Reading My Neil Gaiman Books

I read four books this year, all of them by Neil Gaiman: American Gods, Anansi Boys, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and Neverwhere.

My Neil Gaiman Books

American Gods is the first book I read. It's highly rated, with a 4.1 rating on Goodreads at the time of this writing, and it was even made into a series on Amazon Prime. The premise is very intriguing: gods from different mythologies walk amongst us here on earth and their power and immortality comes from the belief people have in them. But as more and more people in the world start to believe in technology, new gods are created and this stirs up a battle between the mythological gods and the new technological gods. I did have some difficulty reading it since there were a lot of characters introduced through flashbacks or different scenes that deviate from main storyline. I realized that I have difficulty with that writing style and it took me a while to finish it. That said, I fully understand why many people love this novel. It's inventive, the pace really picks up as the story comes to its powerful climax, and just when you think the story is done, you get hit with a very surprising and even chilling denouement.

American Gods

I next read Anansi Boys. While this isn't a sequel, there is a character here - Anansi - who is also in American Gods. I gotta say, I really love this book. I think a large part of that is because I really like the lead character, Fat Charlie Nancy, around whom the story revolves. There is something charming and captivating about his insecurity and his struggle and it was great to see his evolution as the story progressed. The antagonist (or one of them) also seemed almost benign before it is revealed just how diabolical he is. The discovery of Fat Charlie's history is surprising and there are a lot of really interesting twists and turns that kept me really engaged. I personally prefer Anansi Boys to American Gods, maybe because there are less characters and the storytelling is a bit more linear and straightforward, making it easier for me to follow.

Anansi Boys

The Ocean at the End of the Lane was unexpectedly heavy and haunting. We get introduced to Lettie Hempstock when she becomes friends with the narrator and it is this friendship of two "kids" that becomes the core of the story. While we never truly understand who Lettie is, we find out early enough that she and her family are far from ordinary. When a mortal threat presents itself to our lead characters, we don't exactly get worried for Lettie and her family but we do get worried for the narrator. His dread and fear are very palpable and I felt his despair. The climax is shocking and heartbreaking, and what is revealed after that adds even more layers of depth to the sadness and emotion I was already feeling. I was very affected by The Ocean at the End of the Lane and it really stayed with me after I read it, which is a sign of a great book. While it isn't a happy ending by any stretch of the imagination, it is powerful, moving, wildly imaginative, otherworldly, and very well-written. It's also a short book so you can finish it quite quickly.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

The last book I read is Neverwhere. This was fantastical, whimsical, and absolutely fascinating, which are things I have come to expect in Gaiman's works. The story is practically a quest, with our lead characters searching for something and having to overcome many obstacles and challenges along the way. While it's not as heavy as The Ocean at the End of the Lane, it's pretty dark and grim in its own right. The situation that our lead character Richard Mayhew finds himself in early in the story is quite distressing and I truly felt his desolation. Also, the loss of a character early on was jarring and disturbing, to say the least. The villains are also pretty sinister and menacing. This book is fast-paced, action-packed, and riveting, with many twists and turns that lead towards an explosive climax. Despite the fact that I am a slow reader, I finished this novel quite quickly even if it's more than 400 pages long. 

Neverwhere

One bittersweet thing about all this is that three of these novels I read were inherited from my friend Karen who passed away a couple of years ago. In her will, she left her books to her friends. I still miss her but I find solace in the fact that I have now read some stories that she herself read and enjoyed when she was still with us.

I'm also happy that I was able to find enough time this year to read four books this year. Many of my friends who saw my social media posts suggested other Gaiman works but I will most likely go through other authors next year since I still have several other books at home. Hopefully, I can continue to find time read next year.