April 2011 - Group Read Discussion - American Gods - 1/3 Way Through

[Andy]

Discussion thread for Group Read April 2011 - "American Gods"

[Keith]

Anyone else like the new twist on what leprechauns look like?

[John]

You mean that they're huge? Yeah - I was expecting him to mention something about the land of giants. Read an article recently where someone suggested mentioned there might be more to that phrase: http://www.independent.ie/entertainme...

I keep thinking there's something very Douglas Adams about his humour in this book. It's a little it tongue in cheek and not taking himself too serious, throwing in giant leprechauns and Jesus trying to thumb a lift and stuff like that. I like that he leaves a bit of room for stuff like that as well as more serious bits.

[[deleted user]]

I liked the giant leprechaun angle, but did he have to be a raging alcoholic?

[Annie]

He's a raging alcoholic who plays with gold coins and loves to fight! Lol. As I understand it though, the whole concept here is that we create our own gods/deity/folkloric creatures. If they're created from our ideas and concepts of them, shouldnt they FOLLOW the stereotypes and not contradict them? After all, the stereotypes are our perception of them, and it is that which is supposed to give them strength. On a similar note, it sort of struck me that they are actually becoming real people doing everyday things. The book mentions that they die, but it seems to me that they just become... Ordinary. Like Czernobog working in the slaughter house and Bilquis being a hooker. I haven't decided yet if they are getting away from our ideas of them and developing normal personalities because they are not praised as much or if they are not praised as much because they are becoming less idealic and more normal...

[[deleted user]]

It's a good point, Annie. It just got under my skin a little. The only enduring Irish stereotype is a negative one. In any of the myths and legends I've heard leprechauns never drank. Only in Darby O'Gill. Damn you Hollywood!!!

Anyway. It's over a year since I've read it. Has there been a flashback yet, of any Gods reaching America?

[Dem]

Have read over 1/3 of the book and have completly lost interest in the Novel, this book starts with a great story in the first couple of chapters but after that I cant warm to the characters and therefore am struggling with the read, also think would have been a good idea to do a little research on mythology before i started the book and may have helped me get into it more. I dont read fantasy novels so this is just not my cup of tea and looking at the ratings on Goodreads you either love it or hate it. I am throwing in the towel on this one as life too short to read what dont interest you, but can see why other readers will go mad for it.

[Andy]

really enjoying this so far - love the early tension in prison scene.

@ John - the Douglas Adams similarity
Norse Gods, created by virtue of man's need for them and belief in them, continue to exist on modern earth - but with greatly reduced power due to lack of believers.
that would be Douglas Adam's The Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul.
American Gods seems to have some very simlar characters and plot devices - except A.G. is darker and has fewer laughs

[John]

. As I understand it though, the whole concept here is that we create our own gods/deity/folkloric creatures. If they're created from our ideas and concepts of them, shouldnt they FOLLOW the stereotypes and not contradict them?

Definitely an interesting point I'm going to keep an eye on that one. But I suppose you could view it like this: in this fictitious world that Gaiman has created, where these gods really do exist, maybe the stereotypical leprechaun for the people who inhabit that world is 7 foot tall brute. It's not really *our* world.

[John]

@Dem it was actually when I got 1/3 way I through that I started to enjoy it even more. I really like when he arrived in that little town and things changed pace and we were given a bit of a breather from Wednesday etc.

I'm the same I don't really read fantasy any more, but I like that about book groups, going back to an old genre or trying a new one. And am enjoying this one so far.

@andy that's interesting I didn't think there was a similar storyline too, it was more his sense of humour in some places that reminded me of HGTTG but yeah it's definitely more sparing.

Oh look it's beer o'clock...

[Keith]

Annie wrote: "He's a raging alcoholic who plays with gold coins and loves to fight! Lol. As I understand it though, the whole concept here is that we create our own gods/deity/folkloric creatures. If they're cre..."

Yeah I agree Annie. It may be a stereotype but hey, stereotypes exist for a reason. To be honest the leprechaun seemed like the average sort of guy you'd run into in Burger King at 3am on O'Connell St. after the pubs close. Sad but nevertheless true.

Really enjoying this book so far. I love the sarcastic and sometimes dark humor. I'm really into Mythology and Fantasy etc so I'm loving it.

Has anyone else guessed what god Wednesday is? I'm only on page 120 and it hasn't been revealed yet, but if you know enough about mythology you might get it.

[Annie]

Keith wrote: "Annie wrote: "He's a raging alcoholic who plays with gold coins and loves to fight! Lol. As I understand it though, the whole concept here is that we create our own gods/deity/folkloric creatures. ..."

Keith, I know who he is. If you're on page 120, you're very close to having it revealed in plain text, but it gives you some pretty big clues before that. I caught it when they mentioned the scar on his side....

[Annie]

@John, You have a point there, but I get the feeling that Gaiman is trying to show us what role the Gods and deities have in our own world. What good does it do for him to show us how another world functions? I could be wrong, but Gaiman seems like the type of author who uses a colorful story to make a point or teach a lesson, and relating the concepts to a set of ideas or standards that do not apply to the perspectives of his readers seems like it would weaken that point a bit by making it less relatable. If nothing else, he should have created an entirely new world if he were trying to change the concepts instead of using our own countries.

However, it makes sense to me that the stereotypes would change in a country that draws its influences from people who have been far removed from their cultures. As an American, I'm in a prime position to back him up on the fact that Americans have only a general idea of what the old beings were like, so perhaps Gaiman is commenting on how the deities are being corrupted and are changing BECAUSE we are not aware of the original stereotypes. I'm very interested to see where he goes with this...

[Keith]

Anyone else find it hard to classify this book? I know it seems to be classified as fantasy, but I don't really feel it fits in that genre very well. What do you all think?

I don't think "Supernatural Road Trip" is a genre is it?

[John]

It's a bit like The Time Traveller's wife.... an otherwise straight book about a couple's struggles through life but one of them happens to time travel. But because time travel is a fiction of science, there's no getting away with it being classified as science fiction. Even though it's not set in a futuristic utopian planet, it's still sci-fi, but it's also a whole lot more than that.

I guess you could say the same of AG, a lot of it is pretty straight storytelling but because there are... fantastical... things going on, it has one foot firmly planted in fantasy. Don't think there's anything wrong with giving it several classifications; supernatural, road trip, fantasy, thriller, horror.

Or I guess you could call just call it non-realistic fiction http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiction#...

[[deleted user]]

John Connolly always had a problem with the classification of his Charlie Parker novels. They're always found in the crime section of bookshops, but there's a very strong supernatural element to them. Lately some stores have been putting his books in the horror section, but not a lot.

[Annie]

Personally, I'm of the opinion that some authors should be given their own genre.... There are a few who deserve it!

[[deleted user]]

I know what you mean, Annie. Some writers defy genre, whether it's intentional or not. But until a writer carves out a niche for his/her self the need to find a possible audience. I'm starting a new topic about this.

[Annie]

Sounds good, Declan! I'll check it out when I'm at an actual computer instead of on my cell phone at work! Lol.

[[deleted user]]

It's up and running, Annie. I look forward to your input.

[[deleted user]]

I’m up to page 170, finding it a bit of a hard read, but I will keep going.

[aprilla]

Sam, I met two lulls... the end is worth it though :)

[Jackie]

Vicky, I was a bit like that at the start but I'm about half way through now and am enjoying it despite myself (I really didn't think it would be my type of book at all!). It's not like anything I've read before, but I like the different perspective it gives of gods and mythical beings, am enjoying the humour and I find myself liking a lot of the characters. I'm really intrigued at how the story is unfolding

[Keith]

It's definitely one of those books you need to give a little time. The story really develops as you get into it.

I'm with you Jackie, I love the dark, almost sarcastic humour of Gaimen. Very British in my opinion.

[John]

I found some of the fantasy hard to get through. I sometimes think that stuff is a little bit like listening to people telling you their dreams (I want to gnaw off my own ears). Well not quite that bad, and obviously in much better prose but I find it a bit of a struggle to pay attention to that stuff sometimes. Had to go over the tree bit a few times.

[Keith]

Yeah I know what you mean John...i'm not a big fan of surreal dream-like sequences either. I find they can take me out of the book and I lose interest if they go on too long. Thankfully Gaimen keeps them very short though.

I really enjoyed all of his Flashbacks (the past sequences like the one with the Vikings) and Interludes though. Some of them make nice little short stories of their own.

[Jackie]

Jackie Walsh | 3 comments I agree Keith, I'm enjoying how all the different stories are intertwined with the main one. The edition I'm reading is the one with the Author's preferred text and I was a bit dubious at first when I read his introduction, expecting "big and meandering" waffle but I don't find that at all. Like John, I struggle at times to pay attention to fantastical descriptions but I think Gaiman has it just right, for me anyway. Mind you I thought the story about the slaves (more than 1/3 of the way through so apologies for any spoliers) quite harrowing. He painted some very vivid scenes for me. Gaiman can sure tell a story teller, imho.