I've only ever read Neverwhere and really want to read all of Gaiman. The way you describe this one makes it sound very appealing. Shadow sounds like a really interesting character.
Such a great book! I would agree with quiet and subdued dark atmosphere. I think the reason Shadow was so likable for me was that he just seemed so gentle despite the bad things that had happened to him. Also, maybe he's the only sense of "reality" in an otherwise mythical/surreal setting? I don't know. That's interesting to think about.
+ZombieEatsBooks Finished it this morning and think he is like the center or eye of a storm, everything around is chaos but he is calm and emanating "sense". Yes, he is real and earthly in a mythical setting.
I haven't read American Gods yet, but I really want to. Glad you gave it the go ahead. I have read Anasi Boys which I believe is kind of an off shoot. I really enjoyed that book, the audiobook was fantastic!!
Oh yes Wiebke! I understand the dark atmosphere you were referring to while one has to dive back into this book. Loving your point of view on some god's perspective. I was reading the 10th anniversary version has included an excerpt of Jesus as an archive. According to Gaiman, he was still contemplating whether to include the Jesus scene during the "hanging tree episode" where Shadow met some of the gods. He put it in there to allow readers to judge whether it is over wordy by including or it should be in there. I might want to try "Startdust", many has raved about it.
+Jbb YT Stardust is also good, although I prefer the movie, have watched it multiple times before I found out it is a book as well. But both are different from each other to enjoy them separately which I liked :)
Its an interesting story, and its narrative on the power of Belief. I watched the series first before reading the book, i felt so immersed and drawn in. Any suggestions to similar books?
That athmosphere is something i associate with Gaimans work. It gets stuck to my head (in a good way). This book is one that i have reread maybe once and it was long time ago. As a mythology nerd i should read this with a internets help. I guess i read it so long ago i did not think that as an option back then.
I think I read it in 2008 with the "one tweet one book" thing, so I was on the internet anyway and everyone else knew so much more about the gods that I got curious and found a page detailing every character and their god persona. There must be more today.
I tried it once some years ago, and gave up after a couple of hundred pages, but just now after your video, whe checking the book on goodreads, I realized that I was reading the 10th anniversary-edition in which Gaiman included pages that were cut in the original publication (and the book amounts to over 1600 pages...). So I want to give it another try in the shorter/original version.
+Britta Böhler (The Second Shelf) whoa, no take this one, it says it is the author's favorite text. I know he looks at published books as an unfinished story, but I don't think the book can benefit from any more details. Sometimes you just gotta know what to cut out and not overexplain. This is about 600 pages story, the rest is intro and other extras.
I read half of this book many years ago and never got through it. I still own that same copy with the same bookmark halfway through it. Maybe I'll give it another chance someday :)
+Kims Pensieve Haha, I love that he chose to name him Wednesday, maybe it has something to do with how we call Wednesday "humpday" like he's at the top of everything - or just before the fall.
Great review! Gaiman is hit and miss for me but American Gods was such a hit that I just knew I'd have to read everything else he wrote regardless haha
I am seriously thinking about reading this one now that they are making a TV show I actually know someone who works on the show although I say know her, more like I went to high school with her :) Is it daunting read?
Plan. Read. Geek. With Claire It is big, but it just flies by. The first time I read it I coudln't put it down, apart from frequently checking if that character was a god and which one. You could try a sample on kindle and see how you like it.
I wish I had read this book in a physical form, because I listened to it on audio and I didn't love the reading. Some of the voices the narrator chose to use were so obnoxious, so there were characters that I might otherwise have loved, but the voice ruined it for me.
+All the Shelves Oh no, I hate when that happens. I listened into the narration for a book I like ones and stopped after a few seconds, the voice just didn't sound right.
I loved the atmosphere in American Gods, definitely dark and calm. It is definitely one I want to reread at some point.
+Paulina Sanchez It was worth the time!
I've only ever read Neverwhere and really want to read all of Gaiman. The way you describe this one makes it sound very appealing. Shadow sounds like a really interesting character.
Oh he is. I just love him! This would be a good follow up to Neverwhere, similar atmosphere, I think. A little darker and parallel to our reality.
Such a great book! I would agree with quiet and subdued dark atmosphere. I think the reason Shadow was so likable for me was that he just seemed so gentle despite the bad things that had happened to him. Also, maybe he's the only sense of "reality" in an otherwise mythical/surreal setting? I don't know. That's interesting to think about.
+ZombieEatsBooks Finished it this morning and think he is like the center or eye of a storm, everything around is chaos but he is calm and emanating "sense". Yes, he is real and earthly in a mythical setting.
Love that book so much!
read it for the first time last year, will definiteyl be rereading it at some point :)
I haven't read American Gods yet, but I really want to. Glad you gave it the go ahead. I have read Anasi Boys which I believe is kind of an off shoot. I really enjoyed that book, the audiobook was fantastic!!
+Benjamin S. Morrison Oh if you liked that you will like American Gods as well.
Oh yes Wiebke! I understand the dark atmosphere you were referring to while one has to dive back into this book. Loving your point of view on some god's perspective. I was reading the 10th anniversary version has included an excerpt of Jesus as an archive. According to Gaiman, he was still contemplating whether to include the Jesus scene during the "hanging tree episode" where Shadow met some of the gods. He put it in there to allow readers to judge whether it is over wordy by including or it should be in there.
I might want to try "Startdust", many has raved about it.
+Jbb YT Stardust is also good, although I prefer the movie, have watched it multiple times before I found out it is a book as well. But both are different from each other to enjoy them separately which I liked :)
1book1review Wow... Thanks! I'll give both the movie and the book a try.
Its an interesting story, and its narrative on the power of Belief. I watched the series first before reading the book, i felt so immersed and drawn in. Any suggestions to similar books?
That athmosphere is something i associate with Gaimans work. It gets stuck to my head (in a good way). This book is one that i have reread maybe once and it was long time ago. As a mythology nerd i should read this with a internets help. I guess i read it so long ago i did not think that as an option back then.
I think I read it in 2008 with the "one tweet one book" thing, so I was on the internet anyway and everyone else knew so much more about the gods that I got curious and found a page detailing every character and their god persona. There must be more today.
I tried it once some years ago, and gave up after a couple of hundred pages, but just now after your video, whe checking the book on goodreads, I realized that I was reading the 10th anniversary-edition in which Gaiman included pages that were cut in the original publication (and the book amounts to over 1600 pages...). So I want to give it another try in the shorter/original version.
+Britta Böhler (The Second Shelf) whoa, no take this one, it says it is the author's favorite text. I know he looks at published books as an unfinished story, but I don't think the book can benefit from any more details. Sometimes you just gotta know what to cut out and not overexplain. This is about 600 pages story, the rest is intro and other extras.
I read half of this book many years ago and never got through it. I still own that same copy with the same bookmark halfway through it. Maybe I'll give it another chance someday :)
+Helene Jeppesen (helenthebookowl) some years ago, your taste may have changed and you might like it more now. Give it another try :)
Haven't read it yet. It is sitting on my shelf right now. Have a wonderful weekend!
+Sues BookNook Oh you should read it before the series come out in 2017, it is a good fall or winter book ;)
I haven't finished it yet but I feel like shadow's so chill haha never thought of Wednesday as a God :))
+Kims Pensieve Haha, I love that he chose to name him Wednesday, maybe it has something to do with how we call Wednesday "humpday" like he's at the top of everything - or just before the fall.
I really enjoyed that book. Good review.
+JabberCT thanks :)
I want to read this book. I keep hearing about it, and it sounds interesting, but it keeps escaping from me.
+David Jerome catch it, hold it tight and curl up on a stormy day in a comfortable place, it won't let you go again ;)
Great review! Gaiman is hit and miss for me but American Gods was such a hit that I just knew I'd have to read everything else he wrote regardless haha
Same. Don't like his short stories and can't stand him reading them, a very unpopular opinion, lol.
I've never read Neil Gaiman but I love him! *hangs head in shame*
hahaha. Sounds legit to me, he's just overwhelmingly and annoyingly present.
I am seriously thinking about reading this one now that they are making a TV show I actually know someone who works on the show although I say know her, more like I went to high school with her :) Is it daunting read?
Plan. Read. Geek. With Claire It is big, but it just flies by. The first time I read it I coudln't put it down, apart from frequently checking if that character was a god and which one. You could try a sample on kindle and see how you like it.
What does the postcard behind you say? Something like "chocolate small problem , but that does an apple yes also not'? I'm trying to learn German :)
+Toastwig Chocolate doesn't solve any problems, but neither does an apple ;)
"ja auch nicht" in German is basically "neither" in most situations.
:D I hope to get to it soon then I'll tell you ;)
looking forward to it :)
I wish I had read this book in a physical form, because I listened to it on audio and I didn't love the reading. Some of the voices the narrator chose to use were so obnoxious, so there were characters that I might otherwise have loved, but the voice ruined it for me.
+All the Shelves Oh no, I hate when that happens. I listened into the narration for a book I like ones and stopped after a few seconds, the voice just didn't sound right.