American Gods | Book Review (?)

Let me preface. Two things, okay?

First thing, okay? I have not tried to provide the dreaded "spoiler" or plural thereof in here. I also haven't tried to prevent them from being in here really. This review shouldn't "spoil" the plot for you. That said it's impossible to look at and touch on a book without actually talking about what happens in it. Even if I went as vague as to describe the themes, it's not like picking up the book blind. You should be in safe hands with me if you've not read this book and you're looking to - although if you don't want to be put off or influenced then I'd recommend you stay away. However, if you're wary of any risk in the experience being "spoiled" for you at all then just stay away regardless. I do this myself, stupidly. I get too curious about the book and what it entails and whilst I'm stroking it in my hand ready to open the pages - or more commonly as I'm halfway through it and really curious whether people are having the same delights or issues as I am and I'm too fickle to last the second half before entering the minds of others - I'll go and browse a review or two and then something will be revealed to me and I'll go: "God damn it, Jacca. You've done it again. Now try really hard not to think about the gigantic plot point that you've just read. Good, that's done it. I can barely remember what I was just reading. Though I wonder when they're going to mention that thing about the thing in the book itself... Oh god damn it. Jesus! Why must I be like this." And so on. And so it goes.

Second thing, okay? I can't actually remember what this was going to be. I went on a bit of a pre-amble there, didn't I? Sorry, I'm sure it will return to me. Oh yes! That was it. I don't feel too good at this reviewing malarkey. I find it very difficult to put my thoughts down in intelligible and - more importantly - intelligent sentences. I either don't say enough or I say far too much without saying what I really wanted to say in the first place. I should just spend a month sitting on my review and occasionally pulling it out from under my bottom to re-read it and add the small element I wanted to touch upon but totally forgot when I was writing because I ended up on a tangent about - sorry I just got a phone call and what was I saying?

Anyway, here's my review for now.

The Review

Is this a road trip across America? Or is it a spiritual road trip through American culture? Is it a story of a man becoming his true self and finding his own value? Is it a story of love and loss? Is it a study of religion and belief in the modern age? Is it actually part murder-mystery thriller?

Well, it's all of those things actually and probably a great deal more. It's quite long and as such has the capacity to be lots of things, which it certainly tries to do. But is it any good? Uhm...

Foreign Heroes And American Zeroes

Let's start with the obvious: The gods. Now, in this novel the gods in America are human-like remnants of the old gods conceived by migrating civilisations who came to America. They exist because of belief and as such the gods in this land exist based on the ancestry of civilisations who brought their myths and religious figures with them in their minds when they travelled to the continent.

As a concept, the idea of gods being real-life figures who exist on the essence of belief is great! I love the idea. As it's executed in this story though... I don't love that so much. The gods are incredibly human and ultimately this leads to them being kind of uninteresting, at least in terms of what they're supposed to represent; and I get that this is potentially the point, that belief has dwindled so much over generations that these figures are now weak shadows of their original conceptions in the old lands but that doesn't really forgive the fact that too many of the gods and mythological figures end up being annoying or dull.

Speaking of annoying: The dialogue really frustrates me in this book. You have the protagonist Shadow, who is a 2D cardboard character who says little and expresses himself bluntly. This apathy (I presume) is used to present a character who has no stake in his existence and grows to find his sense of "life" after some incredible trials. However, even after overcoming his great obstacles and developing into a fuller person he doesn't actually become interesting. He's just someone who has interesting things happen to him. Then there are the gods themselves; powerful, incredible figures who represent so much ferocity and cunning and raw power in their stories. However, in American Gods they all speak with snarky tones and an American prime-time TV layer of cheese melted on top. I couldn't enjoy many of these characters because their dialogue in no way matched what they should be. As mentioned before, I get there is perhaps a point to this but once again that doesn't redeem the fact that it is annoying in the first place. The real, human characters who Shadow meets on his journeys make the majority of the most enjoyable and believable (suspension of disbelief being considered for the gods) characters. Why aren't the gods enjoyable in this of all books!?

It was also glaring to me that in this setting of 'a new land where gods have travelled over seas in the eyes of ancient beholders' that the still-very religious America of American Gods seems to feature no mention of Christianity, the prevailing religion in the U.S.A.. You also have large sects of Judaism, Muslims, Hindus etc. across the country. So where are the manifestations of these gods? I get that it doesn't suit the narrative but I couldn't forget their absence.

There is a section that I found quite engaging and it is then revisited in a really great way later in the novel. Shadow spends a brief portion of his time in Cairo (no, not that Cairo; a Cairo in America. Yes this kind of thing happens quite a bit) speaking to the intriguing morticians Jacquel and Mr. Ibis. Staying with them and their curious cat, this is revisited in relation to the old gods of overseas and Shadow's own spiritual journey in what felt like a very satisfyingly momentous way. Perhaps these segments being related to some of the only gods I have a decent knowledge of (Egyptian gods) meant that this section stood out to me a lot more.

On reading more about the gods that each character represents its clear how much thought Gaiman put into designing the quirks of each figure and their stories which is something I can thoroughly respect. Perhaps if I'd known more about those featured before going in then I would have gotten a lot more value out of this book. It seems there are a number of allegories and tips of the hat that went over my head.

Culture Shock

Gaiman - as a pure blooded Englishman - explores America both geographically in an almost road trip style but more engagingly as a culture. This is most prominent in the idea of the old gods who have lost their significance in this new land - "a godless land" - and who, with each generation, find themselves replaced not by new religions but by the modern significance of technology, media, and consumerism. It's a great idea that in some ways is pulled off to satisfying ends. Places of power are monuments and tourist attractions that bring people from all over to coo at and snap in photographs. Places of spiritual death are those where no-one is interested in noticing. Once again, the characters who represent these new places of attention are sadly so frustrating to read. I can appreciate the attempt on paper - it has the potential for a poignant examination in the belief and significance of ancestral religion compared to modern obsession - but I don't enjoy the execution as much as I potentially could have if delivered differently.

Now, there is a section I enjoyed a lot. The small town of Lakeside. This place is a haven of sorts for Shadow to rest between the various appointments, disasters, and obligations he attends to elsewhere. It is Gaiman's exploration of the idealisation of small-town America and the fairy-tale community that these ideals summon and of course the cracks that appear in any pretence of perfection. Something about the environment and the characters here were just straightforwardly interesting and engaging. I appreciated the characters and their complexities, the mysteries that lay hidden in the town, and the atmosphere this Northern, snow-sheltered sanctuary offered.

Conflict Of Interest

The central plot of this novel is the divide between these two different ages. There is a great line where someone asks the television about sacrifices made to them, to which it replies that people sacrifice "their time mostly". The conflict here is rarely if ever interesting; it bizarrely seems to boil down to pseudo-mobster type violence and eventually culminates in some kind of anti-climactic Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe battle. There is a twist, well a few in fact, along the way. They're okay. That's that on that; the twists..

The story of redemption for Shadow (though what is he really redeeming? Why are we meant to care?) trails the conflict between these two parties of human-manifested ideas. It culminates pretty significantly though I'm left scratching my head at why and also what is even supposed to have changed afterwards? Like so many of the potentially significant portions of the plot it feels kind of empty and without depth of meaning.

You Like Dreams Don't You, Neil?

I'm being particularly harsh in this review. Am I? I don't know. It's easier to say what I don't like about something than what I do. Being a critic comes naturally to me. (I mean criticising, not the profession) Maybe it's my cynical Britishness. Maybe it's my sometimes cantankerous nature. I think it's just easier to put your finger on things you don't enjoy in art than it is to quantify the 'why' of liking something. You can easily explain a story wasn't engaging enough and so you were bored or that the characters fit into this and that trope and as such were uninteresting. How do you put into words when a page mesmerises you with its language, how do you define the physical response you get from reading something visceral and offer that as genuine to another person? It's often more of a feeling than a specific reasoning, I find; enjoyment of art.

There are moments within the book where the language is great. There are sections I really enjoy. There are glimpses of scenes or dreams (so many dreams) that enrapture me in its false reality. There are plenty of parts of this novel I enjoyed and I may not be fanatic for it but I think largely it's a case of me, not it. So many people love this book, including people very close to me. I respect that and I respect Gaiman's work.

Hey, wait a minute! Isn't there some kind of American Dream? Is the ultimate hopelessness of those ideals wrapped up subtly somewhere in here? Hm. No, I don't think so. Well; that's a shame.

A Story Within A Story Within A Story

You know what I realised whilst I was reading this? Neil Gaiman is great at coming up with story ideas. He is really good at finding a unique setting and a situation (usually fantastical in some way) for characters to exist within and/or overcome. He is at his best when he is coming out with a new place to explore, a new mist to walk through, a distinct character for whom a story can happen to. I enjoy the Sandman graphic novels particularly because they don't really follow the titular character but rather use his concept to explore the many, varying stories of a colourful variety of figures and their always unique circumstances. I enjoyed his short story collection because each one was so distinct and fresh and fascinatingly weird.

I enjoyed this novel when it would digress from the primary plot to explore the different stories of older civilisations or previous generations and their varying connections to very different gods and beliefs. I enjoyed it when it would jump to a different location and a new set of characters and circumstances would unravel. I did not enjoy following Shadow for 630 pages nor did I enjoy his primary cohort who come and go throughout the novel. Ultimately, I enjoy Gaiman taking his cap of and letting the ideas burst in a firework in all different directions. This is the longest I've ever followed the sparkling trail of one, single star of Gaiman's and I just didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. I adore his creativity and respect his art, but this one is not remarkable for me.