American Gods

It was the first Neil Gaiman book I read and I adored it. I'm from the Midwest (Illinois) originally and I loved the locations in the book and some of them were places I had been. The characters are fantastic and they really suck you in emotionally. When (and if) I think of something more intelligent to say, I will. :)
 
Make sure you keep thinking whilst you read it, there's quite a lot under the surface of this one. Otherwise, just enjoy it!
 
Yep, Karsa pointed out the thing I was going to point out...

Just keep your brain open and your eyes fresh!

Excellent book!

xx
 
Try and work out the name of the god that nobody can remember! I've always been unable to work it out, and Gaiman is keeping shtum.
 
An amazing book that can be read on many different levels. One of those books you need to keep your mind on and you take away as much or as little as you wish to see. Definitely one of Gaiman's best and a book which has caused some extremes in reactions. Enjoy.
 
Dianora said:
I'm still trying to figure out the symbolism of the coin tricks.
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Don't think so much about symbolism. Think more along the lines of metaphor. ;-)
 
Dianora said:
I just started this today (finally)....

Any comments? Things to watch/look for??
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Didn't like it at all. It seemed aimless - like he was thinking, "how am I going to end this?". I thought, once hearing the premise of some of the gods representing American culture, that there would be some clever representations, but he didn't come up with anything much.
 
I recently read this, and rather enjoyed it :D

Did anyone else see the faint resemblance that Shadow had to Meursault from Camus' "The stranger/outsider" ?
I felt throughout the book that his character was somehow based or "inspired" by that other strange, strange figure.

Do you think that, to endure and do all that Shadow did, one would have to be like him? (and Meursault) If you've read both books you'll know what I'm talking about ;) (the detachedness and stuff)

Anyway, something that's been bothering me, what is the identity of the nameless god that is forgotten by mortals? (the one that shadow can never remember the name of, even after he'd just heard it)
I mean, my mythology isn't that great, so any hints would be appreaciated :p
 
I think the point is that we have forgotten him too. Actually, I don't think there is a point. He just got thrown in for the purpose of confusing people :).
I just read it thursday. Brilliant. Loved it. MORE.
 
I just started this book. I have read other Gaiman's, so I figured it was time to backtrack to this one. It is pretty good so far, but I am not sure if I would call it a favourite by him.
 
Marya said:
It was the first Neil Gaiman book I read and I adored it. I'm from the Midwest (Illinois) originally and I loved the locations in the book and some of them were places I had been. The characters are fantastic and they really suck you in emotionally. When (and if) I think of something more intelligent to say, I will. :)
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I grew up and was attended college at the time in the Midwest (Minnesota) when I first picked up the book, and, as you probably already know, a good chunk of the book takes places in Minnesota and Wisconsin...something I completely ate up at the time. I even took a road trip with some friends to "House on the Rock" after reading the book.

Quite a fun trip, if only I could remember more of it....
 
Very clever idea. Other authors have sort of played with this concept, notably Roger Zelazny. Lord of Light plays with the Hindu theology, and he did another one involving the Egyptian gods. However, these were both far-future recreations of the mythology.
In American Gods, the "old" gods still exist, melding into modern society. Makes you want to brush up on your mythology reading.
 
I've just started American Gods and i'm really getting into it.. the last time i started i couldn't 'cause of the second chapter *y'knowwhatimean* i'm not sure my mum would be very happy about her 13 year old daughter reading stuff like that - so its a secret, 0k! Anyway .. I like the fact its set in America because i've always been obsessed with it and after reading Neverwhere and Anansi boys i'm absolutely sure i will be totally satisfied onces i'm finished. :D x


Neil Gaimans Youngest Fan.
 
This review I found on amazon pretty much sums it up for me. Don't read further if you haven't finished the book yet, as it contains SPOILERS


AMERICAN GODS wasn't a really bad book. It was just bad in a plain sort of way. Built on an interesting, if not new, theory, it started out strong, but didn't have the gas to bring it home. Midway through the book, I found myself alternately bored, tired and disinterested. I sighed a lot. It was hard to finish.I suspect Gaiman threw all the pieces and characters together with no real ties to bind them. Many, if not most, of the characters had no real purpose except to provide clever dialogue. I counted thirty-six pages of what were essentially short stories places throughout the book. Only one of them had a character that showed up againonly to be run down by a limo.
Throughout the book Gaiman builds our expectations of a great war between the old gods and the new. The storm is coming, is constantly repeated. The Storm Is Coming. And when the storm finally comes, nothing much happens. It's like a balloon that goes whooopthpthpth, instead of POP! And it's not so much that the war never happened, as it was the way it never happened. Gaiman pulls the proverbial rabbit of his hat. And it's a stupid-looking rabbit, too.
Ho-hum ... or blah. I don't know which.
I might have given it 2 stars if it were shorter, but I'm mad because of all the time wasted.
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Alan said:
Don't think so much about symbolism. Think more along the lines of metaphor. ;-)
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Never thought about any metaphors for the coin tricks, don't suppose you'd pm me your thoughts about them please Alan?

I enjoyed it, I found some of the stuff dark and thought provoking. I disagree with the above Amazon review, I wasn't bored at all.

But then I like the old gods anyhow. :)
 
Anansi Boys is a much better book IMO, and carries on one of the characters from American gods
 
I don't agree with that review either.

l SPOILER AHEAD!! l

I can see what it meant about how it ended but i don't think it was a waste of time!
 
I am midway through it and I am enjoying it a lot although I have got to agree with a part of the amazon review about the interspaced short stories a lot of which seem pointless. There is a good game of spot the gods before he reveals them which I am at around 50/50 at the moment
 
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