Book Review: American Gods by Neil Gaiman

I actually found interest in Neil Gaiman through his pictorial books, which I would sometimes browse in bookstores but kept resisting to buy any. Cheapo me. Then later I found out that my cousin also likes his stuff, including his fiction novels. That is when I started to consider reading these books.

American Gods is the second Neil Gaiman book I bought. The first was Anansi Boys, which was more lighthearted, less wordy, and more quirky. American Gods is a pretty condense fiction novel, that combines fantasy, religion, horror, sci-fi, romance, suspense... into a lengthy, but by no means boring, story. This is also why the book was nominated and awarded in multiple fiction categories. It's like a very well thought cocktail of unknown but tasty mixture.

The book can be read as it presents on the surface, or it can be read with its subtle messages within. I suppose it is like watching The Matrix movies, different people finding different philosophical deductions out of the show and thinking a bit more about life. Well, I suppose American Gods will do well as a movie too, assuming some capable director fancies it.

I have a mess of thoughts upon finishing the book, none of which are clear or have conclusions. But I guess one point that is apparent throughout the book is the ever-revolving of all things. New gods replace old outdated gods. New life appears after death. New insights after a sacrifice. Time doesn't stop and wait for anyone or anything. You either move forward and adopt to new things and hope for changes, or you fall back and become obsolete and be forgotten.

Oh, the books also talks about coin tricks, and how to con people to earn free money. Pretty neat ideas in there.

Conclusion, American Gods is one of the very good fiction books I have read, but not for the fainthearted, the religion-fanatics, or the confused.