More and more I’m becoming a fan of Neil Gaiman’s
work, but in all honesty, my first attempt to read American Gods came to a crunching halt in the first chapter. I was
in late high school at the time, so my literary palate still needed refining.
Or I just needed to develop a deeper appreciation for Norse mythology.
Whichever of these won out, I returned to and completed, with relish, this urban fantasy about ancient pantheons,
sneaky mythological symbolism, and coin tricks. So many coin tricks.
Having a broader grasp of various mythologies from
cultures around the world, especially that of the Norse religion, helped me
progress through this book without running into prolonged periods of confusion.
Some people, however, may enjoy the sheer mystery that our hero Shadow encounters on his
unexpected journey. Actually, the parallels between American Gods and The Hobbit
is not a little startling.
