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American Gods

Neil Gaiman

Start date: September 1, 2016

Finish date: September 30, 2016

Discussion: Group Reads

Why we're reading this: Winner - September 2016 - Modern Must-Read Poll
[close] Winner - September 2016 - Modern Must-Read Poll

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What Members Thought

Feb 06, 2023 Michael Finocchiaro rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: series, sci-fi, nebula-award-winner, apocalypse, hugo-awards-winner, novels, english-21st-c

One has to approach certain works with some caution particularly when they are so popular and go on to become TV shows. Admittedly, I have not yet watched the show inspired by this book (despite it featuring one of my favorite bad guys Ian McShane), but I worried that it would be sort of too Hollywood-friendly for me. I can say that it feels like Gaiman certainly wrote this hoping for a screenplay and Netflix-style deal, and still, it does stand on its own as a work of horror fantasy. The core i One has to approach certain works with some caution particularly when they are so popular and go on to become TV shows. Admittedly, I have not yet watched the show inspired by this book (despite it featuring one of my favorite bad guys Ian McShane), but I worried that it would be sort of too Hollywood-friendly for me. I can say that it feels like Gaiman certainly wrote this hoping for a screenplay and Netflix-style deal, and still, it does stand on its own as a work of horror fantasy. The core idea gets a little convoluted by the plot (because it needed that screenplay finish), but the idea of immigrants to America, as well as Native Americans all bringing their gods with them and resulting in a hodge-podge of subliminal, unconscious traditions and beliefs all risking to be destroyed by mass culture, is a compelling one. I liked Shadow and Wednesday and wanted to see how things would work out for them.

During the book, Shadow is on a quest and learning about this parallel universe of gods and demons. I enjoyed this passage about his learning coin tricks from Mad Sweeney:
«Well, not exactly nowhere," said Mad Sweeney.
now you're getting the idea. You take them from the hoard?"
"But
The hoard," said Shadow, starting to remember. "Yes."
"You just have to hold it in your mind, and it's yours to
take from. The sun's treasure. It's there in those moments
when the world makes a rainbow. It's there in the moment
of eclipse and the moment of the storm"
And he showed Shadow how to do the thing.
This time Shadow got it. (p. 229)

The conversations between Wednesday and Shadow are all pretty good. I liked this quote from Wednesday a lot:
Pain hurts, just as greed intoxicates and lust
burns. We may not die easy and we sure as hell don't die
well, but we can die. If we're still loved and remembered,
something else a whole lot like us comes along and takes
our place and the whole damn thing starts all over again.
And if we're forgotten, we're done. (p. 386)

The book is peopled with loads of strangely named hit men, demons, and ne'er do wells. Mr Town was sort of a boss of the bad guys and falsely accuses Shadow of killing two of his employees.
"You should be back in prison,' said Mr. Town.
"You
should be on fucking death row."
"I didn't kill your associates," said Shadow. "But I'll tell
you something a guy once told me, back when I was in
prison. Something I've never forgotten."
"And that is?"
"There was only one guy in the whole Bible Jesus ever
personally promised a place with him in Paradise. Not Pe-
ler, not Paul, not any of those guys. He was a convicted
thief, being executed. So don't knock the guys on death
row. Maybe they know something you don't? (p. 439)

Overall, this is a good read. I shy away from 5-stars because I think that some opportunities were missed in developing the old gods idea and some of the interactions were a bit forced, still a good 4-star award winner. ...more

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May 14, 2017 Rasib Majid rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Okay.....Hold on! I need to re-read the book or listen to the audio book right away!

Apart from presenting a great story, this book aka Neil Gaiman hit me hard from multiple angles on a personal level. Being an immigrant myself, I could totally relate to the tales titled "Coming to America." On the other hand, as an enthusiast of the lives of people in small towns, I found the parts of the book taking place in the town "Lakeside" absolutely fascinating.

Oh! I feel so much like taking a road trip ...more

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Sep 30, 2016 未知生焉知死 Anvil rated it it was ok

Shelves: fiction

Its start was strong and solid, but the follow up didn't live up to it. And the conclusion was anti-climax. But most of the side stories in the novel were well written and enjoyable.

...more

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