Reviews From Our Customers
An Unwieldy Mess of Ideas and Scenes
Having heard loads of good things about Gaiman's work, and this huge novel in particular, I decided to check out this story of the decline of "old" gods in the face of the "new" gods of technology. The notion that the power of gods is derived from belief in them is a fairly basic one, and forms the underlying framework for "the coming storm", where the old gods in America band together to fight the new ones. The premise here is that centuries of immigrants have brought their native gods to the shores of America, where, we are told, there were no gods. Gaiman uses a few flashbacks to show these gods in action, which are some of the most effective bits of writing in the book. But there are three main conceptual flaws in the premise. The first is that the American mainland was hardly a tabula rasa, there were plenty of Native American deities in place (Raven, Wolf, Turtle, etc.). Secondly, does that mean that there are multiple manifestations of deities-one per geographic location? If the Norse gods die off in America due to dwindling belief, does that mean they live on in Scandinavia? Thirdly, the book totally ignores the monotheistic traditions which dominate modern American belief, which seems like a massive cop-out by Gaiman. Of course, this is a work of fantasy, and one doesn't look for total realism-but these issues undermine the internal logic of the story.
The story's protagonist is the cheesily names Shadow, who we meet right before he is released from prison. Upon his release, he is enlisted by the leader of the "old" gods, Wednesday, as a bodyguard. It's troubling that Shadow never seems that perturbed by Wednesday's creepy knowledge of his life, and it's one of the books central flaws that Shadow takes the most bizarre, X-Filesque events in stride, barely batting an eye. He's such a non-reactive character that it's a real struggle to care about him at all-which is a major problem as he is the center of the story. The two set out on Gaiman's attempt at that most traditional of American genres, the road movie/book, as they attempt to organize a coalition of old gods to do battle with the new ones. So, basically, the whole story is a buildup to this massive battle, which... Well, I won't give it away, but it's likely to disappoint many readers. More problematic is the pace, which is numbingly sedentary. The book drags on and on and on at a steady pace, only to culminate in the aforementioned non-climax.
Along with these issues, readers who know their Norse pantheon will probably spot the book's big reveal well in advance (Shadow's prison buddy, Low Key and his boss Wednesday, bear names decodable by a child with an interest in Norse mythology). This is not to say there aren't portions that are well written and intriguing, but as a whole, the book is an unwieldy mess of ideas and scenes. Gaiman clearly has talent and imagination, but sustaining a narrative of this length appears beyond him at this point.
Stunning scope and magnificent depth
Neil Gaiman's AMERICAN GODS is simultaneously an epic, a treatise on religion, a road trip story, a coin trick instruction manual, a murder mystery, a war novel, a tale of self actualization, and a love story. At any given point in GODS, there are six or seven different plots occurring -- but Gaiman juggles them admirably and never lets anything drop.
In Gaiman's previous works, GOOD OMENS (with Terry Pratchett), STARDUST, and NEVERWHERE, the reader knew exactly in which genre the book belonged. GOOD OMENS was an apocolyptic comedy, STARDUST was a fantasy/love story, and NEVERWHERE was a dark fantasy thriller. AMERICAN GODS is the first of Gaiman's novels in which the cliches of the genre are meaningless -- because AMERICAN GODS transcends the genres it encompasses. This makes for a novel of stunning scope, and Gaiman's talent makes for a story of magnificent depth.
Our hero is Shadow, a man of indeterminate ethnic origin. He's big, and he can hold his own in a fight, but he'd rather not. His favorite book is Herodotus' HISTORIES. His life story is unfolded for us little by little, and we delight in every new revelation, because Shadow is truly our hero.
The novel's structure is a bit like THE GRAPES OF WRATH, in that about every other chapter is not about the hero at all, but about a different storyline altogether. I admit that initially this structure irritated me, but then I realized that these "mini-plots" were just as fascinating as the "big plot."
Although one reviewer complained of the "predictable" plot twists, in my mind there was nothing predictable about GODS. I found myself actually cringing with fear at some points because of what was happening to the hero -- and I had never suspected it.
The host of supporting characters is simply awesome. From the most ordinary human being, the chief of Lakeside Police, to the most fun god, Mr. Nancy, Gaiman describes each new person or god just enough to let us know who s/he is, then plunges onward. The result is perhaps the largest cast of characters I can remember reading about, and yet the reader is satisfied with each and every character.
One warning before you pick up this book: it is not a happy book. For those who are familiar with Gaiman's work, this revelation is no surprise. But for those who want just another summer reading book . . . death and disappointment abound in GODS. The murder mystery is solved (and solved well), but it leaves the reader with a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Shadow learns a lot about himself, but a lot of it is bad news. Some wonderful, seemingly good characters are (like Hunter in NEVERWHERE) actually very, very bad. Shadow never seems to catch a break in his personal life, either. These aren't drawbacks, mind you, but things to consider before starting the very, very *long,* addictive read.
I feel as though I have not done the book justice with my rambling review. So here's my final statement: AMERICAN GODS is truly one of the finest novels I have ever read. If you have the time to invest, I strongly urge you to purchase AMERICAN GODS. You won't regret it.
ETBR - American Gods
1. Reflections: When this book was written, it became an immediate bestseller. Previously, Gaiman had only been known for his lengthy and verbose Sandman graphic novels, more of a specialist collection of the strange and beautiful. Why did people respond so well to American Gods?
2. Thematics: American Gods continually claims that the existence of gods is only because we need them, and when we lose the need, they fade into oblivion. Does Gaiman offer any solutions to this problem?
3. Characterization: From the moment we are introduced to him Shadow remains a mystery. As we follow him on his journey, it could be said that he is a walking shadow. Yet there is a deeper significance of his name. What is it?
4. Symbolism: Gaiman asserts that many objects in today's world, such as historical monuments, popular festivals, and contemporary philosophies, had their roots in a pan-theological foundation, or from the hands of many gods. What examples do you see in American Gods? What examples do you see that Gaiman doesn't mention?
5. Authorship: In Gaiman's other works, he often writes about similar themes. The gods in the contemporary world, the reality of the dream, the immortal nature of the spirit world, the failing of the gods to appease mortals and thus are forgotten, the mastery of the human over the material but limited in the spiritual: these are all themes be tries to work into his books. In what ways does Gaiman break with his tradition in American Gods? In what ways has his philosophy changed by becoming a novelist?
