Title: American Gods
Author: Neil Gaiman
Pages: 588
Grade: A-/B+
Summary: (From Publisher's Weekly)
Titans clash, but with more fuss than fury in this fantasy demi-epic from the author of Neverwhere. The intriguing premise of Gaiman's tale is that the gods of European yore, who came to North America with their immigrant believers, are squaring off for a rumble with new indigenous deities: "gods of credit card and freeway, of Internet and telephone, of radio and hospital and television, gods of plastic and of beeper and of neon." They all walk around in mufti, disguised as ordinary people, which causes no end of trouble for 32-year-old protagonist Shadow Moon, who can't turn around without bumping into a minor divinity. Released from prison the day after his beloved wife dies in a car accident, Shadow takes a job as emissary for Mr. Wednesday, avatar of the Norse god Grimnir, unaware that his boss's recruiting trip across the American heartland will subject him to repeat visits from the reanimated corpse of his dead wife and brutal roughing up by the goons of Wednesday's adversary, Mr. World. At last Shadow must reevaluate his own deeply held beliefs in order to determine his crucial role in the final showdown.
My thoughts: I'm not very eloquent today....and there is so much about this book that deserves more praise then I'll get out here, but nonetheless I shall try. First off...the use of the word nonsensical! But the thing I really loved and enjoyed about this novel...was the small quaint little town...that you know is seeped in something strange but I loved every character there. I adored the mythology. The mere almost shades of the Gods of their original countries trying to thrive here...where there has never been much room for them. And I loved the side stories...they were possibly my favorite parts. So, you know....if you have any love of the myth/lore of old and an appreciation for the fantastical...I totally recommend.
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