Reviews

American Gods: The Tenth Anniversary Edition by Neil Gaiman

becca_t's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

kerri_strikes_back's review against another edition

2.0

So, I sorta get it. This was definitely an epic. But I probably should have read it, instead of doing the audiobook, because it is VERY long, very detailed, and excessively described. I'd have given it three stars up until Shadow starts hanging on the tree, at which point I expected the story to end... but it didn't, and it didn't, and it didn't. So by the end I was just kind of frustrated and also annoyed with myself for not paying better attention so I could make some of the neat connections that I was sure were there.

sjminkoff's review against another edition

5.0

I can't believe I've waited this long!

Great book with a lot of personality and ... implications. The voice of the characters and universe within is as real as they are fictional, in both a Jungian and artistic sense.

gringoley's review against another edition

2.0

A taxi driver on the way to the airport gave this book in STL. He said he read it like 7 times. A rubber band held it together. I soo wanted to like it but. . . It's just a huge hodgepodge of D&D's Deities and Demigods mixed in with old school brothers Grim vs pop culture. Which would've been cool had they actually done something with it. It built up like a giant punching balloon but instead of popping satisfactorily it just kinda floooooooooomp'd all of the room. Leaving me hungry for more, but NOT more of it.

franchescamcastro's review against another edition

2.0

i really want to understand what i'm missing here. i know this book won awards and is beloved and is so meaningful to people but i... didn't get it?? i personally chose to read this because the house on the rock museum is one of my favorite places in the world and the last time i was there a worker told me about this book. it was fun to read that section (way shorter than i thought it would be) and to follow the main character's journey through minnesota/wisconsin/rest of the midwest, but that's really all i enjoyed! i didn't care for any of the characters (even the main character, who is not very interesting and his only defining trait is that he's "big" - they seriously describe him as big like 100 times) and the plot didn't connect very well or pay off in the end. i don't regret reading this but wouldn't recommend it to anyone. please someone tell me i'm wrong and explain to me why this is great i wanna know!!!

notknapping's review against another edition

5.0

Read again ahead of the series; even better than the first time.

treborsemloh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

jimutt's review against another edition

4.0

I did not have any expectations set when picking up this read, and to be honest the writing style did not convince me. The first parts of the plot did not impress me either. Yet I was still intrigued by something, which fortunately kept me going. After reaching about 1/3 of the book I started to get an idea about the direction it was heading in and the ambitiousness of the book was beginning to show.

After finishing the book I'm still a bit puzzled about how to rate it. But since it definitely managed to pull me in and keep me interested — while delivering a thought-provoking, dark but still somewhat cosy storyline and general setting — it definitely deserves a good score. I also think it's a book that would stand the test of a second read through pretty well.

dragonrider29's review against another edition

5.0

On a second reading of American Gods it has become clear to me that whilst the plot is original, fascinating and utterly marvellous it is the sheer brilliance of Gaiman's prose that makes me give it 5 stars. The joy of the book is in the art of the storytelling and Gaiman is a true master, filled with luminous passages that I have found myself re-reading and re-reading, and elequent quotes that just get to the heart of that matter. This is a book to treasure and savour like a fine wine or a luxurious box of chocolates.

rain_proof's review against another edition

2.0

I think this is going to be the last of Neil Gaiman's novels I'll read for now. While he surely knows how to set a mood, I keep finding myself disappointed, especially because of the characterisation. The characters are mostly one-dimensional men who don't have much personality, and I just don't get attached to them. But the most frustrating part is the women in these stories, who are are non-existant and bland. It just doesn't do it for me.