Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Anansi Boys


Anansi Boys
by Neil Gaiman

Anansi Boys is Neil Gaiman's tangentially related follow-up to his Hugo and Nebula Award winning novel American Gods. This contemporary fantasy novel focuses primarily on the experiences of Fat Charlie Nancy, who, following the death of his estranged father, discovers that that deceased patriarch was also the god Anansi, the spider known throughout folklore as the spinner of stories and something of a trickster. And that's not Fat Charlie's only surprise -- he also discovers that he has a brother. A brother who seems to have inherited the magical side of the family's genes. Anansi Boys isn't really all that large a story, but Gaiman's deft and humorous literary touch lends it more weight than you might expect. The characters are all fascinating and though you might cringe at Fat Charlie's misfortunes, you can't help rooting for him to succeed in achieving his goals. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Gaiman's Hugo-winning novel, American Gods.] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[Also available in downloadable and book-on-cd formats.]

[ official Anansi Boys page on the official Neil Gaiman web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

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