American Gods
by Neil Gaiman
Book turned tv-show, American Gods is a timeless classic. Written by author Neil Gaiman who’s written bestsellers, turned movies/shows, such as Good Omens, Stardust, Coraline and many others. American Gods is a fantasy novel that features a different kind of narration style that only Neil Gaiman could pull off. It’s not written in your typical protagonist’s perspective voice, the story is told in a storytelling fashion that leads the reader through Shadows (the protagonist) journey into the world of gods and deities. But before we get too much into that, I have to tell you what the premise of the book is. American Gods begins with the main character Shadow returning home from prison, just after his wife and friend passed away in a car accident. However, that’s not all the stories about.
Not to spoil much, but this novel has a much larger plotline that circles around Shadow’s journey. In this world created by Neil Gaiman, every god/deity that’s ever been prayed to/worshipped in existence is physically real. In this fictional world, not only does Jesus, Zeus and many other familiar gods we know exist, but also new unknown ones. If enough people pray, serve or worship one single god, entity or deity long and hard enough, a new ‘god’ is created. So in this world, because we use Media and technology so much in our daily lives, gods like Media and Technical Boy exist physically in this world as gods. There are many other gods I could introduce you to, but I’ll leave that to you to discover if you haven’t read or watched American Gods yet. Although, just because you’re a god, doesn’t mean you’re necessarily immortal. If enough people stop praying/serving a god, they cease to exist. So, as society progresses in the novel, much like our society, people casually begin to forget about the ‘Old Gods’ and gradually turn to the ‘New Gods.’ And, because these gods are all physically real and fear losing their followers and in turn vanishing, the ‘Old Gods’ decide to start a war against the ‘New Gods’.
American Gods Tv promo posters
All of this is happening while we follow Shadow in his journey and many other smaller storylines and plots. Which brings me to how this book is written and what voice Neil Gaiman chose. Because there are so many gods and each god/deity has a story and backstory, Gaiman chose a storytelling method that makes introducing gods fascinating and ethereal. American Gods is written in a third-person point of view but is limited to Shadow’s experiences and thoughts as the story primarily follows his plotline. At times, we do see a shift in perspectives and change in narration. Shadow doesn’t always need to be in the room for the story to be told to the reader. This usually occurs when new characters are introduced, or important characters are discussing something that Shadow can’t know or be there for. The narration also shifts to past tense for introductions, background stories and flashbacks. This is when his writing gets really fun. His background stories in this novel, of each god, emulate the tradition of oral storytelling. This is fantastic as most stories throughout history, especially those about gods and deities, were passed down this same way. Each mini-story or telling included seems separate at times but is always linked or connected in the end. It feels like one plotline that sneaks through one larger plot that’s pulled together somehow by a collection of mini-stories. If you’re not a book lover, this might not be the place to start, but it is however a great read if you like the idea of storytelling.
American Gods issue #7 (comic cover)
With all that Neil Gaiman’s writing about in this novel, he sources many different cultures and religions and it really makes reading this book interesting. I almost find it educational as I found myself learning plenty, as I Googled each new God I read about. American Gods really is a classic, in my eyes at least. It has so much to love, it includes great elements such as classic symbolism, a unique writing voice and diverse characters. Neil Gaiman has checked every mark on my list of loves for a book. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a fantasy novel with depth throughout characters and plot.
Don’t want to read the book, but want to hear more about American Gods? Check out the links below!