American Gods (Neil Gaiman)

Title: American Gods

Author: Neil Gaiman

Released: 2001

Rating: 5/5

Basic Plot: Shadow, after getting out of jail, is hired by a mysterious man called Wednesday. Without him fully knowing why, Shadow is pulled into a war between the Old and New Gods.

The Gods
Wednesday is the second god Shadow first encounters. Lowkey Lyesmith is the first one Shadow encounters. Part of the fun of this book is figuring out which gods you're meeting. There are also New Gods but, as they aren't ones you find in mythology, can't be guessed. The most interesting things about gods in this novel is the fact that a god lives and dies by who believes in him or her. It's a good, yet hard to understand at times, plot point.

Shadow's Importance
Shadow is shown to be an important character. Why that is isn't fully revealed until the end. So, throughout the novel you're thinking that Shadow's importance is just because he's the main character. But it's shown that he's the son of a god/goddess who is using him in a quest for power.

The Random Flashbacks
The majority of flashbacks (that aren't related to Shadow) don't make a lot of sense. But, luckily enough, they don't take up too much time. Plus, they are interesting. There's only one flashback that seems to mean anything. And that is Hinzelman's flashback.

Final Thoughts
This is an amazing book. Those who like mythology NEED to read this book. This is a good modern telling of different mythological figures. But what if you don't like reading? HBO is going to be making a series of American Gods. And for those of you that finish American Gods and want it to continue without writing fanfiction? There is a sequel planned for this book! Thank you to everyone who recommended this book to me!