American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Publication Date:  June 19, 2001
Publisher:  William Morrow  
Pages:  592 
Series:  American Gods #1
Genre:  Fantasy
Synopsis:  Shadow is a man with a past. But now he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life with his wife and stay out of trouble. Until he learns that she's been killed in a terrible accident.  Flying home for the funeral, as a violent storm rocks the plane, a strange man in the seat next to him introduces himself. The man calls himself Mr. Wednesday, and he knows more about Shadow than is possible.  He warns Shadow that a far bigger storm is coming. And from that moment on, nothing will ever be the same…

Review:  Going into this, I had no clue what to expect.  Now that I've finished it, I still couldn't tell you.  I'm not exactly sure what that was.  Hell, I'm not even sure that I liked it.  Really, the only thing I know definitively is that I am glad I read it.

You could say that this is a story about an ex-con called Shadow.  You could also say that it is about a war between the gods.  You could say it is about a lonely man who likes card tricks.  None of these things are wrong, yet they are not precisely right.  Much like the premise, in which America is a big melting pot of religions, American Gods is a melting pot of a story.  It is an intricate web woven with a myriad of smaller stories.  

The writing is incredibly detailed and imaginative, as to be expected when it comes to Neil Gaiman.  However, I was most impressed with the idea of the novel itself and how cleverly it was presented.  The plot is confusing and a bit on the slow side, but it is also a vibrant and thought provoking piece.  If anything, it is one hell of an idea, the kind that sticks in your head, bouncing around and providing a plentiful amount of what-if's, especially with each new plot twist and turn.  

People populate the darkness; with ghosts, with gods, with electrons, with tales. People imagine, and people believe; and it is that rock solid belief, that makes things happen.

Shadow is a solid fellow, but not a very dynamic one.  He is pushed around by the plot and the convoluted plans these gods and monsters thought up.  He plays a key role, and in the end makes some bold moves, yet he also spends much of the book waiting around for further instruction.

Wednesday is the other side of the coin:  manipulative, charming, and the instigator that sets the ball rolling.  I didn't harbor much love for the man, but the character is certainly intriguing.  In fact, that last statement could pretty much go for the majority of the cast, and a large cast at that.  It was difficult to keep track of them all, and I gave up by the end because I couldn't pronounce half of the names anyway.  

All your questions can be answered, if that is what you want. But once you learn your answers, you can never unlearn them.

The ending is orchestrated with a lot of cunning and skill, and I for one was left extremely satisfied and even just a little surprised.  It leaves it open just enough to keep you wondering. 

American Gods disturbs reality and interrupts typical thought process.  An English teacher could have a party with the abundance of themes and metaphors, but rather than tearing them apart, I love the way they turned reality around and created an entirely new side for me to have an existential crisis over  ponder.