reading: american gods

Finally, finally reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman. It's been on my reading list for years, but I'm running into the same problem I did when I finally read Good Omens.



I really do not care about Shadow all that much. Everyone else is fascinating, and I'd rather be spending pretty much all my reading time with anyone else. OTOH, his style is amazing, and it's kind of what keeps me going.

This is probably not actually Gaiman's fault. This particular type of male protagonist just doesn't do much for me, mostly because--and I get at least in-text why he's like this, I think, and it makes sense--there's taking with equanimity what the universe throws at you and then there's whatever the hell he's doing. I'm not saying he needs to be genre-savvy, but there's not being genre-savvy, which is meta, granted, and then there's not being entirely sapient, which is now a serious question.

Also, not helping, right now they're talking about delicious food and it's almost lunch and none of this is an option today, dammit.

Comments

[kickair8p]

Idiot Ball? I don't remember spotting anything like that, but I read it over a decade ago -- the fandoms have taught me a lot in that time.

~

[seperis]

No, he's not an idiot, he's just epically accepting of everything. Like, everything.

[synecdochic]

If it helps, that's actually deliberate, even though the reason for it is fairly subtle. :)

[seperis]

No, that much I figured out, and I get the in-text reason. It works at some points, but at some points, I really, really, really want to shake him.

[synecdochic]

Heh. Gotcha. Yeah, it annoys me from time to time too, but still!

[dreamatdrew]

Until you get smacked upside the head with it...

Course, the size of the smacking may depend on one's situation...

[metaphortunate]

Yeah, no, he never actually does a goddamn thing. I would have warned for spoilers, but if you've ever read another Gaiman story, you already knew that. He's got a real thing for male protagonists that stories happen to while they stand in one place being vaguely well-meaning.

[hypertwink]

I like the universe of both AG and GO -- but I'm not into it that much. My friend said that I loved Sandman so much that everything Gaiman does pales in comparison. The same goes with Pratchett -- I discovered Discworld at a time when I really really needed it so to his other books' detriment, they are judged (a bit) wanting.

[everbright]

The Polish death god/slaughter house worker was my fav weirdo creepy character. My family is Polish and from Chicago, so some version of his archetype is in my family tree somewhere. You ever wanna creep/gross yourself the hell out one day, look up Bubbly Creek.

[out_there]

I really do not care about Shadow all that much. Everyone else is fascinating, and I'd rather be spending pretty much all my reading time with anyone else.

I want to re-read that book sometime. I have a general memory of not being particularly thrilled about Shadow, but loving the world and characters around him, but I can't remember specifics. I just remember enjoying Anansi Boys a lot more (if that's not set in the same world, it's one very similar, and again with the gods-in-real-life theme) and wondering if maybe I'd enjoy American Gods more upon re-reading.