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wise_old_fishie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
after i'd gotten half way through I wasn't going to let myself dnf it, but it really did feel like an accomplishment to have finished it :p
Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Trafficking, Murder, and War
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Incest, Blood, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Stalking, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
maya_moksha's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Medical content, Dementia, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
vaguelyredhead's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, and Car accident
elbell1012's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Anyways
This book was long and this book was meandering. I feel like it very easily could have fallen into Lord of the Rings territory (ploy droughts). I felt that Gaiman was able to keep the story moving at a clip, even though for a while it felt like nothing was happening. Things were happening within the nothingness if that makes sense?
I think my favorite parts of this were the vignettes of the Gods being brought to America by their believers and the story of Salim and the taxi driver. They felt both educational and entertaining. I’m not sure how much research Gaiman did, but I sincerely hope it was thorough. There were a few parts around halfway, and slightly before, that were a little icky, especially considering the SA allegations. Mr. Wednesday(old man, thousands of years old) screws a 17 year old and Shadow, who judged Wednesday for previously stated action, remarks on how beautiful a 14 year old would be in 10 years. That felt even more gross than it would have already all things considered.
The ending was this books saving grace. It felt a little “Twilight Saga” (iykyk), but I think it did it much better. I was a little confused on the ending, but maybe I'm too stupid for a book like this.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Cursing and Suicidal thoughts
voidbagel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Gore, and Sexual content
trying_ceratops's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Cursing, Gore, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Cultural appropriation, and Alcohol
summercampcrush's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
For context, I listened to the 10th Anniversary edition of the Authors Preferred Text, featuring a forward and postscript from Gaimen, as well as a bonus chapter. For being an audiobook that is more than 10 years old, it held up really well!
Characters:
Shadow, our protagonist, who is admittedly an odd duck. His blasé reaction to the escalating strangeness of his encounters throughout the book begs the question: who is this guy? We only get a few passages about his life before Laura, his wife. Nearly nothing about his upbringing or formative years. I felt like I kept waiting for the character to emerge from the stupor left in the wake of the untimely deaths of his wife and best friend (and the tangential fall out thereafter).
But Shadow was a pretty blank slate, an intentional decision, I’m sure. (Obviously, it’s Gaiman)His whole issue, his flaw, is that he hasn’t died, but he’s not truly living either. He seems to feel very little emotion for the first half of the book at least, only really allowing himself to break down once - after burying his wife, after revelations come to light at the funeral no less. It’s odd though, only until other characters frame this “not dead, not living” part of him as a problem, does he seem to start considering it a negative thing.
But in a way the way he seems to be sitting and watching the world like someone looking out from a living room window. Pretty passive? It’s weird, but in a way also zen as hell too, how he lets the world move around him like water around a stone.
As you can tell I can’t really puzzle him out. And neither can any of the other characters either. He’s smart, courageous, kind and humble. His motivations belies the desperation he barely acknowledges. Because, he still is, even with my careful reflection, still so, so hollow.
He’s a lone character though, remaining guarded to everyone who crosses his path. His internal dialogue is just as guarded, and often willfully in denial. It’s like he sees this crazy shit going on, and thinks ‘wow I’m more exhausted than I realized”
😐😑
Ultimately, it does give the book a rather bleak atmosphere throughout.
At least there are interesting intermissions from Shadow’s POV introducing us to some batshit insane Gods or breaking up the plot with historical accounts of how the Gods arrived to America. From crossing the land bridge to arriving as an enslaved child.
I found these asides enhanced the atmosphere of the book, it was also a refreshing way to step away from the main plot and recenter it rather seamlessly.
Writing and Story: I know I mentioned that I do appreciate when an Author doesn’t coddle the reader with ceaseless reference information to find all the answers just as quickly as possible. No hand holding, No easy payoff, no simple answers, especially the symbolic meanings or thematic elements.
The story is well crafted, simple in the way that it’s impressive to have happened. By that I mean, the story beats jump in bursts and starts, with characters seemingly staring down a barrel (literally and figuratively) with little warning more than a few times. And yet, it’s streamlined. Considered. Deliberate.
I enjoy writers like Neil Gaimen. Those that remind me of my favorite author, Richard Powers. Even though none of Powers books are my favorite (The Overstory does come close) - and I wouldn’t wish for a world where all the books I read are as much an experience in story as in language.
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Genocide, Sexual content, Slavery, Car accident, and Murder
Minor: Eating disorder, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, and Colonisation
Historical vignettes throughout the book featuring victims of colonialism, enslavement. The N-word is used once early in the book; an inmate character says it in casual conversation. Really took me off guard. Minor/adult relationship refers to the “obviously underage” girl that Oden brings into his bed. There is a very unusual sex god worship scene that some people may find disturbing early in the book. I thought it was just unusual, but not upsetting.lancemama's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, and War
chronicacademia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
gemstonejasper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
For me, this book seemed almost like a love letter to the US. The main character travels around (even coming to my city at one point and mentioning a tiny town just minutes from where I grew up). It showed the absolute majesty and beauty of America. But it still acknowledges the horrors, both past and present that America has done. The themes that this book explores are interesting. Neil Gaiman is a master in storytelling.
Content warning that doesn't necessarily fit into any of the listed categories:
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Car accident, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship