that is how they’re portrayed in the show— Pablo Schreiber and Emily Browning both give amazing performances respectively— I couldn’t stop thinking about Ricky Whittle as Shadow, even though Book Shadow has a lot of differences from Show Shadow. Everything about the book just made me wish I was spending my time catching up on season 2 of the show instead of reading it, and I had to force myself to finish it because of that (because I kept telling myself I wouldn’t start the new season until I finished the book.)
I think the lesson we learned here is, if you’re thinking about reading this book and then watching the show? Do it in that order. Do NOT watch the show first. Heed my advice. Learn from my mistakes. This book would have been so much more enjoyable for me if I wasn’t so focused on what I liked better about the show. That said, I’d still highly recommend it.
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LibraryThing member charles.peter
Unfortunately I got to page 385 and couldn't face reading any more. Not one for giving up on books, I surprised myself and put it away. I found the characters engaging at first but as time went by could understand why old gods went out of favour and turned on the tv instead
LibraryThing member georgematt
Good fantasy fiction combines the highly imaginative (misunderstood by non-fantasy readers and literary snobs as escapism) with the geography or concerns of our everyday world. Anything else is mere escapism or wish fulfilment; the desire to run away to cloud cuckoo land. Lord of the Rings, Harry
The novel imagines the old gods of myth and legend as actually existing in Modern America, as immigrants, like nearly all the inhabitants of the USA. But as they are reliant on the worship of people, their status and position in society are usurped by the new gods-the gods of technology, the media and big business-and they are reduced to a forgotten underclass, eking out an existence through low-paid work or petty criminality. The story is centred on Shadow, a man released from prison only to find his wife has died in a car crash. He meets a mysterious stranger, Wednesday, on the plane back to his home town, who seems to know everything about him. Soon Shadow finds himself on a dangerous road trip through the heart of America as Wednesday’s accomplice, meeting gods, demons and the undead on the way, leading inevitable to the final showdown.
The novel moves at a fast pace and can be read as a noirish thriller or horror story with a twist in the tail. But it is also soaked in mythological symbolism as it tries to get to grip with the American soul-the real meaning of the American dream. If Neil Gaiman succeeds I don’t know as like the author I’m British, but maybe it takes an outsider to really understand a country’s psyche.
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Potter and Star Wars create detailed secondary universes (especially Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy) but at the end of the day all they offer is bland good vs evil narratives. Neil Gaiman’s ‘American Gods’ is an example of the former type of fantasy.The novel imagines the old gods of myth and legend as actually existing in Modern America, as immigrants, like nearly all the inhabitants of the USA. But as they are reliant on the worship of people, their status and position in society are usurped by the new gods-the gods of technology, the media and big business-and they are reduced to a forgotten underclass, eking out an existence through low-paid work or petty criminality. The story is centred on Shadow, a man released from prison only to find his wife has died in a car crash. He meets a mysterious stranger, Wednesday, on the plane back to his home town, who seems to know everything about him. Soon Shadow finds himself on a dangerous road trip through the heart of America as Wednesday’s accomplice, meeting gods, demons and the undead on the way, leading inevitable to the final showdown.
The novel moves at a fast pace and can be read as a noirish thriller or horror story with a twist in the tail. But it is also soaked in mythological symbolism as it tries to get to grip with the American soul-the real meaning of the American dream. If Neil Gaiman succeeds I don’t know as like the author I’m British, but maybe it takes an outsider to really understand a country’s psyche.
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LibraryThing member riverwillow
So much has been written about this book that I'll keep this short. I loved this book, perhaps not quite as much as 'Neverwhere' but that my be just because being British 'Neverwhere' has a little more resonance for me. Having said that this is a wonderful book, in his introduction Neil Gaiman says
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that he 'wanted to write a book that was big and odd and meandering' and 'American Gods' is all that and so much more, the text is also dense, multilayered and fascinating and, as always with Gaiman's writing expertly weaves the ordinary and the extraordinary into a compelling read. Show Less
LibraryThing member miketroll
American Gods is a rambling, crazy, chaotic, bad dream of a book, a wild mix of Elmore Leonard, The Magus, Lemony Snicket, Carl Jung, Hieronymus Bosch and Uncle Nobby’s Steamboat.
The story line, if it can be called that, is of conflict between the gods of the Old World and the New, all holding
The book has moments of humour and some fine passages of straight historical narrative, but I didn’t enjoy it. The omniscient narrator is a sound and familiar literary device, but here the narrator is omnipotent too. "Anything can happen, and it probably will!" This is not a virtue, it’s a turn-off.
To engage a reader’s imagination, the writer must offer a frame of reference. But when the author frivolously revises the laws of nature every three pages, you can have more fun watching Mr Ed.
The story line, if it can be called that, is of conflict between the gods of the Old World and the New, all holding
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down jobs or holding up banks in America. The narrative staggers drunkenly towards a limp anticlimax. Well, when half the main characters die and are reborn 3 times, it was never going to be easy to end it. The book has moments of humour and some fine passages of straight historical narrative, but I didn’t enjoy it. The omniscient narrator is a sound and familiar literary device, but here the narrator is omnipotent too. "Anything can happen, and it probably will!" This is not a virtue, it’s a turn-off.
To engage a reader’s imagination, the writer must offer a frame of reference. But when the author frivolously revises the laws of nature every three pages, you can have more fun watching Mr Ed.
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LibraryThing member Sile
Wow! I have never read a book like American Gods, so I'm glad this was chosen as a group read. Crammed with characters, some of whom I recognised right from the start, some are hidden, several storylines, dark humour, myth, otherworlds, the mystical, parts of America unveiled, a road trip (of
I must admit, too, it was a new experience listening to an audio book where a cast were assembled to read the various characters. This may have helped to unravel some of the mystery though, as the same voices were used for characters with different names, and I twigged who particular characters, unknown to the protagonist, really were. When Shadow thought someone familiar, I was sorely tempted to scream at my iPod who they were, but it did not detract from my enjoyment of the book, or the Audible's Full Cast production. I highly recommend it as an audio book experience, especially if it's your first foray into the medium.
Somewhat more than a fictional book, I found it also raised some questions about modern, pagan practices and religion in general. Fiction books can make you think, and this one does it, though not as subtlety as other books; this one is kind of blunt about it. As much as I avoid anything American, in choosing it as the setting indeed as one of the characters - Gaiman has played a masterstroke, as it allows so many different streams to converge in a fictional melting-pot (see the contents listed in the first paragraph). It all works because it is set in America. This becomes clear when the book concludes in Iceland.
Strangely, the book does conclude, but it doesn't. There is scope for a sequel, however I was left with the distinct impression this is not forthcoming but, rather, the reader is left to ponder the future.
American Gods is able to read, put down, and picked up again, without really losing track of what is happening, though I was glad that I picked it up every 12 hours or so, or I might have lost my place, and the pace of the book. It's not a small read, or listen, and I wish I could have spared the time to listen to it in one hit, certainly there was one section where I did not stop and stayed up rather late to get to the end of a particular sequence, it was gripping. Gaiman held my attention, almost from the start; at no point did I feel it dragged, though I have seen this as a complaint with this author's extended edition. Not having read the original version, I have nothing to compare, but I truly enjoyed this version, feeling not a word was excessive.
I highly recommend American Gods. It's a jolly good romp exploring the nature of religion, faith, love, hope, people, all wrapped up in a darkly humourous road trip across America.
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sorts), a murder mystery, and a love story this book cannot be pigeon-holed, or boxed in. Gaiman seems to have a unique talent in this regard. I have only read one other work by Gaiman, but it was a collaboration with Terry Pratchett and, reading American Gods I can now discern whose voice was whose, I think I shall be reading more of Gaiman's work, in addition to Pratchett's. I must admit, too, it was a new experience listening to an audio book where a cast were assembled to read the various characters. This may have helped to unravel some of the mystery though, as the same voices were used for characters with different names, and I twigged who particular characters, unknown to the protagonist, really were. When Shadow thought someone familiar, I was sorely tempted to scream at my iPod who they were, but it did not detract from my enjoyment of the book, or the Audible's Full Cast production. I highly recommend it as an audio book experience, especially if it's your first foray into the medium.
Somewhat more than a fictional book, I found it also raised some questions about modern, pagan practices and religion in general. Fiction books can make you think, and this one does it, though not as subtlety as other books; this one is kind of blunt about it. As much as I avoid anything American, in choosing it as the setting indeed as one of the characters - Gaiman has played a masterstroke, as it allows so many different streams to converge in a fictional melting-pot (see the contents listed in the first paragraph). It all works because it is set in America. This becomes clear when the book concludes in Iceland.
Strangely, the book does conclude, but it doesn't. There is scope for a sequel, however I was left with the distinct impression this is not forthcoming but, rather, the reader is left to ponder the future.
American Gods is able to read, put down, and picked up again, without really losing track of what is happening, though I was glad that I picked it up every 12 hours or so, or I might have lost my place, and the pace of the book. It's not a small read, or listen, and I wish I could have spared the time to listen to it in one hit, certainly there was one section where I did not stop and stayed up rather late to get to the end of a particular sequence, it was gripping. Gaiman held my attention, almost from the start; at no point did I feel it dragged, though I have seen this as a complaint with this author's extended edition. Not having read the original version, I have nothing to compare, but I truly enjoyed this version, feeling not a word was excessive.
I highly recommend American Gods. It's a jolly good romp exploring the nature of religion, faith, love, hope, people, all wrapped up in a darkly humourous road trip across America.
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LibraryThing member Dorritt
It’s possible that I embarked upon this novel with some prejudice aforethought. It’s just that recently Neil Gaiman’s been all over the place – book lists, book groups, even an episode of The Simpsons - and hipster celebrities always make me a little suspicious. By the end of American Gods,
What Gaiman did was surprise me, and I haven’t been surprised by literary fiction in a while. The premise of the book – that ancient Gods hitchhiked to the U.S. in the hearts and imaginations of the immigrants who came here and continue to live among us today – is winningly imaginative, and while “Name That God!” may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I enjoyed the challenge of trying to identify each modernized deity from Gaiman’s clues (Me: “okay! What deity would be wearing a necklace of skulls? 15pt deduction if I have to look it up on the internet!” I imagine it’s possible to enjoy this book without a thorough grounding in world mythology, but you’ll get a LOT more out of it if you possess some background knowledge, and aren’t too proud to take to the internet when stumped). The protagonist of the story, a mortal everyman by the name of Shadow, is hired as an assistant by Odin, the All-Father, who is crisscrossing the U.S. in an endeavor to recruit gods for his own personal upcoming Ragnorak (the battle that, according to Norse mythology, will signal the end of the world). Anyone who’s read Joseph Campbell on world mythology will recognize the rest of the plot, a basic “hero’s journey” in which Shadow navigates his way through struggle, atonement and transformation. (Hey, it was good enough for Homer, James Joyce, and JRR Tolkien.)
By the time the novel is over Gaiman has introduced us to a host of truly unique characters (some sympathetic, some appalling in the way only ancient religions can be), created some wholly original visuals (a mountain of skulls encircled by screeching thunderbirds beneath roiling red clouds – not a scene you stumble across in fiction every day), teased us with references to a host of world religions/myths/superstitions, established his chops as a wielder of social irony, and left us with several palatable (if not entirely original) insights into what makes America a decent (flawed, but decent) place to live but “a bad place for Gods,” as the old gods repeatedly lament.
Gaiman reminds me a bit of Michael Chabon, another guy who doesn’t mind blurring the line between reality and culture/myth. Both authors know how to establish alternate realities that entertain and illuminate. Between them, they seem to be defining a new genre of magical realism, at once paying homage to literary traditions and yet somehow uniquely American.
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however, I was impressed. Perhaps not ready to add Gaiman to the American pantheon of great writers, but definitely impressed.What Gaiman did was surprise me, and I haven’t been surprised by literary fiction in a while. The premise of the book – that ancient Gods hitchhiked to the U.S. in the hearts and imaginations of the immigrants who came here and continue to live among us today – is winningly imaginative, and while “Name That God!” may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I enjoyed the challenge of trying to identify each modernized deity from Gaiman’s clues (Me: “okay! What deity would be wearing a necklace of skulls? 15pt deduction if I have to look it up on the internet!” I imagine it’s possible to enjoy this book without a thorough grounding in world mythology, but you’ll get a LOT more out of it if you possess some background knowledge, and aren’t too proud to take to the internet when stumped). The protagonist of the story, a mortal everyman by the name of Shadow, is hired as an assistant by Odin, the All-Father, who is crisscrossing the U.S. in an endeavor to recruit gods for his own personal upcoming Ragnorak (the battle that, according to Norse mythology, will signal the end of the world). Anyone who’s read Joseph Campbell on world mythology will recognize the rest of the plot, a basic “hero’s journey” in which Shadow navigates his way through struggle, atonement and transformation. (Hey, it was good enough for Homer, James Joyce, and JRR Tolkien.)
By the time the novel is over Gaiman has introduced us to a host of truly unique characters (some sympathetic, some appalling in the way only ancient religions can be), created some wholly original visuals (a mountain of skulls encircled by screeching thunderbirds beneath roiling red clouds – not a scene you stumble across in fiction every day), teased us with references to a host of world religions/myths/superstitions, established his chops as a wielder of social irony, and left us with several palatable (if not entirely original) insights into what makes America a decent (flawed, but decent) place to live but “a bad place for Gods,” as the old gods repeatedly lament.
Gaiman reminds me a bit of Michael Chabon, another guy who doesn’t mind blurring the line between reality and culture/myth. Both authors know how to establish alternate realities that entertain and illuminate. Between them, they seem to be defining a new genre of magical realism, at once paying homage to literary traditions and yet somehow uniquely American.
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LibraryThing member gwernin
Due to the One Book One LibraryThing read, I finally started this, after having had it on my tbr pile for quite a while. Got about 50 pages in and put it down: life is too short to read fiction you're not enjoying. Might go back and finish it someday; then again, I might not: see previous sentence.
LibraryThing member queencersei
After spending three years in prison, Shadow is eager to be released and resume a quite life with his wife Laura. Tragically he learns that his wife has been killed in car crash just days before his release. With no relatives, friends or a home to go back to, Shadow decides to work for a mysterious
A unique and engaging story, American Gods asks many questions about religion and faith. Not the least of which, what is a God after everyone has stopped believing in it or even remembers it?
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stranger, Mr. Wednesday. Shadow quickly realizes that Mr. Wednesday and his associates are very strange indeed. Traveling around the country, helping Mr. Wednesday amass support for a coming storm, Shadow also learns something fundamental about America. His country is not kind to its Gods and the old Gods are losing power to the new Gods of technology. As the old Gods and the new join ranks against one another Shadow finds himself somehow caught in the middle of this strange and terrible battle. A unique and engaging story, American Gods asks many questions about religion and faith. Not the least of which, what is a God after everyone has stopped believing in it or even remembers it?
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LibraryThing member neiljohnford
I really enjoyed this. The only other Neil Gaiman I've read was Good Omens (written with Terry Pratchett). This one's a bit less on the humorous side, a bit more melancholic which is good. The basic premise is that people carry their Gods with them when they migrate, but that as times change the
Great characters drawn from mythology and religion and well drawn scenery - the setting is America (as the great melting pot it's the perfect setting for a host of old Gods that have immigrated with their worshipers and also the new Gods).
The book goes at it's own pace but is never dull. There's a section towards the end that sums up the experience of reading the book for me:
"'You learn anythin' from all this?'
Shadow shrugged. 'I don't know. Most of what I learned on the tree I've already forgotten,' he said. 'I think I met some people. But I'm not certain of anything any more. It's like one of those dreams that change you. You keep some of the dream forever, and you know things down deep inside yourself, because it happened to you, but when you go looking for the details they kind of slip out of your head.'"
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Gods are forgotten and become weak. The people worship new idols (like technology or money) and there is a conflict between the old Gods and the new. This conflict (with the protagonist Shadow stuck in the middle) is the bulk of the plot but, the twist at the end reveals the battle between the Gods to actually be a subplot to what was really going on... Great characters drawn from mythology and religion and well drawn scenery - the setting is America (as the great melting pot it's the perfect setting for a host of old Gods that have immigrated with their worshipers and also the new Gods).
The book goes at it's own pace but is never dull. There's a section towards the end that sums up the experience of reading the book for me:
"'You learn anythin' from all this?'
Shadow shrugged. 'I don't know. Most of what I learned on the tree I've already forgotten,' he said. 'I think I met some people. But I'm not certain of anything any more. It's like one of those dreams that change you. You keep some of the dream forever, and you know things down deep inside yourself, because it happened to you, but when you go looking for the details they kind of slip out of your head.'"
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LibraryThing member justabookreader
Shadow is doing his time in prison but the end is in sight. A few days before his release, he finds out his wife has died in a car accident, and due to her death, he’s being released early. In shock, he heads home to the funeral only to find out his wife died in a precarious situation involving
The idea that gods were brought to the US, essentially immigrated here with the people that worshiped them, is an interesting one. Once those beliefs, prayers, adoration, whatever you want to call it, are replaced by other things in society --- think celebrity --- the gods begin to diminish. This imagines what would happen to those gods if everyone stopped believing in them. And, yes, it comes to war, but not the kind of war you’re probably thinking.
Shadow is an interesting character. He’s quiet, thoughtful (at times), and even though he’s done things in his life to land him jail, he’s not a bad person and really does his best to do what he thinks is right. He’s slow on the uptake when it comes to understanding the gods but gets it when necessary. He sort of lumbers through the story but that’s what I liked about him. There was no pressure with him. Everything took place around him and he just accepted and moved on --- think blind faith if you will. He never professes to any belief system but he’s able to take them all on individually when he has to. I can see how for some people he’s not a captivating character but that’s what I liked about him. He was the grounding force for all the gods around him.
Now the gods, and they weren’t the only ones to make appearances here, several folk heroes get a bit of honor as well. Gaiman’s portrayal of the gods is interesting and I liked that they had human qualities even if those qualities, and vices, wouldn’t hurt them in the end. I wasn’t able to place every god, some were obscure, but each added something to the story and I didn’t feel any were dropped in for entertainment purposes. That’s something I always appreciate about an author; not everything has to be wrapped up nice and tidy but I want characters to have a purpose.
I read American Gods while taking a writing class and it was the perfect time to read it for me. The elements of storytelling were on full display here and I felt each time I turned a page I learned something new, in addition to being fully entertained. It’s a great piece of storytelling.
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another man. He feels little remorse and decides it’s time for change. He takes a job offer from a man named Mr. Wednesday who needs someone to drive him around and protect him every once in a while. Shadow is a man trying to find himself or just forget everything around him depending on how you want to see it. His employment with Wednesday sets him up to meet a lineup of interesting people challenging Shadow’s beliefs in who and what he is.The idea that gods were brought to the US, essentially immigrated here with the people that worshiped them, is an interesting one. Once those beliefs, prayers, adoration, whatever you want to call it, are replaced by other things in society --- think celebrity --- the gods begin to diminish. This imagines what would happen to those gods if everyone stopped believing in them. And, yes, it comes to war, but not the kind of war you’re probably thinking.
Shadow is an interesting character. He’s quiet, thoughtful (at times), and even though he’s done things in his life to land him jail, he’s not a bad person and really does his best to do what he thinks is right. He’s slow on the uptake when it comes to understanding the gods but gets it when necessary. He sort of lumbers through the story but that’s what I liked about him. There was no pressure with him. Everything took place around him and he just accepted and moved on --- think blind faith if you will. He never professes to any belief system but he’s able to take them all on individually when he has to. I can see how for some people he’s not a captivating character but that’s what I liked about him. He was the grounding force for all the gods around him.
Now the gods, and they weren’t the only ones to make appearances here, several folk heroes get a bit of honor as well. Gaiman’s portrayal of the gods is interesting and I liked that they had human qualities even if those qualities, and vices, wouldn’t hurt them in the end. I wasn’t able to place every god, some were obscure, but each added something to the story and I didn’t feel any were dropped in for entertainment purposes. That’s something I always appreciate about an author; not everything has to be wrapped up nice and tidy but I want characters to have a purpose.
I read American Gods while taking a writing class and it was the perfect time to read it for me. The elements of storytelling were on full display here and I felt each time I turned a page I learned something new, in addition to being fully entertained. It’s a great piece of storytelling.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Rynooo
Fun book - enjoyable and a very easy read but much of the prose is amateurish and all the way through the book feels trashy and predictable. There's certainly nothing profound about it.
Gaiman should stick to comic books.
Gaiman should stick to comic books.
Original publication date
2001
2011 (10th anniversary ed.)
ISBN
0062379135 / 9780062379139
Local notes
Signed