Why I Both Liked and Disliked American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Title: American Gods

Author: Neil Gaiman

Publication Date: March 4th, 2005

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Days before his release from prison, Shadow's wife, Laura dies in a mysterious car crash. Numbly, he makes his way back home. On the plane, he encounters the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the kind of America. 

Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a story of preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break. 

Scary, gripping and deeply unsettling, American Gods takes a long, hard look into the soul of America. You'll be surprised by what - and who - it finds there ...

Review

I am going to be very honest and say that I finished reading American Gods in October of 2018. 2018!?! As in over a year ago. 

I put off writing this review partly because I wanted to watch the TV series and do a comparison, but mostly because I was highly confused about how I felt about the read overall. I struggled with whether I wanted to write a review as well as how to write one, but ultimately felt that American Gods is worth talking about to hear what others think about it and encourage people to pick it up as well! 

You’d be hard pressed to find a novel by Neil Gaiman that is not well written. Gaiman has a way with his words, being able to bring to life rich and in-depth characters alongside immersive storylines. I flew through 3/4 of American Gods, engrossed with Shadow’s journey as he transitions from prison life to reality and becomes involved with Mr Wednesday. It was fascinating. That’s the easiest way to explain it. It was like I had been invited into this exclusive, secretive world and the longer I was there the more addicted I became and wanted to be a part of it. A part of me wanted Shadow to leave as he had already dealt with so much in his life, and another part didn’t wanted to continue to see what he got up to so it felt somewhat like a guilty pleasure. It feels weird describing my reading experience as such but it is very much true. Beyond just Shadow and Mr Wednesday’s journey, Gaiman draws on mythological legends of gods that had been previously idolised to create a plot with a fantasy element to it. I found it made the story much more interesting and I liked that I was being educated on a topic that I would never have looked into myself.

Not only was I fully captivated by the storyline, I also appreciated how much effort Gaiman put into creating his characters to make them as realistic and relatable as possible. The characteristics had traits that any normal human being would, not quite black or white. When the different characters are first presented, you easily judge them as good or bad straightaway but those lines begin to blur as you continue to read about them. This allowed the story to explore questions of what is right and wrong, whether behaviours and actions can be excused if the intention is deemed right or good and if good can and should always defeat evil. 

The struggle I had with American Gods was when I reached the last quarter. It really felt like I had hit a brick wall and it took me 2-3 months to really drag myself to the end. This isn’t to discredit the entire novel. If anything, I think it came down to my own reading experience as the plot line became more complicated and I found myself less motivated to endure it. The last quarter really made me realise I had to pay attention and rely on my memory of what had happened previously and the different characters that were introduced. No matter when they were involved in the story, at the end they still had some type of impact and it really came down to myself, as a reader, to try and remember who they were and what relations they had to the Shadow and the story itself. It really didn’t help that I kept picking up and putting down the book, because it made it harder to remember what had happened a few pages back and which characters were which. 

Maybe it’s the fact that I found it hard to finish the book and that ruined my overall reading experience, hence why I couldn’t decide if I liked American Gods or not. Also, I was slightly disappointed in myself for not enduring until the end and read the book within a timely manner. However, not that I have had time to reflect, I can honestly say that American Gods is a story that I would 100% immerse myself back in and see if my initial thoughts will change. 

I love a thought-provoking and memorable read, and Gaiman delivers that with this book. For those who have watched the show or plan to, maybe it will make it easier to follow along, in terms of the characters. Just make sure you’re ready to pay attention and you’ll be treated to a creative and captivating story that is bound to make an impression on you. 

Also, I just wanted to share that this is my favourite passage from the entire book:

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/71624-there-was-a-girl-and-her-uncle-sold-her-put

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Print to Film: Coraline

Coraline moves into a new apartment where she finds a locked door in the wall. Behind it she discovers a brick wall, but the second time she tries a passageway appears. She is surprised to find a flat identical to hers and her parents in it, although they call themselves the "Other" parents and have buttons for eyes. Coraline is fascinated, but when she realises that the "Others" are trying to keep her in the alternative world she is determined to escape. 

The Book 

 Coraline was a short but entertaining read. It was creepy and thrilling enough to keep me reading. I love how vivid the story was, so that I could easily picture the setting and characters. The fantasy elements really enhanced the read. Despite that, I still found really meaningful messages about family, love and understanding.

 It was easy to dive into and enjoy, and very suitable for all ages. Personally, my favourite character would be the cat  - which says a lot because I usually dislike cats. 

 The Movie 

 Visually, the animation in the movie was creative and suited the context. It was done really well so that whilst the creepiness was retained, it wasn't overdone to the point where it would scare off children watching it. I particularly loved the garden in the Other World - it was vibrant and stunning - pretty much my favourite scene. There were also some moments that were grotesque, but a particular scene really surprised me. A dance scene, which was in the book, but had really suggestive elements in the movie. It was a little uncomfortable to watch considering this is a children's movie.

 Much like any other movie adaptation though, there were a few changes made, although some of which I wasn't too sure why.

 Wybie, a boy in the neighbourhood, was added as a companion to Coraline. It wouldn't have bothered me too much if his character didn't alter the storyline or Coraline's role, but it did. Still, it also conveyed the importance of friendships, loyalty and trust. The objects Coraline must find to escape was different as well. It's nothing major, but it still confuses me as to why it was changed. Perhaps to make the movie more simple to understanding, it was done that way?

 Coraline's trips to the Other World happens more frequently than in the book, although that's probably to fill in time and also give a better understanding of the alternate universe. I liked that there was a clear difference in terms of colour and set up between the two worlds. 

 The biggest difference though, which might me based on my personal perception, was Coraline. From what I gathered, in the book she's a child who's neglected by her parents, but she's not snarky or rude to them. In the movie she has an attitude that surprised me. I found Coraline annoying for the first half, being absolutely rude and stubborn. However, she did redeem herself in the end. 

 In saying that though, I did find the movie enjoyable and it was great to see the setting come to life. I felt that they nailed that in the movie.

 Verdict

 As much as the movie was visually stimulating and pretty impressive to watch, I like the book that much more. There's something that irks me when a movie changes a bit too much or adds in things that wasn't in the original. 

Read it if you have time. Or grab some snacks and settle down for some pretty cool animations.

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