American Gods

I'm not typically into the fantasy genre, but this book is just so excellently written that it had me captivated from start to finish. Gaiman doesn't try to get overly complicated or clever with his prose; he keeps it simple. Ultimately, it's the storytelling that matters, and this is a masterfully told story.

Esperaba otra cosa.... 🤔 para mi ha sido una decepción 😞😞😞

I feel like maybe if I'd read this in 2001, it would've blown me away. Now, it all seems familiar, probably because by now it's become a “famous” book. And because all of its core ideas about gods and faith and belief have been explored repeatedly in some of my favorite books, like Small Gods and Good Omens. It also seemed that there were several revelations that were supposed to surprise me throughout the book, but almost nothing was genuinely surprising.

There's probably a metaphor built in, about the “aura” around this book building up over the years and developing some kind of power on its own, beyond the quality of the book itself. I'm still a big fan of Gaiman's, and still consider Good Omens to be my favorite novel, but reading all the supplementary material in the 10th anniversary edition (which is already 8 years old at this point) has tempered that a little bit. A lot of the conversational writing that I found incredibly charming in the late 80s now comes across as affectation. I definitely liked American Gods, but I can't help feeling like it's gone past its read-by date.

This book was marvelous, fantastic and legendary characters, great build up. Wonderful storytelling.

I should read this again in English (they didn't have it at the local library in English). Perhaps it will gain 5 stars then.

My feeling about this book is a bit controversial.

I liked a lot of things about American Gods. Almost all the historicl parts and the ending, when all the mysteries started to unravel. My favourite part was how similar the main plot was to a coin trick. I was not even thinking about the possibility of what was actually happening.

And that's a really great thing. It's good to be surprised once in a while.

But not all is good in paradise. There was a lot of stuff that I was not a fan of. For example, language. I've got truly tired of all “boobies” and “pussies”. That's why I liked the ending much, much more than the beginning. There was just not a time for all this things.

The story was so slow in the beginning. It was boring a lot. Or maybe I just wasn't in a mood for this book.

Anyway, that's not a bad book after all.

It was well written but oh MAN did I struggle to finish this one. Interesting concept but I was fairly bored through it.

It's been a while since I've read it and I fell in love with it all over again. I'm always so sad when it's over.

Neil Gaiman knows how to spin a tale and he's skilled at storytelling. Unfortunately, the main plot is weak, and many of the plots don't really seem to lead anywhere. With a big book like this, it's a big undertaking and takes a lot of time to go through it, and at the end you hope to get more out of it.

Weirdly interesting!

AVISO: este livro, como a série deve ser assistida pelos indivíduos com mais de 18 anos.

Sei que já publiquei sobre a série, mas eu decidi ler também o livro. E para ser sincera as coisas no livro são um pouco diferentes. Acho que, por ser uma série, eles tentaram explorar mais o universo dos Deuses, por isso é que a história é um pouco diferente. Falando realmente do livro, eu já tinha começado a lê-lo antes de conhecer sobre a série e para ser sincera, foi muito difícil acompanha-lo. É tão complexo e cheio de vida, que perdi-me um pouco. Mas depois vi a série e percebi que tinha mesmo que acabar o livro.

A história ronda à volta do Shadow Moon, um homem que está preso por agressão e quem deixou a mulher sozinha em casa quase à 3 anos. Tudo muda, quando os polícias decidem que deviam liberta-lo mais cedo, porque pelos vistos à mulher dele morreu num acidente de carro. Desiludido e perdido da vida, Shadow apanha o avião e vai para à casa. Durante a sua viagem, conhece o Wednesday - um homem misterioso mas ao mesmo tempo conhecido, que lhe oferece um emprego - ser o guarda costas pessoal. Shadow, não tendo nada a perder aceita isso e a vida dele muda completamente. Ele percebe que vem uma tempestade, uma guerra esta entre os Deuses, Deuses antigos e Deuses novos, aqueles que foram trazidos para América e os que foram criados individualmente nas cidades. Tudo está por um triz, e o Shadow não sabe o que está a fazer no meio disso.

Já conheciam o livro? Ou a série? Tencionam ler ou acham aborrecido??

I only give this 3 stars because it managed to get me out of a reading slump. I loved Neil Gaimans writing style but the book is a little confusing, I got a little lost in the plot very often.

There's so much I can say about this books. I loved Shadow. I loved his depth, his mannerisms, the way he thought about things and the person Gaiman made him be. The others characters were unique and believable. It found my heart and tugged at the strings and kept me interested from the first page. It leaves me both satisfied and wanting more. I loved it.

Objectively speaking, this is an excellent book, but I personally didn't get fully attached. My only real criticism is that it felt like this book was trying to do too much at once, and it felt a little disjointed at times. It was a good vs evil adventure and an American odyssey, with a small-town mystery side-story and a bunch of mini-stories in between. The result was pretty epic, but because so much was going on, I never felt fully invested in any of the story lines. I also felt like the end of the book dragged on because there were so many ends that needed tying up. Over all, I feel like this book might have been better as a series of stories in the American Gods world, or something to that effect.
That said though, any individual chapter of this book is gold. The diversity of intriguing characters is astounding, and the mini-stories within the book were all great. It's also renewed my interest in mythology because of the preponderance of obscure gods and interesting mythological tidbits. When it came to the big picture though, I was left without a feeling of emotional investment. It could have done with half the amount of story and included instead some more intimacy with the characters.

???What I say is, a town isn???t a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it???s got a bookstore, it knows it???s not foolin??? a soul.???

key words: funeral homes, twin peaks-esque small towns & the humour of ancient gods

I really enjoy mythology in general (that's what six years of classics study will do to you, I guess) and this book was such a cool way of... handling that? I suppose?

The book is called American Gods but none of the Gods are really American (or they are, or become that at the very least at some point). They're brought to life by the people that believe in them, and in the 21st century many of the “smaller” ones seem to be dying, slowly. Which means war (obviously. Gods always mean war). Anway, enter Shadow, who just got released from prison to find out his wife died (until she didn't) and he doesn't have a job anymore (until he does). Shadow gets to join us in our exploration of a wide range of gods from all over, now settled in America, as he finds himself in the midst of their war for no reason known to him.

I like Neil Gaiman. I like his sense of humour, and though this wasn't my favourite book of his, I really enjoyed it. It was sort of educational in a not too obtrusive way and carefully crafted which is exactly the way I appreciate my stories. Couldn't always relate too much to the characters but that was alright. They were a relatively easy 750 pages to go through anyway.

One of the best books I've read this year. American God's reads like a trip through the mind with places and Gods being way points on a grande adventure. A tome of a novel that I ripped through over the course of a week. Highly recommend.

‘'Gods die. And when they truly die they are unmourned and unremembered. Ideas are more difficult to kill than people, but they can be killed in the end.''

Why do gods have to fight and die? Isn't there enough space in people's hearts to accommodate everyone, as in the old days? New gods and old gods, but it seems that they aren't all powerful as such. They need the mortals to believe in them, otherwise they simply cease to exist.

I initially thought I wouldn't write a review about Neil Gaiman's gloriously dark, strange and haunting classic. I mean, what can I say that hasn't been said? And then, I thought ‘'come on, it's an honour that you have the chance to write a review that will occupy a teeny tiny corner in this endless space that is Internet. (...too much Tech-boy influence...) So these are my two cents for a book that my review cannot do justice to.

It has been on my lists for years, right after I read ‘'Coraline'' and ‘'Stardust'', but the marvellous TV series made me started it sooner than I thought. I couldn't possibly wait to witness the conclusion in 3-4 years on the telly, when the book was on my shelf. And this gives me the opportunity to say that the spirit of the book was perfectly captured and transferred to the small screen (unlike other examples...) and the expanded parts made the essence of the book even more significant, at least to me. As Wednesday and Shadow start a road trip in preparation for the war that is coming- a fight between the old gods, the values that created the country and the new gods that bring corruption and progress built in sand (yes, that is my personal conclusion....) - we, the readers, find ourselves on a journey that gives us much to think of. Is the old world a better place? Are the values that bring hope and comfort to the people to be destroyed by media, technology and the new World? I believe that each one of us can draw their personal conclusions.

‘'We like to be big. Now, in these shabby days, we are small. The new gds rise and fall and rise again. But this is not a country that tolerates gods for long.''

Gaiman's writing is exceptional, obviously. There are so many beautiful quotes, so many dark moments of terrifying awe that clearly show why he's considered a master of his Art. The themes he relates to the people who shaped America -by force or by their own free will- the cultures and the gods that crossed the ocean to protect those who believed in them and ended up almost destitute, couldn't be more relevant to our current times. Gaiman doesn't take sides, in my opinion. He presents gods and goddesses from all pantheons with respect and a hint of bittersweet remembrance, perhaps, for the lost pedestals and the wasted sacrifices through the ages.

The parts that I consider the jewel of the book are all the ‘'Coming to America'' chapters that show how the real heroes of the story are the people,not the gods. My favourites are the story of Essie Tregowan, a young woman from Cornwall who tries to make her fortune by shady ways, the story of Wututu, a slave girl during the late 1700s and the story of Atsula, a prehistoric priestess. They are among the most moving literary pieces you'll ever read.

Not much can be said about the characters, they are gods and they crave love and devotion. Are they really that different to humans?I don't think so. Shadow I loved, I don't understand why many refer to him as being ‘'simple'' or even devoid of personality. Yes, of course, he is simple. A simple human being thrust in the middle of a fight between all mighty deities. He is loyal, clever and kind, a character at a loss and at a crossroads, one who the reader can understand and identify with, if that is possible.

The edition of my copy contains a short interview with Neil Gaiman and a novella, ‘'The Monarch of the Glen'', along with an essay by Gaiman called ‘'How Dare You?'' (I love that name!) All of the above are great reads. It is a book that shows much and hides even more. It wants us to contemplate on a number of themes that are larger than life,impossible to be answered, and yet they will be sought after by generations as long as mankind exists.Those who claim the opposite are simply lying to themselves. And thank the goddess of Literature for Neil Gaiman.

‘' ‘'Gods are great'', said Atsula, slowly, as if she were comprehending a great secret. ‘'But the heart is greater. For it is from our hearts they come, and to our hearts they shall return.''
...and perhaps, sometimes, we should listen to our hearts...

Disclaimer- I will not engage in any religious discussion of any form. If you belong to the clan of the very few ones that go around looking for a fight, turn around and go elsewhere. You will find no response here. It is my conviction that religious beliefs is the most personal of issues and I do not discuss anything religious or anything that has to do with politics. My religious beliefs are my own and concern noone. And I will not tolerate any aggressive comments towards specific religions or religion in general, towards atheism,atheists, non-believers and the like. You get the drill. Comments regarding religion of any kind will be deleted and flagged. Thankfully, there is space for everyone in this awful (?) world and respect is the thing.Thank you:)

Great read! I can't wait to watch the television series.

I am sorry to say that I only read this book because it was made a show on Starz. Sometimes books made to tv shows turns out well and sometimes its not. The show has two more episodes but I love the book. I should not have waited. I inhaled this book in 4 days. I am a huge fan of Mythology, The amount of lore in this book, and how it's handled is fantastic.The way the story is narrated in particular, makes the reader feel as if events are being guided by some higher power like fate, though it's obviously the author, and this lends itself greatly to the classical fantasy feel of the book.

couldn't get past 15%.

This was my second experience with Neil Gaiman. However, my first experience wasn't finished (oops) – my husband and I were listening to Anansi Boys on a car trip, and didn't end up finishing when we got home. It was such an enthralling story, it kept our attention for hours in the car. So, I thought that this book would do more of the same for me.

American Gods, though, was a hard read for me. It's undeniably a fantastic, fantasticAL story, written with amazing attention to detail, beautiful turns of phrase and just overall impeccable creativity. If I was more of a fantasy story lover, I know I would have enjoyed this book. I did enjoy parts of it – I definitely got sucked in several times. It's just so out of my wheelhouse, though, that I had a hard time getting through the whole thing.

In a nutshell, the story is about gods living in America. Yes, we're talking Odin, Loki, and all the rest. However, these “old” gods are in a strange battle with the “new” gods that Americans worship, such as Media, World, and Time. (If you like to read books in an English major sort of way, enjoying the themes, you'll love dissecting this one.) Our main character, Shadow, leaves prison to find he gets sucked into a crazy world of gods and battles and craziness.

It's long. It's really long. I don't think I would cut anything out of it, because it all makes sense for the story, but I just had a hard time making it through. Many of the chapters were super long, too – luckily, there are breaks to stop at, but I don't often stop reading in the middle of a chapter, so I felt compelled to keep going, even when I felt like stopping because my attention was waning.

I also got a little confused about all the characters in this book – there are many of them, and they have some pretty strange names. I had a hard time keeping a lot of them straight. Perhaps it's just because I don't usually read fantasy stories with lots of characters and strange names and such, but I had a difficult time with it. A couple of the names, I didn't bother trying to figure out how to say and just sort of mumbled in my head when I got to them.

All of that said, I would definitely try watching the series that's on Starz. Unfortunately, I don't have cable, so I don't have the means to watch it currently. After reading the book, though, I think the series would be a total trip.

In conclusion, this is a dark fantasy story that, for me, would be best listened to or watched, because it was hard for me to keep my attention on the book. If you're a fantasy fan, though, have at it – I'm sure you'll love it.

Read my full review at http://www.literaryquicksand.com/2017/05/review-american-gods-neil-gaiman-coloring-book/

This was really hard book to get through and I found it extremely slow and boring.

First, a confession. I confess that I am shamelessly in love with Neil Gaiman. If you are worried that this will sully my unbiased review of this book, worry not. In fact, this was my second read through of American Gods and, truth be told, I wasn't all that in love with it the first time I read it. Maybe it was where I was at in my life, or the current reading mood I had, but despite my love for Gaiman this book and I just didn't click. So, when I was offered the Author's Preferred Text version for review, I was eager to give it another chance. Oh, I am so glad I did. So, so very glad. This book is an experience. Brutal at times, beautiful at others, and full of things that will have you questioning reality. In other words, it's Gaiman. At his finest. I don't know why I ever thought otherwise.

Shadow's journey is a strange, and fascinating one. Whether you're familiar with the Norse Gods or not, Shadow will always be there to stumble right along with you. Here's the thing though, Shadow is infinitely more steady than I expected him to be. He's a character who, despite having done things in the past that he regrets, still believes in the inherent good in people. He walks around partially blinded to the world that he's found himself wrapped up in, and yet he never seems inept. I loved Shadow. Every single messy part of him. The book is long, this is true, but with Shadow as my guide I didn't mind one bit.

Then there are the Gods themselves that slither, flap and saunter through this book as if they own every page. Gaiman's broken world pits the Gods of old against the Gods of new. Odin and Bast against the manifested Gods of technology and progress. It's an intriguing premise. If a God is birthed and sustained through worship, why wouldn't we have birthed new ones that relate to cell phones, internet and music? Simply fascinating. What's more interesting than that though, is all of the underlying lore that is penned into these pages. Stories of Thunderbirds, coins that bring back the dead, and areas that shouldn't exist but do. It's so easy to lose your footing in reality and go crashing, right along with Shadow, into this world.

In an effort not to endlessly ramble on, let me assure you that this book easily made my favorites shelf this time around. As I mentioned, this is the Author's Preferred Text version, and actually contains quite a bit of content that was originally cut out. I think it's perfect. The story, the extras, the whole package is perfect. Pick this up! You won't believe how easily you can get lost in Gaiman's world. American Gods is well worth your time.

One of JRR Tolkien's goals when creating his stories was to create a uniquely English mythology. In a way, I would say that what Gaiman has accomplished with American Gods is an equivalent version of that for the modern nationstates that make up the American continents. In the process, as well, he manages to tell a story that's exciting, engaging, funny, and thoughtful.

This is one of those books that I know I'll read again later in life, and I'll get something else out of it.
American Gods is a book that's been on my radar for a little over a year now. It was always in my queue, but it kept getting pushed back until I finally picked it up a couple of weeks ago. Not only am I glad I read it, I'm glad I waited as long as I did.
The themes of reinvention, grief, design, and belief in this book all resonated in me with a strength that would have been unattainable if I had read it before now.
This book is phenomenal. There were a couple of parts that read like molasses but oh boy was the payoff worth it.
Read it when you feel you're ready.

I think it's time for me to break up with Neil Gaiman for good. It's like an OkCupid relationship where we were a 95% match, but the conversation just didn't flow and I was tempted to just forget him, but I made myself go on a date because ‘you can't tell from just online' and we go to this really interesting themed bar but somehow it ends up being the most boring date ever because he won't stop looking at the floor or his hands when there's a BEAUTIFUL MURAL LIGHT SHOW and a WATERFALL DANCE FLOOR he should be focused on instead.

Basically what I'm trying to say about Neil Gaiman is: why would you take your really fascinating, fantastical concepts and then execute (both meanings of the word) them by telling the story through emotionally void characters, bland prose, and a generous sprinkle of casual misogyny? Why would you go and do that?

Also the main female character got fridged TWICE wtf.

It wasn't all bad and it probably deserves more than 1 star but I really had to force myself to get through it and I can't honestly say that I thought “it was ok” so....shrug emoji