The concept of a god is, undeniably, man-made. Religions and myths didn’t exist before their monuments were built and their scriptures written. This isn’t to say that gods, or God himself, doesn’t exist, merely that their creation is derived from belief.
American Gods (Headline Book Publishing, 2005, ISBN 978 0 7553 2281 7), written by Neil Gaiman, is an exploration of this idea, focusing on America and its inheritance of various cultures and their beliefs. It is, quite simply, a magnificent novel, with a story encompassing almost every religion and pantheon imaginable, as well as the ‘new gods’ of the 20th and 21st century..
An American Road-Trip
Shadow is an ex-con, whose just been released from prison early after discovering his wife has died in a car-accident. Grief-stricken, Shadow is on a flight to her funeral when he meets the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims he requires Shadow’s services to aid him in his endeavours. After much persuasion, Shadow reluctantly agrees, and the pair voyage across America to recruit participants for Wednesday’s war.
Shadow soon finds himself embroiled in a war between the old gods and the new. Short chapters scattered throughout reveal the many different gods that have been brought to American shores, only to find themselves misplaced when their people’s belief wanes. There are many fantastic segments, such as when a travelling salesman meets an Ifrit, a mythological creature who now drives a New York cab to make ends meet.
Like most good stories, American Gods feels like a tour of sorts, as the characters travel from place to place. Shadow’s quest is a literal road-trip, as he and Wednesday drive from state to state, sometimes together, sometimes apart. The loss of his wife has rendered Shadow aimless. Wednesday has given him purpose, although Shadow will regret what that purpose soon envelops him in.
The Gods of Industry and Technology
The details of Wednesday’s war soon become clear. The old gods, misplaced and disillusioned, have been ousted by the new gods. Media manifests itself as a prim, formally dressed woman replete with news anchor voice, whereas the gods of automobiles are described as altars to sacrifice unheard of since the Aztecs.
The old gods and the new are battling for people’s belief, and Wednesday is gathering recruits for a climatic showdown with their newly formed adversaries. But is their influence too strong, their power too far-reaching?
America’s Inherited Pantheon
What’s most impressive about American Gods is Neil Gaiman’s subversion of religious conventions and his twisted, sometimes perverse recreations of gods and mythological characters. It’s obvious who Wednesday is, with his one glass eye, his wolfish personality and nostalgic references to his friend ‘Thor’. A lot of enjoyment can be derived from the story simply by musing over what god each character is, as Gaiman never explicitly reveals this, instead choosing to drip-feed information.
Shadow’s Plight
As a character, Shadow initially feels a little bland. Despite obvious references to his size and strength, not to mention being incarcerated for assault, Shadow is surprisingly meek and quiet, obeying Wednesday’s orders without much resistance. Even Wednesday himself asks Shadow, later on in the novel, why he never asks why or refuses to do what he is told.
But Shadow soon becomes more compelling, as his subtle but fierce determination and obvious influence on matters shines through. Laura, Shadow’s dead wife, was everything to him, and with her gone, he’s lost and as misplaced as the gods he and Wednesday seek to recruit. The eventual reveal of Shadow’s significance on the war is a little anti-climatic, but feels appropriate to the story and certain characters’ desires.
The character of Wednesday is both hilarious and unlikeable. He’s a gruff, cocky old man, with an insatiable hunger for drink, women and glory. He’s dogged and persistent in his quest to recruit gods to his war, but has hidden agendas and an ulterior motive that will shock most readers.
Neil Gaiman’s Best Novel
American Gods is easily Gaiman’s best book. The story is deep, complex and riveting, and demonstrates Gaiman’s immense knowledge of numerous cultures and beliefs, notably America. Gaiman resides in America, and his familiarity with the landscape is evident. Certain sections often feel like extracts from a travel-guide as Gaiman relates the scenery unfolding before his characters’ eyes. Gaiman’s prose is elegant and fluid, although he does have a tendency to repeat certain words or phrases, but this isn’t much of a problem.
This is an epic book, and focuses not only on Shadow’s journey but the lives of other characters, both past and present. These sections are some of the best parts of the book, such as the aforementioned Ifrit cab-driver, or a prostitute whose twisted take on worshipping the female form both delights and revolts.
Certain sections in the story often feel arbitrary, such as Shadow’s stint in a quiet lake-side town, but their significance is eventually revealed. The plot can get a little sluggish sometimes, but Gaiman is able to make even the mundane interesting.
American Gods Review
Overall, American Gods is an incredible book that shouldn’t be missed, either for its epic tale of old gods and new, its voyage across America’s land and history, or, simply, for its characters. It doesn’t get much better than this.
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