kcgarris's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Probably my favorite book of all time. Definitely one of them. The idea that gods exist because we exist and they rely on our belief and our stories, the idea that our stories don’t just sustain them but they sustain us.
emkellreads's review against another edition
3.0
Love the characters, love the prose, love the world...
... Hate the male gaze.
... Hate the male gaze.
billyhopscotch's review against another edition
5.0
American Gods is really an excellent offering from Neil Gaiman. His portrait of America is both real and magical, and not always happy. It's exciting and thought-provoking in many ways. Well worth a read, probably two, but not in the immediate aftermath of the death of a loved one.
mariekevanmil's review against another edition
My first book by Neil Gaiman and I thoroughly enjoyed it. He drove me straight through the heart of America and the Norse mythology he is known to be fond of.
decafenby's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Neil has done it again. American Gods is a fantastic read for anyone interested in melting into the American melting pot. It's a tribute to American culture that critiques, exploits, and unites. Its moments of darkness are definitely warranted (we're talking about America here), and its moments of lightness are sweetly earned. Shadow has quickly made my list of favorite main characters ever put to page. This book surprised me, engrossed me, and utterly wowed me. I'm not sure if American Gods is for everyone, but if it's for you, it's for you.
fionab_16's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
locationhell's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.0
angelofthe0dd's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent book! The plot of the story tends to meander a lot, but I think that's because the author is using the plot to introduce as many Gods to the reader as he can in limited pages. Shadow is the main character, and the first God we meet is "Wednesday" who almost seems like a Devil character - although I don't think that was ever 100% clear. At times he also seemed to me like the Greek god Pan (Wednesday had a thing for young nymphs). Shadow's wife, Laura, was killed in a car accident days before he was to be released from prison, and her corpse also plays an important role in meeting and understanding the gods of the plot.
A lot of the story line reminded me of a recorded lecture of Joseph Campbell's I once listened to. The lecture was about the origins of myths and gods of mankind. It's a very deep subject and one that you can't read about without an inner sense of stargazing and wondering if there really is a god or gods watching down on us.
A lot of the story line reminded me of a recorded lecture of Joseph Campbell's I once listened to. The lecture was about the origins of myths and gods of mankind. It's a very deep subject and one that you can't read about without an inner sense of stargazing and wondering if there really is a god or gods watching down on us.