American Gods – Neil Gaiman
This book is set in a much more contemporary time, compared to the last book I reviewed by this author (Stardust).
The plot revolves around a character (Shadow) who starts off in jail, and is overjoyed to discover he is being released early… Only by one day, but any fore-shortening of his stay in prison must be good, right? Sadly not, as the reason for his freedom being bought forward is that his wife has passed away, following a car accident.
When he tastes the world outside the jail walls once more, he finds himself without aim, and so when he meets a slightly mysterious character, who gives his name as Wednesday, he decides to see what life will throw his way next. Taking up the offer of employment from this man, who seems to know so much more about him than vice versa, Shadow finds himself embarking upon a tour of most of America.
All is not as it seems though, as it turns out Wednesday is a god – an old fashioned hammer & tongs, god. This, combined with the touring of America, enables Neil Gaiman to play on the interests of many of his readers – a look at modern day USA & just what would happen of the gods of olden days were to be placed against those gods who seem to prevail in these times – Telephones, the Internet and Banking.
Whilst some have criticized Gaiman’s alsmost random approach to the plot line in this book, I was happy to read this through to the end, and was honestly intrigued as to where the story would take the character next.
May 2nd, 2007 10:48 am
Awesome book, I agree!
I meant to link to those posts on your site, but for some reason couldn’t find them. Anyway, the comment got moderated but is now up: http://kazakhstan.blogsome.com/2007/04/30/if-invited-to-dinner-in-kazakhstan-what-time/
May 2nd, 2007 12:21 pm
Not surprised in went into moderation, it was a little heavy on the URLs, sorry :>
Ta.
February 29th, 2008 10:17 pm
[…] on from two other reviews of Neil Gaiman’s books (Stardust and American Gods), we have another trip in the fantasy worlds in the authors […]