American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Paperback, 624 Pages
2003, Harper Perennial
ISBN: 0060558121
Series: Book 1 of American Gods
Synopsis
Released from prison, Shadow finds his world turned upside down. His wife has been killed; a mysterious stranger offers him a job. But Mr. Wednesday, who knows more about Shadow than is possible, warns that a storm is coming -- a battle for the very soul of America . . . and they are in its direct path.
Review
I have an unending fascination with mythology of all origins, so American Gods was a delightfully fun treat for me. The mix of present day America and mostly forgotten deities struggling to keep their tether to this world kept the story fresh and as relateable as fantasy can be.
The focus on both new and old, past and present made American Gods a highly creative novel on a grand scale. Far from fluffy and not quite trying to be as humorous as other novels by Gaiman such as Good Omens, this book is thought-provoking and apt to leave readers not well versed in gods struggling to remember which is which. The highly intelligent writing is well balanced with some of the grittier scenes.
American Gods may be a bit of work to get through for those who only know the "big" gods, but the story is well worth the effort. My only complaint is that the build up overshadows the climax a bit. The end didn't live up to the journey it took to get there. It's very good, just not as epically marvelous as Gaiman fans have come to expect.
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