American Gods by Neil Gaiman

I first became interested in American Gods when I saw previews for the television adaptation a while back. I was already a fan of Gaiman's writing from The Graveyard Book, and the images coming out for this new show were really intriguing. Of course, I had to read the book before I could watch the TV version, so I did what I normally do - I went out and bought the book, stuck it on my shelf, and forgot about it for several months.

I remembered that I wanted to read it when I was searching for book recommendations for my Popsugar Challenge bonus categories. One of my remaining reading prompts was to read a book based on mythology, and American Gods was the recommendation that popped up on all the sources I checked. I decided to give it a shot, despite its length (with the end of the year approaching, I have to read quickly to finish up my challenges). I ended up being glad that I did, because this quirky novel was actually really cool.

The plot follows an ex-convict named Shadow. At the novel's start, he is just finishing up a three-year stint in prison for an undisclosed crime. He is focused on keeping his head down and doing his time, and is looking forward to reuniting with his wife, Laura. On the day he is set to be released, he receives a terrible blow - both Laura and best friend were killed in a car accident the previous day. With nothing left in the world for him to go back to, Shadow isn't sure how to continue on. He is leaves prison in a state of shock and grief.

As he mulls over his situation on the plane ride to his wife's funeral, he meets a mysterious figure named Mr. Wednesday. Wednesday offers him a job performing various odd jobs, which Shadow eventually accepts because he doesn't have any other prospects lined up. It doesn't take long for Shadow to realize that there is something different about his new employer. Wednesday seems to be able to do the impossible, and the places he goes and people he interacts with see to be impossible too. Working for him is like living in a fever dream, with each new errand he performs stranger than the last. Eventually, Shadow discovers the reason for this strangeness. Wednesday is actually a god. Wednesday is Odin, from Norse mythology.

Once Shadow realizes who he is working for, an entire new world opens up before his eyes. He learns that America is full of the gods of old, from all of the religions around the world. Believers from the past brought them here through their prayers in times long gone by, and they linger here still, even though the vast majority of people who worship them are dead and gone. These old gods are slowly fading away; they die when they are completely forgotten by everyone, which is happening fast in America. As Wednesday eventually explains to him, America worships new gods now - technology, guns, media, drugs, and others like them are the new order of the day. Wednesday is on a quest to help the old gods regain the powers they once had and take a final stand against the new gods, and he needs Shadow's help to do it.

The novel is told mostly from Shadow's point of view and has a real "road trip" feel to it, as he is traveling from place to place with Wednesday for most of the story meeting up with different old gods and trying to persuade them to join forces. Occasionally, chapters featuring the backstories of how different gods traveled to America pop up, which provide interesting backstory and world-building. I actually liked these interludes the most, as they were well-written and made me think. Gaiman doesn't explain every last detail of how the world in American Gods works - he gives you just enough to puzzle over and sink your teeth into. Reading this novel is an active experience that requires you to put the pieces together yourself and encourages you to think beyond the surface level of the story. I usually find novels that are purposely confusing to be annoying, but I thought that the technique was very well done and worked well here.

Aside from puzzling over the plot points of the novel, American Gods offers up several interesting themes to think about. The idea of tradition vs. modernization runs deep here, but not in a way that feels preachy or moralizing. Similarly, the ideas of loyalty, religion, family, and love are present throughout the story. This is a extraordinary novel about ordinary ideas, and this juxtaposition of the bizarre and the practical makes for a really unique reading experience. The book feels like a labor of love. Nothing is missing.

I really enjoyed reading American Gods. I honestly haven't been this intrigued by a novel in a long time. There were some parts in the middle where I felt the story dragged on a bit too long, but overall I really liked it. The plot was interesting and original, the characters were well-drawn and lovable, and the ending was twisty and fantastic. The book begs to be reread in order to catch more of its secrets and clever references. I will probably pick it up again someday and see if I can dive a little bit deeper into the story it is telling. American Gods, even more than The Graveyard Book, made me a fan of Neil Gaiman. I'm going to be thinking about this one for quite a while. 



Challenge Tally
Popsugar Bonus Challenge (a book based on mythology ) 9/12
TBR Challenge (previously owned): 49/60

Total Books Read in 2017: 63