This is the second time I have read this book. A rare event since there are so many great books...who has the time to go back? Well this book left a mark when I went through it the first time. It was my first go with Gaiman and I read it each night while riding the bus home from work. So 6 - 7 years later, after reading more Gaiman, I decided to give the book another shot to see if it held up over time.
This is part of an ongoing attempt to determine a Top 10 book list so I wanted to reread some choice titles to ensure they still meant something (see my post on an old Heinlein's book...). Boy reading a book a second time, paying a little closer attention to it all, made the book a whole lot more enjoyable. I think the first time reading a book with a lot of levels can be a bit overwhelming. Just trying to get a feel of the characters and plot. Kind of like following directions for the first time...really difficult looking for street names and addresses but then that second time is so much easier because you have a general feel. By the way is it weird that I am listening to Amanda Palmer while writing this?
The book follows the hero, Shadow, as he journeys through the Midwest with his boss, Mr Wednesday, who is the God, Odin! Along the way Shadow runs into Gods. This is the fascinating part of the book. Since America is such a melting pot of cultures, each culture brought with it their Gods and as long as that culture still existed these Gods exist in human form. Problem is that modern day Gods like the Internet, are causing the old gods to disappear. So a big storm is brewing. Little things like the Egyptian gods being undertakers and owning a Funeral Home, sacred places like Rock City, and names the Gods adopt. These details make the book so much more. This website lists every god that makes an appearance and also has a map! This book is a definite Top 10!
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