Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

Title: Anansi Boys

Author: Neil Gaiman

Pages: 336

Finished: 3/1/17

First Sentence: It begins, as most things begin, with a song.

Summary: (Taken from Goodreads.) 

One of fiction's most audaciously original talents, Neil Gaiman now gives us a mythology for a modern age -- complete with dark prophecy, family dysfunction, mystical deceptions, and killer birds. Not to mention a lime.

When Fat Charlie's dad named something, it stuck. Like calling Fat Charlie "Fat Charlie." Even now, twenty years later, Charlie Nancy can't shake that name, one of the many embarrassing "gifts" his father bestowed -- before he dropped dead on a karaoke stage and ruined Fat Charlie's life.

Mr. Nancy left Fat Charlie things. Things like the tall, good-looking stranger who appears on Charlie's doorstep, who appears to be the brother he never knew. A brother as different from Charlie as night is from day, a brother who's going to show Charlie how to lighten up and have a little fun ... just like Dear Old Dad. And all of a sudden, life starts getting very interesting for Fat Charlie.

Because, you see, Charlie's dad wasn't just any dad. He was Anansi, a trickster god, the spider-god. Anansi is the spirit of rebellion, able to overturn the social order, create wealth out of thin air, and baffle the devil. Some said he could cheat even Death himself.

Thoughts: Wow. I wasn't quite sure what I was expecting with this one. I ADORED American Gods, which I read a few years ago. This one was always on my radar, but it took a while to get to it. I liked it fine, but it was definitely no American Gods. 

Character-wise, I never warmed up to any of them. I felt sorry for Charlie, but I didn't really like him. Everyone else annoyed me in one way or another. Coates was evil, no question about it. But other than rooting for the "good guy" like you're supposed to, I just didn't feel connected to anyone.

Story wise, I wish I knew the mythology behind this one. I just am  not as familiar with the Anansi stories as I probably should be, so I didn't feel that I was making connections as well as I usually do. Still, I felt the twists were appropriate, and they were certainly surprising. 

The humor was good though. I chuckled often. I especially enjoyed the chapter titles, particularly how they were realized in the actual chapters. Glad I read this, probably won't read it ever again.