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gemstonejasper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
For me, this book seemed almost like a love letter to the US. The main character travels around (even coming to my city at one point and mentioning a tiny town just minutes from where I grew up). It showed the absolute majesty and beauty of America. But it still acknowledges the horrors, both past and present that America has done. The themes that this book explores are interesting. Neil Gaiman is a master in storytelling.
Content warning that doesn't necessarily fit into any of the listed categories:
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, War, Death, Child death, Blood, Car accident, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
glowormbluelady's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I'm not sure that the story would have worked if they hadn't been "gods", but the foreshadowing was awesome. I was not expecting Shadow to interrupt the plan that Odin and Loki had in place for more power, and there was the "secondary?" story about Lakeside and that town.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
dramagnu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Minor: Death, War, Blood, Gore, Child death, Child abuse, Genocide, Murder, Slavery, Toxic friendship, and Violence
saturdayreaderinpink's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
General Thoughts
Favorite Quotes
“Something feels weird,” he told Laura. That wasn’t the first thing he said to her. The first thing was “I love you,” because it’s a good thing to say if you can mean it, and Shadow did.
Every hour wounds. The last one kills.—OLD SAYING
And finally, producing a half-rueful grin, he realized that most of all he wanted everything to be normal. He wanted never to have gone to prison, for Laura to still be alive, for none of this ever to have happened. “I’m afraid that’s not exactly an option, m’boy,” he thought to himself, in Wednesday’s gruff voice, and he nodded agreement. Not an option. You burned your bridges. So keep walking. Do your own time…
No man, proclaimed Donne, is an Island, and he was wrong.
She turns to pretty Marie and sees herself through Marie’s eyes, a black-skinned old woman, her face lined, her bony arm hanging limply by her side, her eyes the eyes of one who has seen her children fight in the trough for food from the dogs. She saw herself, and she knew then for the first time the revulsion and the fear the younger woman had for her.
Whiskey Jack reached out a hand the color of the red clay, and he touched Shadow’s face, gently. His irises were light brown banded with dark brown, and in that face those eyes seemed luminous. “Eyah,” he said. “It’s true. If you hunt the thunderbird you could bring your woman back. But she belongs to the wolf, in the dead places, not walking the land.” “How do you know?” asked Shadow. Whiskey Jack’s lips did not move. “What did the Buffalo tell you?” “To believe.” “Good advice. Are you going to follow it?” “Kind of. I guess.” They were talking without words, without mouths, without sound. Shadow wondered if, for the other two men in the room, they were standing, unmoving, for a heartbeat or for a fraction of a heartbeat. “When you find your tribe, come back and see me,” said Whiskey Jack. “I can help.” “I shall.”
The madman nodded. “Horus,” he said. “I am the falcon of the morning, the hawk of the afternoon. I am the sun. As you are the sun. And I know the true name of Ra. My mother told me.” “That’s great,” said Shadow, politely.
“I feed on death that is dedicated to me,” said Wednesday. “Like my death on the tree,” said Shadow. “That,” said Wednesday, “was special.”
Graphic: Car accident, Death, and Colonisation
Minor: Genocide and Adult/minor relationship
aqueezy's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Torture, Kidnapping, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Violence, War, and Cursing
Moderate: Car accident, Alcohol, and Child death
joensign's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Suicide, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Car accident, Torture, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, War, Gun violence, and Blood
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Racial slurs
bi_n_large's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Death, Sexual content, Murder, and Child death
Moderate: Police brutality, Kidnapping, Violence, Death of parent, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Suicide and Gun violence
joshmack's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Sexual content, Infidelity, and Death
Minor: Death of parent
shoshin's review against another edition
- 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
Encapsulating both these complaints: Balquis' character seems to exist completely for proposes that don't further the narrative: adding a sex(ist) scene and dying during the "troubles" part. I could be convinced there's narrative value there, but I'm not seeing it at the moment.
Graphic: Sexual violence, Murder, Death of parent, Slavery, Infidelity, Blood, Death, Alcohol, Body horror, Child death, Grief, Sexual content, Sexism, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Cancer, Abandonment, War, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Addiction, Drug use, Vomit, Car accident, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Rape
catriona176's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, War, Gun violence, and Murder